# Periodic total dumping of clumping litter?



## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

I know about periodic cleaning of the litter box, but should I be completely dumping the litter once in a while too, or just adding more?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I've never dumped the litter, since I scoop the _bad_ stuff out. Seems wasteful to me.


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## SomeRandomChick (Sep 11, 2011)

I do periodically dump so that I can wash and disinfect the box. If the litter that's in the box is clean enough, I might reuse it, but usually I dump it when I do the box clean. I just don't refill as I scoop for a few days before a thorough cleaning so the waste is minimal. I like having the box totally fresh. I only have one cat and one litterbox too, so it doesn't really amount to much.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I hadn't been dumping it since I switched to World's Best but last week I had the urge to disinfect the boxes. I stopped adding litter until they were really low and then dumped it all.

I'm thinking once a month should keep my urges to disinfect satisfied.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I dump the litter from one box into another, clean it, then dump all the litter back in, clean the other one, then split the litter back between the two.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I used to keep four litter boxes for my girls, although I now only keep three...but I have the fourth stored away for cleaning purposes. Once every few weeks, I scoop all three boxes. I then dump all the litter into the fourth (spare) box and thoroughly disinfect the three regular boxes. I then re-use the old litter, although there's typically only enough to fill two boxes (since, by the time I get to cleaning them, the litter levels in the boxes are getting a little low). So, I fill two of the boxes with the old litter and fill the third box with new litter. I also rotate which box gets the new vs. old litter, just to see whether my girls prefer the "new litter" box or the old. They don't seem to care...they use the boxes with the old litter just as often as they use the box with the new litter.


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## Cats&Plants (Aug 20, 2011)

SomeRandomChick said:


> I do periodically dump so that I can wash and disinfect the box. If the litter that's in the box is clean enough, I might reuse it, but usually I dump it when I do the box clean. I just don't refill as I scoop for a few days before a thorough cleaning so the waste is minimal. I like having the box totally fresh. I only have one cat and one litterbox too, so it doesn't really amount to much.


Same here except I have 3 boxes for 4 cats. I am using sifting liners in two of them because a couple of my lovely little animals who shall remain nameless (ahem...MacKenzie & Logan) like to pee and poop on the side of the litter box. This way when they make a mess, I just have to sift out the good stuff and it's like a brand new box. I usually do a complete change and wash about every 8 weeks. Or when they use up all the liners, whichever comes first.

Before I started using the liners I was cleaning them about once a month. I like fresh clean litter because no matter how diligent you are, a few nasties get left behind.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

marie73 said:


> I dump the litter from one box into another, clean it, then dump all the litter back in, clean the other one, then split the litter back between the two.


hadnt thought of that. i like it!!

i havent cleaned mine in a long while.

what do you guys all use? im always scared that any soap or anything will deter them from using them, so ive always just used hot water.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I use Dawn.


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

I do a periodic dumping too. Usually it's done every half a bag of litter or so... I think I'm using a 5 or 6lb bag of litter. I just don't refill until it's pretty low so as not to waste any litter and then throw it all out. I usually clean the box with hot water and a bit of bleach and rinse rinse rinse rinse rinse until I can't smell anything. Between dumping, I scoop out as many bits as missed bits just doesn't appeal too much to me!


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I've been dumping completely, cleaning the box, and putting in new litter every 2 weeks. It does get expensive. I thought people were doing that once a week? Here I thought I was stretching it by doing it every 2 weeks.


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## Meezer_lover (Apr 19, 2011)

I scoop 3x/day, then thoroughly clean and disinfect every 2 weeks. 
When I clean/disinfect, I throw out all the litter and replace it with all new litter. However, I use non-clumping, so it's probably different.


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## wondercat (Oct 11, 2011)

I scoop the litter in the morning and as soon as I get home from work. On weekends I may do it 3 times. Once a month I completely throw it all out and disinfect the litter box with an orange formula that is not toxic, then I take the boxes outside and blast them with the hose till they are sparkling clean, I towel dry them and put brand new litter.


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## robert4301 (Aug 27, 2011)

I have one 5 pound cat. I keep two litter boxes and scoop them every 2 days. She uses one box for pee and the other for poop. I buy whatever unscented clumping litter is on sale, kitty does not care. She even pees mostly in the middle so scooping is real easy. I dump and clean one box at a time every 6 months or so. I just take it to the car wash and jet it out.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

I scoop out 2-3 times a day and dump the litter maybe monthly- 6 weeks when I wash out the litter pans. I wash them in the bathtub. I spray them with a 1/10 clorox -water mixture, let that sit a couple minutes, rinse it out and then scrub with dawn dish liquid and rinse really well. Towel dry & then wipe out again with paper towels.

When I had one cat, I didn't wash out the pans as frequently. But with two it just seems like they get dirtier faster. Plus there always seem to be some small clump pieces that don't seem to come out with the scoop, so I feel like I need to change the litter completely.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

October said:


> I thought people were doing that once a week? Here I thought I was stretching it by doing it every 2 weeks.


When I was using uber cheap non clumping clay litter I did it every other day. I had to litter pans and when I'd put down a new one I'd empty the old one and soak it in disinfectant and then set it on an old bath mat upside down to dry until I needed it.

NOw that I'm using more expensive clumping litter and the boxes stay cleaner I don't really feel the urge as often to disinfect.


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## SpellQ (Dec 12, 2010)

I scoop daily and dump about once a month to disinfect. I disinfect their whole bathroom (I don't use it for me anymore) at the same time - wash their blankies, etc. 

I soak the tray in hot water and listerine for about an hour and then soak it in plain hot water for another hour or so. I usually just use the plain listerine for that, but every so often I only have my stuff so their bathroom ends up smelling minty fresh for a few hours after cleaning. lol


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## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

What about Simple Green for cleaning?


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## purpleprincess22 (Jul 15, 2011)

I used to dump the litter every 1-2 weeks, but it was getting too expensive. Now I dump about once a month. I disinfect the litter box at the same time (clean with hot water to remove stuff sticking to the sides, then with a clorox/lysol wipe to make it super clean, then with a water/vinegar solution to remove any bad chemicals from the clorox/lysol wipes).


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## catinthemirror (Jun 28, 2011)

I use the cheapest clumping litter I can get my hands on (about $8 for 40lbs), and scoop twice a day. I only do a total dump/cleaning about once a month or whenever I feel the litter has too many little missed pieces that I can't easily get out with the scoop (and on that note I REALLY wish they made scoops with much smaller holes!!).

Strangely the cheap, slightly dusty litter I'm using does a much better job of clumping without breaking than any other litter I've tried, so I have to dump it much less often. Then once the box is empty I clean it with a mixture of liquid dish soap and vinegar, which is pretty much my go-to all-purpose cleaner solution.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I use either lightly diluted generic brand bleach or Mr. Clean disinfectant liquid. I just rest the box on my toilet (apartment living) and fill it with hot water/ solution and then shut the door for half an hour or so. Then rinse and repeat. Then just rinse and lean up against the wall to let dry (door still closed so they don't go nosing around the bleach solution).


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## SomeRandomChick (Sep 11, 2011)

I spray mine down with a hose nozzle (fairly high pressure), then use a scrubby with a diluted bleach solution to scrub it down. Then I spray it down with the hose again, bring it in, clean it up with Dawn (to get rid of any bleach residue/scent), then rinse well in the sink. I could probably skip the two-step process by ditching or replacing the bleach, but I always have these cleaning agents in my house, so I don't have to buy anything special to clean boxes with, and I do like disinfecting.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

With Zenobi I used to dump and clean weekly, but with Missy who needs a gigantic litterbox (from which she still manages to throw litter over the side) I just scoop, flushing the solids. I use World's Best which is biodegradable, so the clumps are added to the compost pile.

Part of my problem at the moment is hauling the stuff in. My health has change since I adopted Missy. She seems quite happy with the situation.

I don't fret over the little bits.


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## littlesushi (Jun 8, 2011)

I scoop mutiple times a day and clean and dump the litterboxes about once every month. I have a kitty that likes peeing on the side of the box occasionally, so I clean and do a complete dump when the box doesn't seem as fresh. I am currently using cheap clumping clay litter from Costco but I am in transition to switching over to Worlds best so I may need to be more frugal in the future in efforts to offset the high cost. We'll see how long we can stretch it..


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## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

Sorry to hijack my own thread..



catinthemirror said:


> ... too many little missed pieces that I can't easily get out with the scoop (and on that note I REALLY wish they made scoops with much smaller holes!!).....


I asked about this. Someone mentioned the "litter lifter" The videos of it seemed efficient, but the holes didn't appear smaller


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

You're allowed to hijack your own thread. :smile: I was one of the people who posted about the litter lifter. It doesn't lift the really tiny pieces. Its main advantage is that it's MUCH quicker to use than other scoops...it takes me all of 3 or 4 seconds to scoop a large box...zip, zip, zip! 

When it comes to really tiny pieces, the easiest thing is to try to avoid them in the first place. Those pieces come primarily from clumps that break up, which happens most often when the clumps are stuck to the side or bottom of the box. If you keep your litter reasonably deep, you'll avoid most clumps at the bottom. Also, when I see a clump stuck to the side, I quickly bang on the side of the box before scooping, whereupon the clump break aways in one piece, which avoids clump breakage.

All that said, I don't get too concerned about the odd itty, bitty missed piece...nor do my cats!


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## Penny135 (Apr 6, 2011)

I use clumping litter ( Fresh Step) and I scoop daily and do a complete change monthly. I really dont need to as Mia doesnt make a big mess, so I think I might try stretching it a bit longer. When I clean her box, I use Scrubbing Bubbles, wipe out completely then let it air dry. Isnt a magor pain when you live in an apartment with shower only, no bath.


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

We got 2 boxes but only one gets used on a regular basis. We have liners and sifting liners in both boxes so don't have to worry to much about them getting dirty. It's kinda the only way I can get my Dh to help with the litter. 
We do throw out the old litter every 2 months and give them some fresh stuff. But since we have the liners in there, there is no need to disinfect.

Prior to using liners, we cleaned and disinfected the box regularly. Before Missy went to the Rainbow Bridge, she would poop and pee on the sides so it needed to be clean often. We would use Mr Clean (ammonia free) and then Dawn soap.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Penny135 said:


> ...major pain when you live in an apartment with shower only, no bath.


Same here. :???:


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

marie73 said:


> I use Dawn.


and the soapy after-smell doesnt deter them after?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I rinse it off.

If the faint scent of the litter doesn't bother them, or the fact that they lick their own butts, I'm sure they can live with any lingering odor of whatever cleanser I use.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I probably completely dump/change the litter monthly. I just let the box get down pretty low then dump it and wash the box with the pressure hose then let it soak with a dilute bleach solution. I then replace with fresh litter. It just seems like after a month, the litter that is left is darker, like its absorbing urine just not clumping. It looks very different to the fresh litter I add, and I'm afraid it smells. My guys LOVE using the box after its all clean and new. They line up....literally.


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## SomeRandomChick (Sep 11, 2011)

Kobster said:


> My guys LOVE using the box after its all clean and new. They line up....literally.


Haha, CeCe too. I clean it because I like having it clean, but she seems set on dirtying it again as soon as I put the hood back on.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

I don't throw out any litter because it's very expensive here, all imported from the US or Canada. I let it go low, then when it's necessary to refill them I fill one of the boxes with the remaining contents of both, wash the box with all-purpose detergent that's used also for floors, repeat the process with the second box, then add new litter to the second box. If one day Prince stops beating Princess up when she uses "his" litter box, I'll have only one litter box, so I'll clean it and change the litter often. Prince currently uses both boxes, Princess only the one in the bedroom where she lives.


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## Ritzpg (Dec 7, 2010)

I scoop at least twice a day. I clean the litter box thoroughly around every three weeks, with a solution of laundry detergent and bleach.
The litter box is a LARGE rubbermaid-type tote box, around 20 inches high, because Ritz pees standing up, so the urine goes on the side of the box, too. I live on the third floor of an apartment, the box barely fits under the bathroom faucet. This morning it was raining, so I put the soap/bleach solution in the box and carried it outside. Worked well.
I throw away half of the old litter and put in more new, fresh litter. My Cat Mentor said I should always mix some of the old litter with the new; so far, Ritz hasn't objected to my methodology of cleaning her litter box.
By the way, because of space limitations, the litter box is next to her food. Always has been. That doesn't stop her from eating!


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