Having trouble maintaining your family’s garbage output? Disposing of your garbage more frequently can help keep your home more organized. But, how often should you take your kitchen trash? When it comes to trash management, different people have different levels of tolerance. But, with careful planning, you can find the right waste disposal schedule to fit your waste usage.
Why Should I Take My Trash Bin Out Regularly?
For most homeowners, a foul smell is a sign that it’s time to take your trash can out of the kitchen. What many people ignore, however, is that the stench is not the main problem, but what causes it. Accumulation of bacteria (like E. Coli and Salmonella) and decayed food give off the characteristic odor that can be as harmful to your health as it is to your sense of smell.
Here are other reasons to take out your trash can regularly:
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Keeping trash in the can for too long attracts pathogens
Rodents and insects are common carriers of harmful diseases like Tuberculosis. If waste stays indoors enough to start stinking, your kitchen will attract mice, cockroaches, and flies. You can prevent this by disposing of your waste frequently. It is also advisable to get a waste bin that has a cover to prevent odors from escaping or insects and mice from getting in. An example is the Wasau Caddy Top Trash Receptacle. -
Risk of food poisoning
Many bacteria like Salmonella grow on leftover food within hours. They multiply and increase the risk of food poisoning if the food scraps stay for too long in the kitchen. -
Improves your home’s interior
Taking trash cans out regularly and cleaning them makes your kitchen look decent. One of the first signs of a poorly kept home is a dirty and rusty trash can. The last thing you want is guests noticing any sign of an unkempt kitchen when they visit. Besides regular cleaning, a design-focused garbage can adds an elegant feel to your home décor. -
Simplifies home trash management
Regularly emptying your waste bin is easier than dealing with the hassles of an overflowing waste bin. You can seamlessly dispose of or recycle stuff instead of leaving them in a stack to deal with them later. Besides, an overfilled trash receptacle can stop serving its function.
How Often Should You Take Out Your Kitchen Trash?
According to cleaning expert Toni Hammersley, you have to take your trash out every day to have an odor-free space. After all, the garbage bin won’t stink if there is nothing to decay in it. Removing your kitchen trash also depends on these factors:
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What you put in the trash can
This determines how long you should let it remain in the kitchen. If your food consists mainly of vegetables and fruits, make compost out of it. If you put food such as meat, dairy products, or anything that is not fit for compost in your trash can, it will smell in a short time. So, disposing of it daily is most advisable. Also, you must separate leftover food from plastic, paper, and others in an outdoor recycling receptacle. -
The number of users
How many people share the trash with you? Do you have roommates, siblings, or kids who make knowing what goes into the trash receptacle not so easy to predict? If you do, then taking the waste out daily would go a long way. Assign the task or make it an essential part of your daily routine. If you have a large household, a huge outdoor dumpster will help contain the waste until the next trash pick-up day. -
Who has access to it
Do you have Toddlers and pets that can show interest in your trash can and make a mess of it? Then, ensure that the waste bin is well-covered and take it out as soon as you can. With kids and pets around, a daily routine is necessary. This is due to the possibility of them being exposed to germs when they eat from it or spill its contents out. It is advisable to get a big trash can that they can’t reach easily. A 45 gallon trash can or a 50 gallon trash can should work for this. -
How quickly it fills
Here is where your eating habit comes in. Someone who cooks food at home shouldn’t allow trash to sit for long. However, a person who mostly eats out might not have much kitchen waste to dispose of. -
Personal preference
How often is too much for you? Even when you are all by yourself and can bear the sight without worry, the trash bin that contains garbage shouldn’t remain beyond three days. You may not be as good as many people in detecting bad smells, but it doesn’t mean it's healthy. -
Work and tight schedule
Do you find yourself leaving stuff in the trash receptacle for too long due to work or you cannot fancy a daily cleaning routine? It would be best if you tried to remove the waste after three days or a week and always try to mask the stench with a deodorizer. You can also make sure to get a 45 gallon trash can or 50 gallon trash can so it won’t spill out before your garbage day.
Some Cleaning Tips for Your Kitchen Trash Can
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Create a reminder
If you always forget to take the trash can out and end up having a pile of mess in the kitchen or elsewhere, then consider setting a reminder. If your bin fills quickly and always contains leftover food, a daily reminder would be best. You don’t have to wait until the waste management comes so you won’t miss out. -
Separate trash in different bins
Not many people use the same container for recycling and trash. But, if you’re one of the few who do it, consider having separate bins for wastes. Leftover food, pizza, diapers, fats, meat, bone, eggs are wastes that should have a different waste bin from plastic, broken utensils, and dust. An outdoor garbage bin, such as the Tuffbox Steel Trash Receptacle, can allow you to separate wastes into categories. -
Use trash bags
Avoid putting leftover food, especially liquid or wet food scraps, in the garbage can without putting it in a grocery bag first. Then, drop the paper bag containing the waste into a trash bag to separate it from the main can. -
Remove spills and stains
Wipe off stains from cans when you see them, preferably with a wet microfiber or disinfecting wipe. Place your wipe where you can reach it quickly, like a wall. -
Sprinkle baking soda
If you haven’t mastered taking your trash out regularly yet, you can place baking soda in the bottom of your can to remove odor. However, take note that baking soda may clump if the trash sits longer than a week. Also, you can use baking soda after you empty the can for cleaning. Sprinkle in the can and wait for 20 minutes before you scrub with a brush and then sun-dry. -
Clean and disinfect after some time
The recommended period before thoroughly cleaning and using disinfectant is a month. If you cannot put in so much effort every week, make sure to clean it at least once in three months. Choose trash cans made of strong, recyclable materials with user-friendly designs. -
Buy a trash compactor
Installing a trash compactor in your kitchen can significantly reduce the amount of trash you have to deal with; some can provide up to 75% compression. It also saves you the stress of taking the can out. A trash compactor comes with filters for removing odor when it holds waste for long. -
Use Compost
You can learn to make compost. Ensure you have enough air circulation for the compost to curb its stink; wood chips would help for this part. Regularly rake the compost. You may use a big trash can with a seal for compost or install a wire barrier over it to prevent animals from going into it. -
Deodorize
If your collapsible trash can smells after prolonged use, add a few drops of essential oils to the cleanser solution to deodorize it. You may opt for strong scents like peppermint or lemongrass. Plus, you can make a homemade cleanser with 50% water and 50% vinegar and put it in a spray bottle. When you take the trash bag out of the can, spray the can and lid with the cleanser and wipe with a paper towel. -
Prioritize your waste bin's maintenance
Replace broken lids and other parts of your trash can as soon as possible with suitable alternatives.
Conclusion
Trash disposal is an essential aspect of maintaining a clean home and environment. However, it’s one of the least favorite chores. Having a daily personal waste management practice is the ideal thing to do to prevent an unclean kitchen environment.
While it’s not a must to dispose of your trash daily, following these tips will help you manage your kitchen waste effectively. This includes separating wet food items, recycling, and cleaning your trash can regularly. At Trash Cans Depot, we supply various types and designs of indoor garbage cans and recycling bins to simplify your kitchen waste management.