The Weekly Cleaning Habit That Can Freshen Up And Deodorize Your Home

Everyone wants a home that feels welcoming, and one of the best ways to ensure that your house is a place that people want to be is by keeping it clean. While certain chores are well known to improve the cleanliness and freshness of your home, like vacuuming and dusting, others are easier to forget because they aren't constantly in your line of vision. Tasks that fall into this category might include wiping your lightbulbs and sweeping under the couch. Though you might not think of it, cleaning your trash cans is a small habit that will make your home smell better than ever.

You might not instantly think of your trash can as an item that needs to be deodorized and cleaned — after all, trash cans are used to hold items that are being disposed of, so they're not like other containers in the home. The reality, however, is that trash cans can begin to accumulate all sorts of debris, gunk, and even germs, which can leave them looking and smelling gross over time. Truth be told, trash cans can harbor bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria in them, which can spell disaster for the clean home you're dreaming of. It can also pose a health risk to you and your family if there is a cross contamination episode in the home. Fortunately, there is an easy way to keep your trash cans clean and it can easily be worked into your regular cleaning habits: deodorizing and sanitizing your trash cans. 

It has already been established that your trash cans can be home to all sorts of debris and germs, which can make spaces in your home smell gross and musty, but you don't have to live with your garbage receptacles in this condition. If you have a mud room sink or a garden hose, you might want to haul your trash cans outside for this task, but a bathtub can work fine, too. Arm yourself with a pair of cleaning gloves, as well as some straightforward deodorizing and sanitizing products. 

You can use a couple teaspoons of diluted bleach or disinfectant spray (be sure to properly ventilate the space you're working in and to wear clothes that you don't mind getting stained) to douse the inside of the trash can, leaving it for 5 minutes before rinsing and drying it. If you want a gentler cleaning approach, you can use some white vinegar, which is known for its excellent deodorizing powers. For the vinegar method, mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of water, then spray the inside of the can and wipe it dry. The rubbing alcohol method is perfect for really germy trash cans on days that you don't feel like messing around with bleach. You can simply mix 2 parts rubbing alcohol to 1 part water, then wipe the inside of the bin thoroughly with a paper towel.

While the knowledge that your trash cans are covered in germs might be making you paranoid, there's no need to worry too much as the right approach can make all the difference in the world. For starters, you should ideally be using a trash can liner in your garbage bins. This helps to keep the bulk of your trash in one place, containing the messes, and making it easier to empty the cans. When it's time to change the liner, you'll have an empty trash can and an ideal opportunity to move in with some sanitizing power, using the aforementioned methods. If you're unsure of how often you need to clean your garbage can, here are some good guidelines to follow: whenever it's dirty, but at least monthly. Bear in mind, however, that weekly cleanings are advised for the freshest results.

You likely are already thinking about cleaning your bathroom trash cans, as well as any small kitchen trash pails you own, but now is also a perfect time to add diaper pails to the list of trash cans to be deodorized. It can also be smart to clean office waste baskets or trash cans in bedrooms. Even though they usually only receive dry debris, papers, and tags, they can begin to harbor bacteria over time if they are used to catch tissues, food wrappers, and the like. Further, if you want to infuse the bin with a pleasant smell, try this dryer sheet hack that leaves your trash cans smelling extra fresh.