The Clever Solution That Leaves Your Trash Can Smelling Clean & Fresh

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If you're dealing with a perpetually smelly trach can in your kitchen, you're certainly not alone. You may remove the liner to make sure nothing has leaked out and still notice the unpleasant stench. That's because the odor-causing bacteria from food waste can linger well after you take out the trash. Plus, the sealed environment of the trash can traps in the rancid smell, further compounding the problem. But before you head out to buy a new bin, check your bathroom closet. An inexpensive bar of Irish Spring soap can help mask odors.

Irish Spring soap has been on the market for more than 50 years. While the company has expanded its lineup to include liquid body washes, the bar soap still remains popular. Aside from its affordability, the original Irish Spring bar is also known for its strong fragrance. While not clinically proven, there's anecdotal evidence that certain pests do not like the scent, as reported by the Extension Foundation. It might even be one way to help keep spiders out of your home. If you happen to appreciate the soap's strong earthy smell, it could be worth a try to reduce trash can odors in your home. This is just one of the many ways people are using Irish Spring bar soap without spending a lot of money or relying on chemical solutions that may do more harm than good.

Not only is this trash can odor-busting hack affordable and accessible, but it's also easy to use. Simply take a bar of soap out of the box and place it at the bottom of the trash can. If that option doesn't work for you, shave pieces of the bar soap off and place them at the bottom of your trash can liner each time you change the bags. The fragrant soap should overpower most unpleasant odors emanating from the trash can. Consider buying a three-pack of Irish Spring bar soap so you have extra on hand if needed.

You may immediately notice a difference in the air with the addition of the soap. Just keep in mind that you'll need to replace the bar whenever it starts to lose its fragrance. It should also be noted that this Irish Spring hack is not a substitute for cleaning your trash can. Scented soaps do not replace taking out the trash every day, or deep cleaning the bin at least once per month. To prevent odors, consider using the soap along with other ways to clean and deodorize your trash cans.