Methods to Clear a Cat Tree: 6 Steps

Shannon Perry / Cats.com

There’s no denying that having a cat tree in your house is a good suggestion. From satisfying their instincts to curbing dangerous habits, this piece of furnishings is important to your cat’s well-being. Cats do every little thing from sleep to do away with hairballs of their cat tree. Because of this it’s just about a magnet for dust, germs, and stains.

As a mother of 11 cats—sure, you learn that accurately—I’ve come to just accept that my house (and paycheck) belongs to them. So, I gladly accepted when a good friend supplied a free however well-loved Feandrea cat tree. Right here’s a step-by-step information on find out how to clear a cat tree.

Provides You’ll Want

Earlier than you start, it is best to collect the fitting instruments and cat-safe cleansing provides. In accordance with Cornell College, cats spend 30 to 50% of their day grooming. Cleansing merchandise that comprise poisonous and dangerous chemical substances can switch onto your cat’s coat and be ingested as they groom. Listed here are the must-haves for cleansing a cat tree:

• Rocco & Roxie Provide Co. Enzyme Cleaner: Enzymatic cleaners break down particles that trigger odor and stains. Eradicating the odor after your cat has had an accident might help reduce the probabilities of it occurring once more.
• Microfiber Cleansing Material: Nice for sustaining cat bushes between deep cleans, microfiber cleansing cloths work greatest once you spritz a bit water on the carpeted platforms, then use the tough aspect to wipe it down.
• BLACK+DECKER Cordless Handheld Vacuum: After studying quite a few evaluations, I bought this cordless vacuum particularly for this activity. Customers commented on its effectiveness, ease of use, and straightforward charging. One reviewer even has one with every cat field in her house. 
• CleanSmart Every day Floor Cleaner: I like that this floor cleaner doesn’t depart behind a chemical residue. As soon as your cat tower has dried, there’s no probability they’ll get doubtlessly harmful chemical substances on their coat. 
• Hex Key: You’ll additionally want a hex key (hexagon wrench) to unscrew the bolts that maintain the cat tree collectively. Your cat tree seemingly got here with one, however you should buy them on-line, at your native ironmongery store, and even at some greenback shops.

The next objects are non-obligatory however really useful. These are issues that I ended up utilizing (or want I had readily available) whereas I cleaned my cat tree.

• Gloves. I forgot to make use of gloves whereas cleansing, so my arms bought fairly dry as a result of cleansing merchandise. You’ll want to use latex, latex-free, or rubber gloves when cleansing your cat tree.
• Scrub Brush. I didn’t suppose I’d want one, however a scrub brush was useful for scrubbing extra cussed stains. Though, I’m unsure that that’s good for the carpet long-term
• Decdeal Steam Cleaner: Whereas non-obligatory, a steam cleaner might help break up and elevate stains earlier than, throughout, and after you apply cleaners. You utilize much less product and put much less liquid in your cat tree. Plus, it disinfects.

Earlier than You Get Began

Earlier than you dive into cleansing, listed here are just a few ideas:

• Take an image: Most cat bushes have a number of platforms and sisals, and step one of cleansing shall be to take your cat tree aside. Remembering what goes the place will be tough, however an image is an efficient information when reassembling your cat tree.
• Label every half: You possibly can additionally label every half with a everlasting marker and masking tape. Label the order it goes in from the underside or one other easy-to-remember technique. Chances are you’ll want to switch the tape as you clear.
• Discover a well-ventilated space: Whereas the cleaners and sprays used for cleansing a cat tree aren’t dangerous, they’ll develop into overwhelming in an enclosed place. Contemplate bringing the tree outdoors. Daylight may assist kill germs.
• Plan forward: Most cat bushes will take greater than an hour to wash. Between letting cleaners sit to interrupt up stains and letting the cat tree dry, it could be an all-day endeavor. Plan different issues to do between duties or let the cat tree dry in a single day. (I unfold mine out over two days.)

6 Steps to Cleansing Your Cat Tree

After we consider cleansing a cat tree, it’s vacuuming and possibly spraying an air freshener, then calling it a day. Whereas vacuuming is healthier than nothing, a deep clear with the fitting instruments and cleaners could make a giant distinction for the well being of your cats, your family, and the longevity of your cat furnishings.

1. Take the Cat Tree Aside

Retailer-bought cat bushes, even ones that come assembled, can usually be disassembled. Whereas it’s additional work, this is a crucial step. By taking aside your cat tree, you may make certain there isn’t harm that would compromise its integrity — similar to cracked perches or weak poles — and it makes cleansing simpler.

Taking it aside can also be a superb alternative for repairs. Cat towers with scratching posts (sisal posts) typically want new rope or a sisal alternative. With sisals made from PVC piping or wooden, you should purchase a ball of sisal rope and use scorching glue to connect it. For sisals made from cardboard, changing the pole is often higher. Measure your pole to search out the proper alternative. Or, for cat condos with a number of sizes, put money into a multi-pack. You’ll seemingly want them later anyway.

2. Vaccum Each Inch

Even after selecting off fur and utilizing a microfiber material, the vacuum nonetheless picked up lots of stray hair. Shannon Perry / Cats.com

When you’ve taken your cat tree aside, it’s time to take away mud, hair, and particles. I found it was simpler to hoover the items after I used a clear microfiber material, so take into account wiping down every platform earlier than vacuuming. As soon as vacuuming, I discovered the comb attachment with the dustbuster to be invaluable; nothing may get within the nooks and crannies of the pillowed rim in addition to this attachment.

Should you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, use a lint curler or tape to rise up as a lot free cat hair as attainable. No matter the way you take away hair and particles, it’s additionally alternative to observe for parasites, like fleas, and any proof of different points.

3. Steam Clear Your Cat Tower

Steam cleansing is an efficient first step in making use of cleaner to a cat tree. It may be used repeatedly to interrupt up cussed stains. Shannon Perry / Cats.com

Steam cleansing is non-obligatory however it might assist when you’ve got hard-to-lift stains. Some guides advocate this step after you’ve used a twig cleaner, but it surely went higher once I tried the steamer first. And it’s higher in terms of the longevity of your cat apartment.

The platforms on many cat bushes are particle board. Particle board is made by gluing wooden shavings and particles collectively. It isn’t water-resistant and water publicity can harm it. A steam cleaner makes use of extra warmth and vapor than water, so utilizing that first might lead to much less liquids seeping via the carpet and to the particle board.

4. Use Enzymatic Cleaners and Disinfectant

As soon as the cat tree was clear, it appeared virtually model new. There was a really slight discoloration on the pillowed perch. Heavier stains have been gone. Shannon Perry / Cats.com

Right here’s an fascinating reality: each female and male cats can spray. Round 5% of feminine and 10% of male altered cats will nonetheless mark their territory even altered. Whereas the scent will not be as pungent as a feline, it’s nonetheless there.

Enzymatic cleaners work as odor removers by breaking down the particles that trigger odors and entice cats to comment that spot. For largely clear cat bushes, that is only a matter of spot-cleaning or misting every little thing to take care of cleanliness. My cat tree was closely stained, so I did just a few purposes of Rocco & Roxie’s enzymatic cleaner. I additionally used the steam cleaner in between. After repeatedly making use of the cleaner, ready, then scrubbing and absorbing the residue with clear cloths and paper towels, virtually all of the stains on my cat tree have been gone.

As a final contact for cleansing, I sprayed CleanSmart to make sure the cat tree was freed from something that would harm my cats, like ringworm spores.

Chances are you’ll wish to spot-test your cat tree earlier than making use of any type of cleaner. Some materials could also be much less tolerable than others and require different cleansing strategies, like baking soda and vinegar.

5. Let the Cat Tree Air Dry

When you’re happy that your cat tree is clear, it is best to permit it to dry fully in order that the cleaners dissipate and your cat tree can air out. You possibly can assist velocity this alongside by setting the components out within the solar. It took my cat tree about two hours to dry and a bit longer for the pillowed platform.

6. Reassemble Cat Tree

When reassembling your cat tree, pay particular consideration to its stability and guarantee all bolts and connections are tight. Listed here are just a few ideas which will make reassembly simpler:

• Work from the underside up: By working backside to prime, you’ll be able to take a look at the steadiness of the cat tree by giving it shake with every platform addition. Constructing it this manner additionally means much less work and heavy lifting
• Do sure sections individually: With my cat tree, the field half is 2 platforms, material partitions, and 4 carpeted poles. It was simpler for me to assemble the field first after which add it as a unit.
• Take note of double-sided bolts: For some cat bushes, double-sided bolts are used to attach two sisals. It’s a lot simpler to screw the bolt into the underside sisal first, then the highest. In some circumstances, a platform goes between the sisals.
• Spray with Feliway: Cats don’t do nicely with change. Whereas they might be acquainted with their cat tower, new smells (or the dearth of previous ones) would possibly make them reluctant to discover it once more. Feliway might assist your cat get snug once more with the cat tower.

How To Keep Your Cat Tree

Typically talking, it is best to deep clear your cat tree about as soon as a month. Common cleansing could make it simpler and sooner to deep-clean your cat tree. Right here’s how one can save your self lots of work.

• As soon as a day: Examine for accidents or odors and spot deal with instantly. Spot remedy prevents stains and odors from setting in.
• A number of occasions per week: Spray the cat tower with a disinfectant that’s secure for cats, like CleanSmart. An infection-causing viruses and micro organism can dwell in your cat tower and be transferred from cat to cat or out of your cats to you.
• As soon as per week: Mist the cat apartment with water and use the tough aspect of a microfiber material to take away your cat’s fur. Doing this helps stop hair from getting embedded within the carpet.