TL;DR
A litter mat traps grit on purpose, so shaking and vacuuming it out is most of the job. Once a week, take the mat outside, empty it, then wash both sides with warm soapy water and rinse it thoroughly. Dry it completely flat before it goes back down, because a damp mat under a litter box gets slippery and starts to smell.
Know which kind of mat you have
The material decides how you empty it and how fast it dries.
Honeycomb double-layer mats. Two soft plastic layers with holes on top. Litter falls through and collects between the layers. These open at one edge so the trapped litter can be poured out.
Ridged rubber and silicone mats. A single solid piece with deep grooves. Nothing gets trapped inside, so a shake and a rinse handles them. These are the easiest to clean.
EVA foam puzzle-style mats. Light, cushioned, and easy to rinse, but they hold water in the edges and need a longer dry.
Microfiber or fabric-topped mats. These absorb liquid and hold odor, so they need washing rather than rinsing. Check the label for machine washability.
Woven mesh mats. Grit lodges in the weave, so they need a vacuum before any water is involved.
How do you clean a litter mat?
Take it outside, shake the loose litter off, and pour out anything trapped between the layers. Vacuum both sides, then wash the mat with warm water and a small amount of unscented soap. Rinse both sides thoroughly and let it dry completely flat before returning it to the floor.
The step-by-step routine
1. Shake it out over a bin or outdoors. Hold it by two corners and shake firmly. Most of the litter comes out here.
2. Open a double-layer mat and pour. Honeycomb mats unzip or unfold along one edge. Tip the trapped litter into a bin. Skipping this step is why a trapping mat stops trapping.
3. Vacuum both sides. A hose attachment gets grit out of grooves and mesh that shaking leaves behind. Use a vacuum you are comfortable putting litter dust through, and empty it afterward.
4. Rinse with warm water. A shower, a bathtub, a utility sink, or a hose outside all work. Not the kitchen sink.
5. Wash with unscented soap. A drop of dish soap and a soft brush over both faces, into every groove. Fragranced products are worth skipping, because cats are sensitive to strong scents near the box and a scented mat can put a cat off using it.
6. Rinse until no suds remain. Soap film makes litter stick to the mat instead of falling through it.
7. Dry completely, flat. Both sides, with air moving. Stand it against a wall to speed it up, then lay it flat once dry so it does not curl.
Never mix products near a litter box
Cat urine contains ammonia. Chlorine bleach must never contact ammonia, because the reaction releases chloramine gas, and near a litter box the ammonia is already present without you adding anything.
That rules out bleach on a soiled mat, bleach with any acidic cleaner, and bleach with an ammonia-based glass cleaner. Bleach plus vinegar releases chlorine gas.
Soap and water is the right tool here. If you want something stronger for a mat that has been urinated on, use an enzyme-based pet cleaner instead. Enzymes break down the compounds that cause the smell rather than covering them, and they carry none of the mixing risk.
Work with a window open regardless, and use one product at a time.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention household chemical safety guidance
Handling a mat that has been urinated on
This happens, and it needs more than a rinse.
Blot up as much liquid as possible first, then rinse the mat thoroughly with plain water. Apply an enzyme-based pet cleaner, following the product instructions for how long it should stay wet, then rinse and dry fully.
Fabric-topped mats may need a machine wash on a cool cycle with unscented detergent and no fabric softener. Air dry rather than machine dry, since heat warps backing material.
If a cat is urinating outside the box rather than in it, that is a veterinary question first. Urinary problems are common, sometimes urgent, and no amount of cleaning fixes a medical cause. A vet rules that out before anyone starts rearranging the litter setup.
Can you put a litter mat in the washing machine?
Some can, and many should not. Rubber and silicone mats are too heavy and can damage a drum. Honeycomb plastic mats do not clean well in a machine because the trapped litter needs pouring out first. Fabric-topped mats usually can, on a cool cycle. Check the label.
Never machine dry any litter mat. Heat warps plastic, hardens rubber, curls the edges, and a mat that will not lie flat is a trip hazard and stops working properly.
How often should you clean it?
Shake or vacuum a litter mat every day or two, empty a double-layer mat weekly, and do a full wash every one to two weeks. Multi-cat homes need the full wash more often.
Two habits reduce the work considerably. Scoop the box at least daily, since less litter gets tracked out of a clean box, and keep a small handheld vacuum near the station.
A second mat in rotation means one can dry properly while the other is down, which matters most for foam and fabric mats that take a long time to dry.
The rest of the litter station
The mat catches what the box throws out, so the box and the scoop set the workload.
A crusted scoop drags clumps instead of separating them and drops more litter on the mat, which is why the routine in how to clean a litter scoop is worth doing on the same day. Automatic boxes have a rake and a mechanism with their own rules, covered in how to clean an automatic litter box.
Sweep or vacuum the floor around the station regularly, since litter dust settles well beyond the mat. Keeping the box itself washed on a schedule does more for household smell than any mat ever will.
For the rest of the kit, our guide to cleaning pet bowls, bedding, toys and gear collects the same rinse-and-dry-fully rules in one place.
FAQ
How do you get litter out of a honeycomb mat?
Open the mat along its edge, usually a zip or a fold, and pour the trapped litter into a bin. Shake it out first over the bin, then vacuum both sides with a hose attachment. Emptying the inner layer weekly is what keeps a trapping mat trapping.
Can you wash a litter mat in the washing machine?
Fabric-topped mats usually can, on a cool cycle with unscented detergent and no fabric softener. Rubber and silicone mats are too heavy and can damage a drum, and honeycomb mats need pouring out by hand first. Never machine dry any litter mat.
Can you use bleach on a litter mat?
It is a poor choice. Cat urine contains ammonia, and bleach plus ammonia releases chloramine gas, so the hazard exists without adding a second product. Use soap and water for routine cleaning and an enzyme-based pet cleaner for urine, working with a window open.
How often should you clean a litter mat?
Shake or vacuum it every day or two, empty a double-layer mat weekly, and do a full wash every one to two weeks. Multi-cat households need the full wash more often. Scooping the box daily reduces how much litter reaches the mat in the first place.
How do you get the smell out of a litter mat?
Rinse it thoroughly, then apply an enzyme-based pet cleaner and leave it wet for the time on the label before rinsing and drying fully. Enzymes break down the compounds causing the odor rather than masking them. Avoid scented sprays, which can put a cat off the box.
Why is my cat tracking litter past the mat?
The mat may be too small, too far from the box opening, or full of trapped litter and no longer catching anything. Empty it and check that it extends far enough for a cat to take two or three steps on it. Fine-grain litters also track further than coarse ones.
Litter stations are a small part of a much larger job. Every home is different, so the real number depends on size, condition, and what you want covered. Get a quote or read more about house cleaning services.