What should I be washing the littertrays with?

[Bazsmum]

I think were all akin to sloppy mollies and Id even stretch as far to say I picked chewy from the floor  ....spose you could call it a reverse bug psychology 

[Catjane]

nope, I'm iwth you CatJane, seems to me we spend far too much time and money worrying about bugs these days. When I was a kid we used to eat mud and all sorts of things. Simply solution- wash hands before food prep and eating. It strikes me that the reason so many people are susceptible to bugs is that their immune system never learned to deal with them. And all those nasty chemicals we use to 'kill' them are either useless, or causing mutation of existing bugs - like over-use of penicillin did.

Absolutely!  That's exactly right!  and who benefits the most (actually, at all)?  The big multiconglomerates who want more and more of your hard earned cash, and manage to convince most of us that we are bad parents, bad housewives, we smell bad, and most of all, we LOOK bad - unless of course, we buy their latest, environment raping, energy guzzling, chemically-laden, super product!  They, and the media, have a lot to answer for!    And I haven't even got on my soap-box yet!

[blackcat]

nope, I'm iwth you CatJane, seems to me we spend far too much time and money worrying about bugs these days. When I was a kid we used to eat mud and all sorts of things. Simply solution- wash hands before food prep and eating. It strikes me that the reason so many people are susceptible to bugs is that their immune system never learned to deal with them. And all those nasty chemicals we use to 'kill' them are either useless, or causing mutation of existing bugs - like over-use of penicillin did.

[Catjane]

I use Ecover washing up liquid and VERY hot water - which kills many bacteria. Ecover has a lovely smell (to me, anyway!  and the cats don't seem to mind), and it is environment-friendly.

I try not to use too many of these 'kill 99.5% of dirty nasty bugs - that make you look like a bad housewife - dead 10 times over' products because, a) they are usually harmful to the environment and b) they help to create new superbugs as normal bugs develop immunity to them (great for the manufacturers as they then get to develop and sell their 'kill 99.99% of dirty nasty bugs very, extremely dead 100 times over', to which bugs develop immunity .... etc.)  Call me cynical.

[Mark]

Lemon trigene

I have some in the car I was given by CP. Gillian has a gallon and said she has had it for about 3 years and there is loads left.

[Mark]

It just saves so much time 

I have nearly run out so hoping they still have some "50% extra free" bottles in Wilkinsons - sometimes they have it on offer too 

[Bazsmum]

I wash them out then spray them with "Bugs Away" from Wilkinsons. It says it kills 99.999% of gems in less than a minute, also viruses and fungi 
I use virkon sometimes as well.

Weve just started using "Bugs Away" its brilliant....even kills the mrsa virus! 

[ccmacey]

I use hot water and an antibacterial wash.

Where can you get the Johnsons litter tray cleaner from?

[J (Indoorcatsuk)]

I use natural cleaning products  which can be bought in most supermarkets, and occasionally dettox spray you have to be careful not use bleach and antibacterial cleanser such as stores own brands which contain it, if you look youwill see i.e. asda warns not to use near pets or even where they walk, dettox is bleach free.

Milton bleach is non-toxic, toxicity in hypochlorites ( bleach ) is due to the by-product of their
decomposition, sodium chlorate. With the heavy ions removed Milton decomposes into water and a small amount of sodium chloride (salt).

( From the Milton site ).

I generally use natural products for cleaning ( vinegar, lemon juice, bicarb etc etc ) but I want to know I've nuked any bacteria, especially as two of my cats are getting on in years and I have a young baby in the house. I rinse with load of water tho.

[Den]

I use hot water and Fairy. Every few changes I clean it with Mistral.

[bren]

I use natural cleaning products  which can be bought in most supermarkets, and occasionally dettox spray you have to be careful not use bleach and antibacterial cleanser such as stores own brands which contain it, if you look youwill see i.e. asda warns not to use near pets or even where they walk, dettox is bleach free.

[Team Svartalfheims]

I wash the trays with Fairy liquid and hot water and then spray with Virkon. Never thought of using Milton!

[Millys Mum]

Lemon trigene, diluted it goes for miles and claims to be eco friendly.
Washing up liquid does nothing for bacteria   

[swampmaxmum]

I've always used washing up liquid and very hot water (and gloves  ). Unless one of them has had a runny episode or illness, when may use something stronger, but not bleach or dettol. Think used to use Savlon liquid which doesn't go cloudy in water (can you get Savlon here?!). Most detergents seem to have pretty much the same stuff in them.

[bluecat]

made up veta clean solution in squirty bottle

[Angiew]

Wouldn't use dettol as it can be very poisonous.

I used to use milton - well tesco equivalent at 99p per bottle or bleach.
Have gone on to virkon now - cost about £60 for a huge tin of powder (like a very large paint tin) but it dilutes to about a spoonful to a pint of water so the tin will pobably last 20 years.
Use for for trays, floors, wet dusting (don't use polish any more). Its also supposed to be good for using on animals to get rid of ringworm and other skin complaints though never tried it myself.

[karenjet]

Thanks everyone, I'll have a look for one of those things tomorrow

[melysion]

I clean my litter tray with dettol and hot water.

[Mark]

I wash them out then spray them with "Bugs Away" from Wilkinsons. It says it kills 99.999% of gems in less than a minute, also viruses and fungi 
I use virkon sometimes as well.

[Gillian Harvey]

I wash with hot soapy water then spray either with Trigene disinfectant or a Milton bleach solution, depends what I've got to hand!

[berties mum]

I use the Johnsons stuff and it does last ages - I must have had the same bottle for at least nine months now and I've got three cats!

[alisonandarchie]

I use hot water and washing up liquid as well.

[Tiggy's Mum]

I've only ever used hot water and fairy liquid.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I use washing up liquid for cleaning then I spray some Johnsons Litter tray cleaner and wipe clean (disinfectant and deodorant).  Probably not very cost effective if you have lots of trays, but a bottle lasts me ages.

[blackcat]

hot soapy water works for me!! Some use a little household bleach in the belief it cuts the smell - might for humans but not for cats as it is ammonia, and they can smell it long after us. Since that is the same as pee, they think someone else is using it and this can cause problems. Not sure it is all that good for them either ...

[Teresa Pawcats]

Virkon is about the best

[karenjet]

I've always just used hot soapy water, but someone said I should use disinfectant too. Is this true and what one should I use?