How To Remove Smell From Outdoor Garbage Can (2024)
Our outdoor garbage cans emit an unpleasant odor that assaults our senses every time we take out the garbage.
The odor may begin to seep into your garage, or worse, your home, if not properly addressed.
It's not all bad news. We will guide you through a step-by-step process on how to effectively remove the smell from your outdoor garbage can, ensuring it stays fresh and clean.
Does vinegar get rid of garbage smell?
Vinegar is great at neutralizing odors in your trash bin because its acetic acid content breaks down those smelly organic compounds, leaving it with a much fresher smell. Vinegar is also a good way to keep maggots out of an outside trash can.
After emptying the bin, I spray the bin with equal parts white vinegar and water to keep unpleasant smells at bay between trash days, and it's a great, eco-friendly way to do it.
📚 LEARN: What To Clean Your Trash Cans With (2024)
What absorbs bad smells outside?
A lot of people use charcoal or baking soda to neutralize pungent odors in outdoor trash bins. Baking soda and charcoal act as shields against odors.
Baking soda can be added directly to the trash bin before adding new trash bags to eliminate the inevitable smells associated with discarded food scraps.
What is a natural deodorizer for garbage?
There are several natural deodorizers that can help neutralize these smells without resorting to harsh chemicals like bleach.
Baking soda: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is one of the most effective and readily available natural deodorizers. In order to neutralize odors, you can sprinkle baking soda on top of your garbage can or at the bottom.
Vinegar: The acidic nature of vinegar neutralizes alkaline odors commonly found in garbage, so it's a great deodorizer. For the best results, soak bread in vinegar and leave it at the bottom of your trash can, or spray vinegar and water around the can.
Lemon peels: Whenever I consume a lemon, I keep the peel and toss it into the garbage. Citrus peels can absorb trash can odors well. In addition to removing the odor, they release a fresh, clean citrus scent that can be quite refreshing.
Coffee grounds: Instead of throwing away used coffee grounds after brewing, place them in an open container or spread them directly in the trash to neutralize odors. They bring a cozy, warm scent that can mask many bad odors.
Activated charcoal: An activated charcoal bag or container can be placed in your smelly trash can to help keep odors at bay. It's particularly effective and can be found in most health or pet stores.
Fresh herbs: Throw a handful of fresh herbs, like mint, rosemary, or thyme, into the garbage can over the refuse to mask any bad odors. You can also use essential oils with these scents to mask a stinky trash can.
🧼 CLEANING TIP: You can use these deodorizers, but the best way to keep your garbage from stinking is to clean your trash cans regularly, get your trash out frequently, and recycle or compost food waste when you can, since decomposing food makes the worst odors in the garbage.
What is the best way to clean an outdoor trash can?
There's no way anyone would like to clean an outside garbage can, but it's a necessary task to keep things sanitary and odor-free. Dirty trash bins attract pests, breed bacteria, and create a horrible smell.
Here are some ways to clean your outside garbage cans.
DIY
Make sure you pick a sunny day for this job - ideally, you want it to air dry completely after you're done cleaning it. Trust me, doing it in the rain won't make it any fun.
If you’re doing it solo, here’s how:
Get your cleaning supplies. You’ll need protective gloves, a garden hose, a long-handled scrub brush, heavy-duty cleaning solution or dish soap, and a disinfectant.
Empty the can. If garbage day just passed, that’s the perfect time to get to work.
Rinse. Lay the can on its side and rinse it out with the garden hose to remove loose debris from the bottom of the can. If you're using a pressure washer, this is where it shines. But be careful — you don't want the back-spray from the can to become a personal issue.
Scrub-a-dub. Fill your bucket with warm water and add your chosen cleaner. Dip your long-handled brush or mop in the soapy mixture and go to town on the interior of the can. Start from the top and work your way down, ensuring that you scrub well to remove any gunk or sticky spots.
Rinse again. After you've given the inside a good scrub, rinse thoroughly with the hose. Make sure all soap suds are gone because any residue can attract dirt.
Disinfect and dry. Let the can dry in direct sunlight. UV rays are great for helping to kill any remaining bacteria and will help to eliminate odors. If you're in a hurry, you can also wipe it down with old towels or rags.
🧼 CLEANING TIP: Once the can is dry, for an extra touch of freshness, you can sprinkle a bit of baking soda or an outdoor-friendly deodorizer at the bottom to help absorb future odors.
Hiring a trash bin cleaning service
A dirty, smelly trash bin can sometimes be too much to handle or too unpleasant. That's when professional trash bin cleaning services come in handy.
When your garbage cans are neglected for a while or you're just too busy to do it yourself, these services can be a godsend because they specialize in sanitizing and deodorizing them.
Here’s what to know about hiring a trash bin cleaning service.
Research services in your area
Look for companies that offer bin cleaning services in your locality. These services aren’t as widespread as, say, house cleaning or lawn care services, so it might take a bit of Googling or asking around in local community groups.
Decide on a service option
Some companies may offer one-time cleaning, while others might provide subscriptions where they come out after your trash has been collected to clean your bins on a regular basis. Subscription services can often save you money in the long run and ensure that your bins are consistently clean.
Know the cleaning process
Most bin cleaning services use specialized trucks that lift your bins and use high-pressure water jets to blast away grime and debris. This is often followed by a sanitizing and deodorizing process. These systems generally use reclaimed water, ensuring that the cleaning process is environmentally friendly.
Ensure they are eco-friendly
Many services take pride in being eco-friendly, using biodegradable cleaning agents and ensuring that all runoff is properly disposed of, which is a huge plus compared to hosing down your bin in the backyard and sending everything straight into the storm drain.
Set your schedule
Some services coordinate with local trash collection schedules to clean your bins right after they've been emptied, which is convenient since you won't have to store a dirty bin until the next cleaning.
Question to ask a potential bin cleaning service:
How do you dispose of the wastewater?
What kind of cleaning agents do you use?
Are there any safety or environmental certifications your service has?
Can you accommodate my garbage collection schedule?
Are there any package deals for multiple bins or neighborhood group rates?
Are you in Prescott, Arizona? Book a regular cleaning service today
Keep stinky garbage bins clean and hygienic with a trash bin cleaning service. This is a hassle-free, eco-friendly, and customer-focused service, turning a dirty job into a pleasure.
Are you looking for someone to clean your dirty bins in Prescott? Send Joe and Victoria a message today at hi@beautyandthebins.com or call them at (928) 463-6193.
One-time cleaning for $45.
One wash every month at $25 per wash.
One wash bi-monthly at $30 per wash.
One wash quarterly at $35 per wash.