How Do I Get Rid of Mold in My Cat's Litter Box?

Remove and discard contaminated litter or other absorbent waste, clean affected box surfaces only as their material and manufacturer allow, dry every part completely, and correct the moisture source if the growth returns. This removes the contaminated material and addresses the dampness that supports recurring growth without requiring you to identify its species or assume the box is safe after cleaning.

Prepare and separate the contaminated material

1. Keep your hands and face protected. Wear gloves and goggles without ventilation holes, avoid touching moldy litter or surfaces with bare hands, and avoid breathing airborne particles. A properly fitting N95 respirator is an optional precaution for limiting airborne exposure; follow the respirator's fitting instructions. The EPA's mold-cleanup guidance describes these precautions for handling moldy materials.

2. Remove the cat and separate the waste. Keep the cat away from the litter box while you work. Scoop out and discard litter, feces, or other absorbent waste that has visible mold-like growth or has been contaminated by it. Seal the discarded material in a bag before placing it in the appropriate waste container.

3. Separate removable parts from the box base. Empty the box before cleaning its surfaces. Handle fabric, padding, or other absorbent parts according to their material and the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. Moldy porous material may need to be discarded because growth can enter spaces and crevices, making complete removal difficult or impossible, as the EPA explains in its hard-surface and porous-material guidance.

Clean surfaces according to their material

For a washable hard surface whose cleaning instructions permit it, scrub the affected area with detergent and water. Do not apply this method automatically to every component: material, coatings, electrical parts, and the manufacturer's instructions determine whether a part may be washed, rinsed, or wiped.

For the Meowant MW-SC10 self-cleaning litter box, the removable drum, waste drawer, and inner fabric pad can be rinsed separately. Clean the base with a soft, slightly damp cloth only; do not rinse or submerge it. These component-specific instructions apply to the MW-SC10. Other litter boxes require their own material and manufacturer permissions.

Do not mix cleaning products or add a disinfectant or biocide to this process. The necessary first step is to remove contaminated absorbent material and clean permitted hard surfaces with the method allowed for that component.

Dry every part before reuse

Dry the cleaned box, removable parts, seams, fabric, and surrounding area completely before reassembling the box or returning litter to it. Moisture left in a seam, pad, drawer, or enclosed space can support new growth. The EPA recommends drying cleaned items and affected surfaces completely.

For the MW-SC10, let every rinsed part dry thoroughly before reassembly. Keep the base dry except for the slightly damp cloth used for wiping it. Do not return the box to use while any part remains visibly wet or damp.

Find and correct recurring dampness

If mold-like growth returns, look for the moisture that remains or is reintroduced. Check for wet litter, spills, urine reaching seams or the box underside, condensation, a damp floor or mat, and parts that were reassembled before they dried. Remove the source, dry the affected area and parts completely, and replace absorbent material that remains moldy or cannot be cleaned fully.

A recurring problem may also mean that a component is retaining moisture or that the box's permitted cleaning method is leaving an inaccessible area wet. Follow the box manufacturer's material-specific instructions when deciding whether that component can be cleaned, dried, or needs replacement. Cleaning alone does not guarantee that growth will not return.