DIY cat litter: Why, oh, why?

Thursday, August 21st, 2008

Biggs is the editor of TechCrunch Gadgets. Biggs has written for the New York Times, InSync, USA Weekend, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Money and a number of other outlets on technology and wristwatches. He is the former editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.com and lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. You can Tweet him here and G+ him here. Email him directly at john@techcrunch.com. → Learn More

I’m totally down with saving the environment but is making your own cat litter really going to reduce your carbon footprint? Full instructions after the jump.

1. Shred newspaper in a paper shredder and collect it in an unused litter box.

2. Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a few squirts gentle, biodegradable dish soap. The shredded paper takes on a cooked oatmeal consistency. The paper won’t come completely clean, but the water will turn grey.

3. Drain the water (an old colander works wonders) and repeat the soaking process minus the soap.

4. Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the wet paper. Knead it in to the mixture (you might want to wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands).

5. Squeeze the remaining moisture out until it’s as dry as you can get it.

6. Crumble over a screen and leave to dry for a few days.

7. Once it’s dry, put about an inch and a half to two inches of the paper crumbles in the litter box. Scoop solids daily and change it once a week. It takes about a half an hour to 45 minutes to make a 2-3 week supply of litter.

via Treehugger

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