Instead of buying expensive cat litter I use the cheapest clay litter but keep a jar of baking soda on the top of the litter box.
I use an empty air freshener container since it has vents in it (which can be used to sprinkle it) and fill it with baking soda, which I sprinkle into the box after each cleaning.
The baking soda left on top and sprinkled in the box helps keep it smelling fresher between cleanings while i am away at work!
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I was told by a pal, who works at a local discount store, that the product "Feline Pine Kitty Litter" is the best product to use if you have pets such as ferrets or cats.
I have a handsome tabby cat called Mr. Smith and he's a mostly indoor cat therefore he has a litter tray in the bathroom. There's only one small problem and that is Tom cats tend to have a stronger smelling urine.
To keep cat litter fresh smelling, mix baby powder in with the litter.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How do I eliminate cat odors? I clean kitty litter 2-3x a day, vacuum at least every other day, clean surfaces daily, and wash curtains, etc. weekly. I do use lemon grass oil to keep spiders away which scents the air, but doesn't always clean the air. How are scented candles like Febreze for cats?
By Sharon Yool from Newark, CA
Just as baking soda eliminates odors in you refrigerator, it will do the same in your litter box. Just clean out your kitty's gifts as you normally do then sprinkle a generous amount in the litter box.
Baking soda is great but also, I use Special Kitty that comes in the green box from Walmart. I've tried all the others and really nothing compares for the price. Also, try to keep enough kitty litter in the kitty box, at least 1/2 full.
I should mention I have two cats and never have an odor problem. :) Good luck!
I have only 1 cat, but the odor from her litter box is very unpleasant. We scoop at least once a day or every other day, but the smell is still bad. I've tried several different kinds of litter and thought the last brand I bought (Arm and Hammer Double Duty) worked. It did for a little while, but it stills smells bad.
I was told to try Tidy Cat for multiple cats even though I only have 1 cat. I haven't tried it yet and was wondering if anyone who has just 1 cat has tried it and did it work, or what is the best litter you have tried to control both the pee and poop odors?There is also a deodorizer called Fridge-it (it looks like a purple cube) that you can clip to the box to control odors. I would like to try that, since litter can be quite expensive. Has anyone tried this product and does it really work? If so, where did you buy it? Any information you can give me would be very helpful as the odor is getting quite bad. Thank you.
By Linda D.
Hi Linda,
I also had only one cat and the smell from his box, even though it was covered, was horrendous, even though I scooped every day too. I tried the Multiple Cat ones. Didn't work any better than the single cat ones. I even tried mixing 2 and 3 different types and brands together. That didn't work either.
I switched to the Double Duty one and was amazed at how well it worked!
If you're still having a problem even with that one, try changing his food brand. Over the years I have found that Purina cat food makes their urine and poop really smell powerful! So I never feed that to my cats. Dogs, yes, cats no. My cat was extremely finicky so it took me a while to find one he liked but kept trying till I found one. Then I would stay with the same brand but switch out flavors every other bag.
Taking him off Purina cat food made all the difference. I'm not saying Purina isn't a good food, on the other hand it is a good brand, just that there is something in it that makes their waste smell really really bad.
Hope this helps with yours!
We just moved into a rental townhouse. I am pretty sure who ever lived there before us had a litter pan in the upstairs linen closet. It does NOT have a urine smell, but more like the actual kitty litter itself. I have tried several things to get this smell out -- washed the closet down, aired out the shelves in the sun, baking soda in the bottom -- I am at a loss now. Someone please help me, I have been in this place for 3 months and it makes my whole upstairs stink if I leave the door open, and my linens are still in a basket beside the closet. Ugh!
If the coffee grounds don't do the trick you will probably have to seal all closet surfaces with some sort of paint. It 's possible that the "stink" has been absorbed by all the surfaces in the closet. It might even require a certain type of paint as I'm thinking latex wall paint probably won't do the job. Maybe someone else has information on this!
Editor's Note: Get some shellac or Kilz to seal the closet before painting it. That will seal off any smell that may have been absorbed.
I am amazed at how great charcoal briquettes work for situations like this. Just make sure they are the plain ones without the firestarter added to it. Overnight the odor should be gone. Just put a small container or bowl inside your closet with some of the charcoal briguettes in it. Good luck!
What is the best way to get rid of the smell from the cat litter box? I clean out the box at least twice a day and put new litter in. I even added baking soda to the litter, but it doesn't help. Is there anything else I can try besides buying a scented litter, which is too expensive?
By Linda Delcamp from Brighton, MI
What works well for me is clumping litter. I purchase the inexpensive store brand and scoop once a day (one cat) and place the scoops in a used produce bag (inspect for possible holes), tie the bag off and place it in the kitchen trash can under the sink until I take the trash out. Absolutely never flush scoopable!
It seems like clumping litter is really expensive because of the initial price but it actually is more cost effective because you only need to scoop the clumps of ammonia smelling urine and the poopy instead of completely replacing all the litter. A 14 lb container lasts for my Rachel for an entire month and the cost is about $5.00 to $6.00. Another bonus is that you don't have to wash the entire litter box as often as if you use regular, paper or pine litter.
What can I use as an alternative to costly shop brought fresheners for my cat's litter tray?
Baking soda works but if your cat doesn't like the new scent you are using it will not use the box. Something to think about...
Shay lives in a small house with 5 cats. They, all 5, use one litterbox. As soon as Shay cleans the litterbox and puts fresh litter in, all 5 cats need to use it. Therefore, the smell never goes away. What can Shay do to eliminate or at least neutralize the odor?
By Tanya
The first thing she needs to do is get at least 2 more litter boxes - 3 or 4 would be even better.
Not knowing what kind of litter or litter boxes she has, these suggestions may or may not apply:
Step 1
Scoop the litter daily.
Step 2
Wipe the edges of the litter box with a Clorox wipe or something similar every time you scoop. If it's a hooded box, wipe the edges of the lid also.
Step 3
Mop the floor around the boxes frequently.
Step 4
Put a bathmat or similar washable rug in front of the boxes to catch stray litter and wash it once a week.
Step 5
Once a month or so, empty the boxes completely. Scrub, rinse and dry them well and refill. If you don't use scoopable litter, you need to do this one a week.
HELP! My flat is very small and the whole place smells like a litter box! I bought some clumping litter, litter freshener and about a million air fresheners but nothing seems to work.
Your cat's diet may affect the odor of your litterbox. This is a page about best dry cat food to help reduce litterbox odor.
Cat litters come in different formulas. Some are better clumpers, some are lightweight, and some control odors well. This is a page about best cat litter for controlling odor.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Is there a way to remove cat litter smell? Can something be added to the litter box? Does anyone have any suggestions?
To make our kitties kitty litter last longer and to keep that clean, fresh smell around longer, I mix baby powder in with the litter.
Any tips for limiting and controlling litter box odor? Post your ideas.
