Food that has fallen behind the liner, dirty diapers, discarded meat packaging, mold, and bacteria; any of these can cause odor in household trash receptacles. Not only can this make your house smell terrible, but it can be unhealthy for your entire family. The best thing to do would be to keep your trash receptacle clean and to use a liner. Sometimes though, after cleaning your trash can and even using a liner every time, the can may develop odors that are hard to get rid of. This is due to mold and bacteria that can grow in the can itself. This is especially true in porous plastic cans. How can we eliminate and prevent trash can odor?
Commercial Products
There are a lot of commercial products available that claim to eliminate odors. The problem with some of them, like fragrance sprays and candles, is that they do not eliminate the odor; they simply mask it or cover it up. In order to prevent trash receptacle odor, you want to use products that will eliminate the cause. The cause of most trash can odors is the mold and bacteria that develops after food has fallen behind the lining. If that food is not removed each time the liner is replaced, it can grow mold that will attach itself to the can. You can use commercial cleaners such as bleach and borax to get rid of the mold and bacteria; then you can use Lysol to prevent future odors.
• Bleach - always use manufacturer instructions to dilute and never mix household chemicals. You can soak the trash can in a solution of bleach and hot water and then use a brush to scrub the inside. Rinse the can thoroughly and turn it upside down in your tub or shower to dry.
• Borax: you can use warm water and borax to clean your trash can by using the same process as with bleach. When the can is dry, sprinkle a little of the borax in the bottom to prevent trash can odor. Be careful though, borax is very toxic so keep it away from children and pets.
Natural Remedies
If you are looking for more environmentally conscious ways to prevent trash receptacle odor, you can try using baking soda or white vinegar.
• Baking soda - you can make a paste with baking soda and a damp rag to wash out your trash receptacle each week. Simply remove any food and debris that is in the bottom of the can. You can then take the can outside and use a garden hose, or you can take it to your bathtub and rinse it out thoroughly. Then, sprinkle baking soda throughout the can and scrub it with a damp cloth or sponge. This is an inexpensive method that is healthy for the entire family and safe for your plumbing.
• White vinegar - a solution of one part white vinegar and ten parts water can be used to wash the inside of your trash to eliminate and to prevent odors. It is safe for your drains so you can discard the mixture in your sink.