Over time, outdoor garbage cans become filthy, and as they accumulate dirt, they also start to smell—even when empty. Fortunately, you don’t need much to make your garbage receptacles look (and smell) brand new. Here, we explain how to clean outdoor garbage cans inside and out to eliminate odors, plus how frequently to do this seasonal chore.

How to Clean Outdoor Garbage Cans to Get Rid of Smells and Stains

While keeping your garbage can clean constantly might not be realistic, it is easy to clean it periodically with the following step-by-step guide.

1. Empty Garbage Can and Rinse

Remove any bags or loose trash from the garbage can. Attach a sprayer to a standard water hose and thoroughly rinse the inside and outside of the garbage can.

2. Scrub with Soapy Water

Fill a bucket with hot water, add a little dish soap, and stir it up. Then, use a scrub brush with a long handle to scrub the inside and outside of the trash can. Pay special attention and scrub any crevices, such as behind the wheels and around the handle.

3. Tackle Stubborn Stains

If some stains remain even after you scrub them with hot, soapy water, supplement the soapy solution with baking soda to enhance the cleaning power.

4. Rinse and Let Dry

When you’re done scrubbing, rinse out all the soap with plain water. Leave the garbage can open and place it in the sun to fully dry before closing it or putting a garbage bag in it.

How to Eliminate Garbage Can Odors

Odors in trash are mainly due to bacteria breaking down food and other materials. It’s a natural part of the decomposition process. Even after your trash can is emptied, the bacteria and decomposing debris can be left behind in trace amounts, which causes the odors to remain. Here are several methods to eliminate garbage can odors:

• Disinfect with bleach. Bleach can kill the bacteria in the garbage can and control the odor.
• Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom. Sprinkling a layer of baking soda at the bottom of your outdoor garbage can absorb odors.
• Crushed charcoal. Like baking soda, a layer of crushed charcoal at the bottom of your garbage bin can absorb odors.
• Empty the can. Trash gets stinkier the longer it sits, so emptying the garbage can promptly mitigates the odors. Even if your trash can doesn’t fill up quickly, you should still empty it at least once a week.
• Limit the amount of food you throw away. Food waste is the number one cause of trash can odor. When possible, compost your food scraps to keep them out of the garbage can.
• Bag your trash. Never throw loose trash into the can, especially food waste and other odor-causing debris. Bagging it up keeps your trash can clean and odor-free.

How Often to Clean Outdoor Garbage Cans

It’s a good idea to clean your outdoor trash cans once a month, but you can adjust this frequency according to your individual needs. The needed cleaning frequency is determined by the type of garbage that’s thrown in the trash, as many non-food waste items don’t result in dirt or odors.

Additionally, you may find that it is beneficial to clean your trash can more frequently during warmer months or in warmer climates, as bacteria and smells become more active and intense in warmer weather.