How to stop smelly bins in the scorching summer heat

There’s nothing worse than a smelly rubbish bin on a hot summer’s day.

To make matters worse, an array of bugs that love nothing more than munching on your decomposing scraps, making it just one big messy situation.

Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do that will help keep your bin smelling fresh (or as fresh as a bin can smell with rubbish inside).

Find some shade

Food tends to decompose a lot faster in direct sunlight and when the weather is warmer, so it’s important to find a shady area for your bin if possible. The faster something rots, the more likely it going to smell.

If your bins are getting direct sunlight in the middle of the day and you’ve had a problem with a disturbing odour, try placing it in a shady area.

While you’re not going to stop the smell completely, your nostrils, and your neighbours, will be better off because of this small change.

Use kitty litter

It sounds crazy, but a little bit of kitty litter can do wonders if you’ve got a bin that absolutely reeks. Just as it absorbs urine from cats and makes it smell less nasty, the same thing occurs in your bin.

By sprinkling some litter at the bottom of your bin, you’re creating a base of sorts that is going to absorb any pungent smells. Furthermore, any juices that find their way into your bin are going to be drawn to the kitty litter.

For the best results, try placing the litter inside the bin before any rubbish is added.

Prevent smells with baking soda

Baking soda is one of those miracle ingredients that can do all sorts of things, including keeping your bin smelling fresh. Simply sprinkle some of the powder in the base of your bin and you should quickly notice that it doesn’t stink as much.

It’s also a good idea to sprinkle some inside bin bags if you have a smaller bin in your house that you also put rubbish in. This will mean that it doesn’t smell as bad and that, combined with the baking soda in your main bin, means the smell should be a lot more bearable. 

Try coffee

While most people reach for the coffee first thing in the morning, many websites claim that coffee beans are also a great way to mask particularly unpleasant odours.

You may notice little jars of coffee beans in the fragrance department of your favourite department stores and they’re there because they neutralise smells. Website Helpling suggests filling a small bowl with coffee beans and placing it at the bottom of a bin to prevent it from smelling as bad.

Similar to the kitty litter, try and place the beans there before adding rubbish.

Clean your bin with bleach

It seems like an obvious solution, but it’s really important to clean your bin after it has been emptied and before you start putting more rubbish in it. A lot of people begin re-loading their wheelie bin almost immediately, failing to clean it of sticky residue and God only knows what else that has been left behind.

Cleaning it with bleach and warm water will not only keep your bin smelling cleaner, it will also kill any bacteria that is causing some of the bad odours in the first place.

You can also opt for something a bit more natural such as white vinegar or even a eucalyptus disinfectant that is a bit nicer on your nose. Where possible, let it soak for a while, just to ensure all the germs are killed. You should find that this makes all the difference.

How do you keep your bins smelling fresh? Is there something you do that works?