How To Disinfect A Cat Carrier?

It can be very confusing to disinfect a cat carrier. That’s why in this article, I am showing you the step-by-step process that I follow to disinfect a cat carrier.

Cat lovers are really sensitive about their favorite pet. Especially when it comes to concern about their pet’s health, they become really more conscious. You must be in love with your pet and you surely want to carry your cat with you wherever you travel in a nice, beautiful carrier.

Now one can find different varieties of cat carriers and they may feel trouble cleaning it properly. So, this article is for those super-conscious pet lovers who find it really hard to disinfect their cat’s carrier.

If your cat pee or poop in the carrier, you should clean it immediately. Otherwise, there will be plenty of germs which will make the cat sick and the stain as well as the odor of the urine and feces will remain on the carrier which will make it really dirty. Cats are a clean animal and they like clean places.

If you keep your carrier dirty, your pet will feel uncomfortable to live there and will never go near to it and the dirty carrier will also make your surroundings untidy. For the benefit of your cat, it is important for you to keep the carrier clean.

How to disinfect a cat carrier?

One can use many things to clean a cat carrier like normal detergent powder, cloth washing soap or just water or any other products. But cleaning and disinfecting are not meant the same. You may have washed the carrier but you’re not sure if it is 100% germ-free or not. There are certain things you should do for keeping your cat away from any kind of germs or infection.

Here are some tips:

1. Using vacuum cleaner

If there are crumbs, small food leftovers, cat hair or any dry dirt, you can use a vacuum cleaner to clean the carrier. Apart from that, using vacuum cleaner is really a quick process.

2. Bleach is a great remedy

Bleach is a really a good disinfectant. Even it does not leave any residue behind if the cleaning solution dries. You can make a solution by taking one ounce of bleach per gallon. You have to keep the solution on the carrier at least for 10 to 15 minutes so that it can kill all kinds of bacteria and germs. But you should first wash the cage properly with soapy water because bleach does not wash the cage, it only disinfects. Too much bleach can irritate skin and eyes, so you have to be careful about using it.

3. Pet disinfectant spray

In the market there are plenty of products for disinfecting but all are not equally good. F10 Veterinary Disinfectant, Accel – Accelerated hydrogen peroxide, Virkon, and Trifectant – Potassium peroxymonosulfate, Trigene – Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, Benzalkonium chloride, Polyhexanide (biguanide) etc are really effective disinfectant for a cat.

4. Home-made disinfectant

You can use vinegar based disinfectant spray by taking 1 part vinegar, 1 part water and 10-20 drops of essential oil like lemon essential oil, tree oil etc. Then you can use baking soda and vinegar. By mixing 1/4th white vinegar, 4 cups hot water and 2 spoons baking soda, you can make an excellent disinfectant at home.

5. Using Listerine mouthwash

It can be used for removing urine stain and odor. In a vinegar mixture or just in warm water using some drops of mouthwash can make a great effect to remove the stain and odor.

6. Some other products

• To clean a hard-sided carrier you can use mild dish wash. You have to scrub it hard, wash properly with plenty of water and then put under the sun to dry it properly.
• To clean a soft-sided carrier you have to be much careful. You can dip the carrier in a bucket full of mild, unscented soapy water or can use a sponge to rub it.
• To clean collars and leashes you can put it in the washing machine for cleaning and also can use warm water with soap or handwash or dishwasher.
• There is a great disinfectant named Alpha tech’s pet disinfectant. It is a deodorized and spectrum germicidal cleaner. It is non-corrosive, does not put any stain and highly effective against germs.

In the market, some products are really effective for removing pee, odor, and stain from the carrier. Like-

1. For Overall Cleaning: Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator
2. Best for Odor: Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator
3. For Deep Cleaning: Bubba’s Heavy Strength Enzyme Cleaner
4. Best Enzyme for cleaning: Sunny & Honey Enzyme Cleaner
5. Easiest Application: Nature’s Miracle Advanced Cat Stain and Odor Eliminator
6. Best Green Product: TriNova Natural Pet Stain and Odor Remover Eliminator
7. Best UV Light: UV Stain Detective LED Blacklight
8. Best for the Litter Box: NonScents Odor Control Cat Litter Deodorizer

Keep in attention:

• You never should use extreme smelled detergent or soap. It can irritate your cat’s nose. Always choose mild and unscented detergent or soap.
• If you are using phenolic disinfectant, you may have to avoid it. It has some adverse effect.
• You must put aside all the belongings of the carrier like bed, pillow, sheet etc before cleaning it otherwise these things will get affected by the chemicals.
• You should use hand gloves when you are using chemical too much.
• You should clean the carrier frequently (at least twice in a week) to keep your pet healthy.
• Many essential oils (like tea tree oil) are toxic to cats. So, be sure before using it.

So, this is my article about cleaning and disinfecting a cat carrier properly. I really hope it will help you guys to keep the carrier clean and germ-free after every time use. I hope by now you have got a clear concept on how to disinfect a cat carrier. The disinfectants are not that much costly and if you buy one, it will last for a long time. However, if you find the products costly then you can use the natural remedies. I am sure by following this article, your cat will be in a happy mood at the time of being inside the carrier and it will also make you feel good to see your pet really healthy and happy.