Poo habits

Question
Hello again!

This is the second question unrelated to the first (cheek biting) but the same rats (Garu and Ratatouille).

I'll get straight to the point. My boys are gross. I tried potty training them by providing a specific area, different litter, picked "rasins" out asap, put "rasins" in litter box to encourage it's use, for WEEKS and they could care less. They poo and pee where they want regardless of my pleading, cajoling, bribing, and crying. (much like my toddlers!) They have restrained their fecality (I just made up a word!) when playing with us but not the peeing. I'm fine with that, I know they want me to smell "special" since I'm their mom and all that.

What I have a problem with is they have developed a preference area in their cage. I would by no means call them litter trained but they only and always seem to pee on their high platforms. The plastic ones that attach to the side of the cage that have a hole for the food dish and a trough around the edge for just such a problem as I'm experiencing. I think one of them prefers to poo up there too as there is always a pile in the corner of the trough after a few days but still poo down in the litter.

I clean those platforms every other day most of the time and have taken to putting litter, paper towels, hay, etc. up on the platforms to absorb the mess in between cleanings. They sleep on those platforms sometimes when they want a change from the hammock (they pee in that too!) so they smell like urine all the time. I bathe them once a week most of the time because the urine smell is very offensive to me (I have smell sensitivities) I have tried baby wipes on the rats but it does not take care of the smell. I got a no-water small mammal pet cleaner (for rabbits, I think) but it just makes them smell like pee and perfume. Ew.

Any suggestions? I can has help pls?
Thank you!

Answer
I know......I can brag that my rats are always litter trained....with the exception of two of my oldest boys, whom I fondly call "the dirty dog pound rats"

I rescued them from death row about 18 months ago. They were scheduled to be euthanized in a day or two and I got there just in time. They were already pushing 2 and nobody wanted them.  Being older and set in their ways, they slept in the litter box (it was clean) pooped in their peas and carrots and peed all over their hammock.
They also favored a corner to pee but pooping??  Anything goes with my DDPR (Dirty dog pound rats! lol! )   So, I decided to just do what I do with the others which was to pick up all litter and keep in ONLY in the litter box. I put newspapers down (black and white and soy ink, which most big city newspapers use now) and on top of that I put plastic needle point canvas.  If they urinate on it, the thick newspaper under the plastic needle point will absorb the urine that drains through the tiny holes. THis helped so they didnt stand in urine puddles,. although they both have bumble foot unfortunately.    As for poops? I would put small litter pans in the area they keep going in. See if that works. Pick up all litter and keep it only in the litter boxes. You can even use shoe boxes cut in half for now while your trying to get something going.