How Do I Thoroughly Clean a Litter Box

I bought a litter box for my cat this week since she outgrew her original box. I am donating her old litter box and I was wondering what products can I use to clean it. Can I use bleach, soap, and water? Or should I can something else. It needs to be scrubbed deeply because my kitten was rather messy. Plus, the litter would stick to the bottom and sides.

So, what can I clean the litter box with that is safe to use so I can donate it?

I just use dish soap and a scrubby sponge (one kept far away from your dishes!). Put it in the bathtub. Add warm water, let it soak for awhile if stuff is dried on. Once it's all softened up, add soap and get scrubbing! Rinse it out well and let it dry. You can use properly diluted bleach solution for disinfecting after it's clean (bleach only kills germs on clean surfaces; it doesn't remove dirt) but then you have to wash the bleach off and let dry thoroughly. You should wash your kitty's litterbox every month or so. Lots cheaper than buying a new one every time .

If it has dried litter in the bottom, scrape that off before washing the box (use the scooper, scrape it out in the yard or over the garbage can). Wet clay will mess up your plumbing.

Don't donate the litter box. No matter how much you clean the litter box out, there will still be some remaining lingering smell of your cat in the box which may stress out the cat(s) who get the box.

The box can be reused, just not as a litter box. Maybe as a box to hold garage / basement items in or as a flower planter after you poke some drainage holes into the bottom, etc.

I disagree.  It is hard to imagine any smell left after a nice scrubbing with a good detergent and hot water.  If any smell is left it would be of the detergent.  Just get a household brush and lather well and scrub.

LTS3 said:

Don't donate the litter box. No matter how much you clean the litter box out, there will still be some remaining lingering smell of your cat in the box which may stress out the cat(s) who get the box.

The box can be reused, just not as a litter box. Maybe as a box to hold garage / basement items in or as a flower planter after you poke some drainage holes into the bottom, etc.

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Shelters have to wash and reuse litter boxes EVERY SINGLE DAY. Donating this box would be a great thing and I don't know a single shelter that wouldn't gladly take it. Cats in shelters are already stressed by their situation, and are already overwhelmed with smells of all sorts of things including other cats. A used litterbox, that has been properly cleaned, is the least of their worries. Besides that, it will probably be not only washed, but sanitized again before using at the shelter anyway.


To clean, I agree completely with Willowy...wash completely with soap and water, and then soak in a bleach solution, rinse off, let dry, donate!

:-)

Thank you all!
I still need to clean it lol. I'll need to get started on it soon.

If you put in a good amount of litter, there will be less of stuff sticking to the bottom..

I use Dawn (BLUE) dish soap. I live in an apartment, so I dump the used litter into a couple of trash bags, scrape down the residue with the litter scooper, then soak it in a solution of Dawn and Water. I let it sit for a few minutes, then I take a disposable Handi Wipe to wash it down, as if I was washing dishes, using the bathtub instead of the sink. 

I have a scrubber dish brush I use for the stubborn stuff...

I dump the water, refill with more water and Dawn... and wash again.

If it is warm and sunny outside, I take the clean box outside to dry in the sun.. If not, I use a towel to wipe it down.. 

I am not sure about donating it.. I know the humane society I work at, will take new boxes but not used ones....never know...

I know my shelter would be happy to take it!  I disagree that litter boxes retain an inordinate amount of smells.  I would wash it then spray it with a solution of 1:10 bleach and water and let it soak.  The bleach will kill any remaining nasties that may be left in scratches.  Rinse after 10 minutes or so and let dry thoroughly then donate.  We get used litter boxes all the time but the worst ones are the ones that are  uncleaned.  Yes, it happens and yes, it's gross and so rude.  Like we volunteers have nothing better to do than clean other people's litter boxes.