Ugh! No matter what I do, my cat’s litter box reeks! If you’re dealing with a smelly litter box, we know that it is NOT fun. And it can make you worry that the whole house smells like one giant litter box. But no need to stress, because we’re going to lay out everything you need to know about solving those stubborn litter box odors ... the EASY way and with NO fragrance coverups!
Why Is My Cat’s Litter Box So Stinky?
Even though cats are low-maintenance pets, keeping the litter box fresh can feel like a big chore. And if it seems like nothing is working, it can be frustrating and even make you self-conscious when friends and family come over.
But know that a smelly litter box is a challenge every cat parent faces. That’s because cat urine is super potent by nature. Yikes!
Diet, age, overall health, and whether your cat is male or female can contribute to the potency of the smell. And if your male cat is unneutered, they will have extra stinky urine.
The key to combatting litter box smells is to step up your cleaning game, and if that gives you nightmares of scrubbing, don’t worry. We’re going to give you a solution that makes it SO easy with no scrubbing. Read on ...
Why Your Cat’s Litter Box Still Smells After Cleaning
Your cat is using a plastic litter box
Even though they are two to three times the cost of plastic litter boxes, making the switch to stainless steel can make all the difference in your battle against persistent litter box odors.
Here’s why: Urine easily absorbs into plastic, harboring odors. Also, if there are scratches on the bottom of your cat’s plastic litter box, they will trap smelly bacteria. That’s why it’s recommended to replace plastic litter boxes once a year.
Latest trend of stainless steel, on the other hand, is naturally resistant to odors and more durable. And because it doesn’t flex or bend like plastic, cat parents find that deep cleaning stainless steel litter boxes is much easier.
You need stricter litter box cleaning protocols
Stepping up your cleaning routine is a surefire solution for how to keep the litter box from smelling.
- Scoop twice daily instead of once a day. (Or invest in a self-cleaning litter box, but PLEASE do your homework first, as certain designs/knockoffs have caused serious harm and worse to cats. Read more here before making the switch.)
- Do a complete litter change every 2-3 weeks (every 1-2 weeks if you have multiple cats).
- Baking soda is a natural cat litter deodorizer and sprinkling a layer of it on the bottom of the litter box can help control odors. You can even add a bit to the litter itself.
- Deep clean the litter box bi-weekly vs. monthly. (Keep reading for a hack to make this so much easier!)
You’re cleaning with odor MASKING products
If you’re using products that aren’t actually targeting cat urine odors and instead are only masking the odors with overpowering fragrances, once the smell wears off, you’ll be left with the urine odor again. Remember: cat urine gets smellier the longer it sits. Also, strong-smelling cleaning products can make cats NOT want to use the litter box, which can cause even bigger odor problems if they're peeing on the carpet. Read more: 5 top reasons your cat isn’t using the litter box.
More Tips for Litter Box Odor Control
- Make sure you have enough litter boxes in the home: the rule is one litter box per cat PLUS one.
- Invest in an air purifier with a HEPA filter: This will remove contaminants from the air, help keep litter box odors under control and eliminate pesky pet dander.
- House the litter box in a location with proper ventilation. Otherwise, the air will get stagnant and smell. The more air you have circulating through a space, the fresher it is.
- Regularly change the air filters in your home – in general, every two months if you have pets.
Should You Try a Scented Litter?
We all love to save time and effort, but don’t cut corners in your quest for freshness by using scented litter. This will only mask unpleasant litter box smells, and worse, scented litter can cause problems for your cat because of all the chemicals used to create the fragrance. (You won’t see these chemicals listed on the product because fragrance formulations are protected as trade secrets.)
Scented cat litter can cause these problems in cats:
- Respiratory issues
- Sneezing & watery eyes
- Refusal to use the litter box – if your cat is going outside the litter box because of the overpowering smell of the litter, you'll have a bigger odor problem to deal with
Did you know? A cat’s sense of smell is 14x stronger than ours, so if YOU think the litter smells strong, it’s even worse for your cat. So ditch the scented litter – and all those strong fragrance-filled cleaners for that matter – and make the switch to unscented products.
Easiest Odor Eliminator for Litter Box Smells ... No Scrubbing Needed
The go-to cleaner for a fresh, totally odor-free litter box is Oxyfresh Pet Deodorizer. Here’s what’s so genius about this cleaner-and-odor-neutralizer-in-one: It quickly stops stubborn cat urine odors using the power of Oxygene®, a non-toxic oxidizing ingredient that eliminates smelly bacteria right at the source. It works faster and just as well as enzyme cleaners but without fragrances or residue left behind! Just true freshness you can count on, every time.
Best of all, Oxyfresh Pet Deodorizer makes cleaning the litter box SO easy! Because it’s non-toxic and scent free, you just spray it in the litter box, let it sit for 60 seconds, and then wipe it away with a cloth or paper towel. No scrubbing ... NO ODORS! You can even spray it directly on top of your cat's litter to help with daily odor control.
The Ultimate Fragrance-Free Pet Odor Eliminator Spray
- ELIMINATES THE TOUGHEST ODORS: Effectively neutralizes the strongest litter box smells with proprietary Oxygene®, which oxidizes cat urine & feces odors at the source. No other pet odor eliminator spray has this special ingredient.
- SCENT FREE CAT LITTER BOX DEODORIZER: Completely fragrance free, so you won’t upset your cat or scare them away from the litter box. They won’t even know you sprayed it!
- EASY-TO-USE PET ODOR ELIMINATOR SPRAY: Just spray into your cat’s litter box & wipe away.
- FRESHENS YOUR ENTIRE HOME: Our odor neutralizer spray deodorizes everywhere in the home – blankets, bedding, garbage cans, carpets & cat carriers.
- SAFE FOR PEOPLE, PETS & PLANET: So safe & non-toxic, it can even be sprayed directly on your cat if they need a freshness boost!
Clean Litter Box = Happy Cat
Cats are happier and healthier when their litter box is clean and odor free with no artificial scents. And you will be too! It’s a win-win for the whole pack. And with Oxyfresh Cat Deodorizer, keeping the litter box free of odors is a breeze. Just spray and wipe away ... that’s it! Get yours today and get on your way to a fresh, odor-free home.
