Kitties may be good at lightening moods but some can also be notoriously messy when using the litter box. Messy kitties scratch litter out of the box causing it to spreads to the floor, carpet and every other surface that is nearby.
When this happens, you obviously have to clean the stray litter in one way or another. A seemingly easy approach is to use a vacuum.
But…
Can You Vacuum Up Cat Litter?
Yes! You can vacuum cat litter but with a vacuum that is specifically meant for that. Another best alternative is a shop vac. But even with a wet and dry vacuum, do not make it a regular habit.
Ideally, this does not rule out the possibility of using a regular vacuum. However, there several potential problems that are likely to arise.
- Firstly, kitty litter may contain cat pee and solid waste. Both of these can be harmful to the internal components of your vacuum. They also carry moisture that can translate into bad odor while inside your vacuum. A smelly vacuum is not only difficult to clean, it can also transfer the bad odor to your carpet, upholstery and floor. And to be honest, cat pee odor is not the easiest to eliminate.
- A combination of kitty litter and cat waste forms clumps that can get stuck in the hose ruin your vacuum. This makes the whole cleaning process counterproductive because you have to waste a lot of time cleaning the various parts of your vacuum thoroughly.
- Kitty litter that contains cat liquid and solid waste may leave the dirt on your vacuum’s brush. This can transfer the mess onto other surfaces that you clean thereafter with the vacuum.
Vacuuming Alternatives for Cleaning Cat Litter
In my opinion, vacuuming is not the best way for cleaning cat litter. There are alternative methods that are less messy and do not require you to part with a handsome amount.
Kitty Litter Mat
If your cat is a scratcher, a litter mat saves you the trouble of having stray litter all over your house. And if the flinging is too much, a reasonably sized mat can capture at least 80% of the litter.
A litter mat is an excellent idea if your cat litter box is in a place that features a carpet. It captures the troublesome clay particles thereby helping you save the time and energy you would spend cleaning the carpet.
Further, it is a decent option for bare floors. It makes cleaning and maintenance much easier.
With a litter mat, all you do is fold it and place the litter back into the litter box. Still, you can carry it outside and shake off the excess waste.
Broom and Dust Pan
Even with a litter mat, a broom and dust pan are worthy investments. If you are dealing with a serious cat litter hurling problem, chances are some of it will stray away from the mat.
This is where you come in with the broom, sweep and collect the litter with a dustpan.
This approach is as quick as snapping fingers, and also effective.
And you cannot compare cleaning a dustpan and broom to cleaning a vacuum after sucking the litter. And do not forget that with the latter, you have to empty the canister or deal with a full waste bag more regularly than you should.
