How to Clean Outdoor Trash Cans / Bins
What You'll Need
- 1
- Squirt
- 1 cup
- 1/2 cup
- 1
Step-by-Step Method
After trash collection day, spray the empty bin interior with a garden hose on high pressure. Knock out stuck debris.
Add a squirt of dish soap and enough water to scrub. Use a long-handled brush to scrub the interior walls and bottom.
Add 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar. Let fizz 5 minutes. Scrub again. Rinse thoroughly with the hose.
Leave the bin tipped on its side in direct sunlight to dry completely. Sunlight kills bacteria and helps eliminate odor.
- Do not let dirty bins sit with the lid closed in the sun (breeds maggots)
- Do not use bleach if the bin drains onto grass or plants
- Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the bin after each trash day for ongoing odor absorption.
- Double-bag meat scraps and wet waste to prevent leaks that cause the worst bin odors.
- If you see maggots: pour boiling water into the bin, then clean as above. The boiling water kills them instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Maggots are fly larvae that hatch from eggs laid on rotting food. Prevention: double-bag meat and food waste, keep the lid closed at all times, clean the bin monthly, and sprinkle baking soda in the bottom. In summer, freeze meat scraps until trash day.
Sources & Methodology
Outdoor bin maintenance to prevent pest attraction and pathogen growth. Maggots develop from fly eggs in 24-48 hours in warm conditions on decomposing organic matter.
Last reviewed: March 20, 2026