Ew. Yeah, once more, this time with feeling: “Eeeeeeewwwwwww!” As in, really really gross. No one hangs out with their garbage cans, but it’s still not pleasant to open them and smell that smell. Most people could care less, but what if that smell starts infiltrating into your kitchen bins? Or maybe you’re one of those people who have overly ambitious thoughts about cleaning. Or you’re just trying to cope with your inner Monk.
Well, there are several cures, and thankfully none of them require diving into your dumpster with a toothbrush and scrubbing the odor inch by inch out.
Charcoal chunks, some cups of cat litter, dryer sheets, and baking soda all act to absorb those stinky odors. Why? Because they all have high pH levels and it’s the more acidic substances (with lower pH values) that tend to smell the worst. That’s why rotting fruits and vegetables tend to be a lot less stinky than rancid meat and eggs.
While charcoal, cat litter, and dryer sheets will all absorb the smells, baking soda is the only alternative that can also act as a cleaner. If you sprinkle 1/4 cup of baking soda in the can in the morning, let it sit until evening, and then add water scrub out the can, not only will the odor be gone, but the interior of the bin will be clean as well.
Sometimes, however, you need to bring in the Stealth Bomber of cleaning supplies—bleach. While bleach itself has a somewhat noxious odor, its insanely effective disinfectant properties will kill the most officious germs that may be stinking up your bins. To make sure you don’t damage the lining, whether plastic or aluminum, mix 1/4 cup of bleach with two gallons of water, sponge, and swirl.
If you need your trash cans cleaned to get your listing put on the market or in between guests at your AirBnB, PopUP CleanUP offers trash can cleaning as an add-on to our deep cleaning, light dusting, or disinfection services.
