Cleaning a kitchen garbage can is not one of the most pleasant things to do today. Unfortunately, it is compulsory to clean your kitchen trash can from time to time. Otherwise, you would have a foul smell coming out of your kitchen.
Remember, your kitchen is where you make all your meals. So, you have to maintain 100% sanitation. The kitchen bin is where you discard all your food leftovers, among other kitchen waste. Thus, cleaning your kitchen bin requires extra attention.
Moreover, you have to maintain your kitchen bin to promote its durability. You definitely don’t want to replace your kitchen trash can every now and then.
It would therefore help if you take care and clean your kitchen bin as often as possible. But how do you do this?
How to clean a kitchen bin
Although cleaning the kitchen trash can be disgusting, it is quite simple to do so. Regular and proper cleaning of your kitchen bin will ensure you always have a fresh smelling kitchen.
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So, if you plan on cleaning your kitchen trash can, follow the steps below:
Discard all the waste in your kitchen trash can
The first thing to do would be to eliminate all the waste present in your trash can. It is always advisable to use a plastic bag to line the trash can before you throw any garbage in it.
Lining your kitchen bin with a plastic bag makes it easy to discard all the dirt in the kitchen bin since you only need to carefully take out the bag with the trash, leaving a fairly clean dustbin.
It is recommended that you find bio-degradable plastic bags to ensure you are not the convenience of the trash bags does not come at the risk of harming the environment
Always find a suitable place to dispose of the waste. Even though you do not live in a location where garbage disposal allows for sorting of trash and disposal depending on the type of trash, you can improvise as a way of promoting environmental conservation.
For instance, consider throwing organic matter in your garden. On the other hand, you can pay for garbage collection services to dispose of your inorganic matter correctly.
Clean the exterior surface
You have to be thorough when cleaning your kitchen bin. So, you can start by cleaning the outer surfaces of the trash can. Do this using a wet, clean fiber cloth. Use warm soapy water to wipe off the exterior surfaces gently.
Depending on how dirty the outer surface is, you could add a disinfectant to your warm soapy water since a contaminated outer surface of a kitchen bin can be a source of germs and infections.
Kitchen experts recommend starting with the outer surface since it is less dirty compared to the inner surface.
Focus on the inner part of the kitchen bin
Afterward, clean the kitchen trash bin’s interior surface using the fiber cloth and warm soapy water. It is recommended that you add a mild disinfectant to your warm soapy water to ensure you do not rid your bin only of dirt but also of germs.
Feel free to change the water when it gets dirty. Ensure that you gently wipe off all the interior surfaces, including the corners.
Dirt tends to line up on the corners of the trash can. If there are any stubborn particles, use a soft brush to scrub them off. Do not proceed to the next step until all the surfaces are sparkling clean.
Rinse off the kitchen trash can
Once you finish washing the kitchen bin with warm soapy water, use clean water to rinse the kitchen bin. You can simply use the cloth to rinse off the surfaces. Also, consider disinfecting the water that you use for rinsing. Doing this keeps the bin free from any harmful microbes.
Dry the kitchen bin
Next, use a dry clean fiber cloth to dry all the surfaces of the bin. Before lining another plastic bag, ensure that the interior does not have any traces of moisture. Otherwise, placing the plastic bag on a wet kitchen trash can lead to a foul odor.
After wiping the bin with a clean, dry cloth, remove the kitchen trash can outside to receive ventilation and dry quickly.
How to maintain your kitchen trash can
Other than deep cleaning your kitchen bin, there are several techniques you can use to maintain a kitchen bin. Note that taking good care of your kitchen bin prolongs its durability. Below are some of the ways you can take care of the kitchen bin:
Lining your bin
Make sure you line your kitchen bin with a plastic garbage bag. Throwing kitchen waste on a kitchen trash can that does not contain a trash bag leads to staining. Also, it makes your kitchen bin wear out much faster. So, never throw any waste matter on a kitchen trash can that is not lined.
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Well-fitting kitchen bin liners
When lining your kitchen trash can, ensure that the trash bag fits perfectly across all sides. Check that there is no space left between the plastic bag and the bin. Otherwise, you would leave room for spills in your trash can. Moreover, make sure that the trash bag is held tightly onto the bin. This way, no amount of waste can pull it down and disconnect from the bin.
Sorting your trash
It would be best if you discarded your liquid foods in your garden instead of your trash can. Otherwise, your kitchen trash can would continually have a foul smell. But if you have no other place of discarding your waste, wrap liquid and rancid foods in a separate plastic bag and tighten it firmly before throwing it in the bin.
There are also options of compartmentalized trash cans which enable you to store recyclables in one compartment and other trash in a separate compartment.
Wipe of spills off your bin
Whenever you experience spills on your kitchen trash can, ensure that you wipe them off immediately. This especially goes for liquid foods. Liquid foods are likely to form a sticky layer over your kitchen trash can. Consequently, they appear dirty and can smell foul for a long time. Use a clean wet fiber cloth with warm soapy water to wipe off the spills.
Neutralize smells in your kitchen bin
Your kitchen bin is likely to have a foul odor at all times, even if you clean it well. I mean, it serves as the home storage of waste matter. So, when cleaning your kitchen trash can, it would be best to use baking soda to eliminate all the foul odors. Baking soda is a neutralizer.
After washing and drying your trash can, sprinkle a substantial amount of baking soda on the bottom of the trash can. You’d get surprised at the efficiency of this affordable chemical. Fortunately, baking soda is available and affordable at almost all stores.
Besides baking soda, other natural remedies you can use to clean your kitchen bun and neutralize smells are lemon or vinegar. Adding a little liquid of these two items will serve as a disinfectant and neutralize smells as well.
You could occasionally add a disinfectant germ killer when cleaning your bin for that extra care and attention and to ensure your bin is not a source of germs.
Should I clean my kitchen trash can regularly?
Most homeowners wonder how many times they should clean their kitchen bin. Well, it depends. If your kitchen trash can is always full of kitchen waste and especially wet waste matter, try to dispose the waste at least once a day and clean it more often, say at least twice a week.
Regular disposal and cleaning not only prevent foul smells from developing in your kitchen but also prevents fruit flies and other living organisms that may be attracted to certain trash. Besides, an overflowing and dirty bin is an eye sore and an embarrassment.
Also, if you have a large family, you would clean your kitchen bin more than a family of two. The point is to make sure that your kitchen bin is clean at all times.
In Conclusion
One of the significant ways to keep your kitchen clean and organized is to ensure you have a clean kitchen trash can. Ultimately, always clean your kitchen bin depending on its usage.
