There’s nothing worse than the smell of hot garbage on a summer’s day, now that the heat has finally arrived.
If you’ve been putting off the chore, the good news is that it doesn’t take much time to clean trash cans and keep them smelling fresh. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way, especially during the hottest months of the year when odors seem to linger the longest. By spending just a few minutes once a year, you can eliminate many of the bacteria and food residues responsible for unpleasant smells.
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If your trash can is particularly dirty, start by giving it a quick rinse and spraying the interior with a diluted bleach solution to sanitize the surface and loosen stubborn grime. One of the easiest ways to speed up the process is with a foaming car wash gun attached to your garden hose. The thick foam clings to the sides of the can, helping break down grease and residue before you rinse everything away. It’s a fast, low-effort method that works surprisingly well without requiring a lot of scrubbing. Of course, they also make dedicated odor eliminating sprays specifically for cleaning cans if you don’t mind investing in such a specific product.
That said, there’s no reason to spend an hour trying to make your trash can spotless. For the biggest impact with the least amount of effort, use a garbage can cleaning bomb or odor-control pellets or tablets. after you’ve rinsed the can. These products are designed to neutralize lingering odors, break down organic residue, and keep your trash can smelling fresh long after you’re finished cleaning. They’re an easy upgrade over bleach alone and require almost no additional work. As always, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions, because each product varies in use.
If you have — and I hate to say this — maggots or other bugs in your trash can, like after a hunting trip for example, Terro also makes a great product specifically to kill bugs that reside in trash cans.
Also, we’d be remiss if we didn’t note that using the right kind of trash bags can really cut down on the funk. Check out our article on the best trash bags for each use.
For most households, taking the time to do a quick cleaning trash cans once a year is all that’s needed to keep odors under control. If you store your trash cans inside a garage, beside the house, or anywhere near a patio or outdoor living space, this simple annual maintenance can make a noticeable difference. Spending just a few minutes each year can help keep your garage, backyard, or wherever you keep your trash cans smelling clean and fresh all season long.
