Get Rid of Smelly Trash Can Odors

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2014/05/13 - Updated: 2022/01/10
Topic: Household Tips - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Handy hints and tips to eliminate smelly trash can garbage and rubbish bin odors. Over time, the smell of accumulated and unsegregated garbage will reek and make everything in and around your home smell bad.

Introduction

Trash cans and rubbish bins are among the most useful things you have at home, but they can also become very smelly! Over time, the smell of accumulated and unsegregated garbage will reek and make everything in and around your home smell bad.

Focus

For inside trash cans, in the kitchen etc., place some orange peels or fresh mint leaves in the bottom, and change them weekly. You can also use a plastic lined cloth laundry bag in the trash can as it prevents leaks, and is completely washable in the washing machine.

Other Tips to Eliminate Trash Can Odors

• Place a small amount of vanilla extract on a couple of cotton balls, and let them stay overnight in the trash can.
• Pour distilled white vinegar into the garbage can. Use 2 to 3 cups of white vinegar and fill the rest of the garbage can with hot water. Let the vinegar and water solution soak inside the garbage can for an hour. Empty the solution out of the garbage can and allow to air dry.
• If your trash cans are made from plastic, you can put a generous amount of baking soda inside the can and leave overnight. If your trash can is metal, you need to put the baking soda inside a suitable container to prevent the chemical from corroding the bin.
• Buy a bag of charcoal, pulverize it a bit and dump the charcoal into the trash can. Let the charcoal sit overnight to remove the odors.
• Dry sprinkle the bottom of the rubbish bin with bicarb soda as this will absorb smells. Line with rubbish bag, and keep a tight lid on the bin. If you are storing full rubbish bags make sure you tie them up tight.
• A combination of tea tree oil and lavender is great for covering biological smells.
• As soon as you empty your trash can for the garbage collectors or out to the dumpster, give it a good hose-down with extra strength soap and water.

Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.