8 ways to make your kitchen bin less smelly
There are all kinds of unwanted smells around the home; cooking smells, bathroom smells and wet dog smell to name a few. But one of the worst ones has to be a smelly kitchen bin.
As residual food gets thrown in, it spills and splatters down the sides and, if the bin’s overloaded, it gets crushed into the lid. Then there’s the impact of heat, time and a lack of ventilation to think about, all of which encourage bacterial growth.
Before you know it, you are blasted by a horrid smell whenever the lid’s open; sometimes you can even smell it from across the room! The good news is there are some easy ways to keep on top of bin smells, so you don’t need to worry the next time your guests need to throw something away. In fact, we’ve found eight ways to prevent smelly bins, so you don’t go nose blind.
1. Clean routinely
First thing’s first, you will need to spot clean your bin regularly, as well as deep clean it when required. That means whenever there’s a spill or splatter, spray it with an antibacterial spray, such as Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleaner, and wipe it clean with a microfibre cloth, or just use a disinfectant wipe. Even if there are no obvious stains, wipe over the lid with disinfectant a few times a week to remove unseen bacteria.
If your bin has a stainless steel exterior, clean the surface using a proprietary cleaner, such as Method Stainless Steel Cleaner.
GHI Tip: You can also apply baby oil to stainless steel to remove finger marks and prevent future ones.
Keep an eye out for leaks whenever you change the bag as well; you don’t want this trailing through your home. Have a bin bag ready to transfer it over and place a paper towel beneath the tear as you do to prevent further mess. Wipe up any spills immediately and disinfect.
When you feel like your bin needs a full refresh, take it into your garden, or use a bathtub/shower if you’re short on outdoor space, and spray it with a hose, pressure washer or shower head. Once it’s rinsed, give it a thorough scrub with antibacterial spray. Rinse and then leave to dry fully with the lid open before replacing the bag.
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2. Use the right bin bags
If you’re using flimsy bin bags that tear regularly, you’ll have to clean the bottom of your bin more often to keep on top of smells. This will also leave trails as you try to empty your bin, which you won’t want on your carpets or hard floors. Stick to using suitably sized, robust bin bags to avoid this. Look out for brands that claim to be heavy duty and leak-proof. If they’re made from recycled material and are themselves recyclable then that’s a bonus. Eco360 Heavy Duty Refuse Socks is a good example.
Scented options are available as well, with citrus, rose and lavender fragrances as some of the popular choices. This can help to cover up any smells that accumulate. An example of this would be Merve Pack 60L Lavender Scented Bin Bags.
3. Don’t overfill
It’s easy to ignore a full bin; I’ve done it myself, to the point that the lid has lifted away with the rubbish! But this is an important habit to break. By filling your bin to the brim, residue will leak over the sides and press into the underside of your lid, creating more mess to clean up after.
At such capacity, your bin is more likely to smell, too; the contents will be less ventilated and so moisture is more predominant. And when filled to the top, the rubbish has been stored for some time, so bacteria is given the ideal environment to grow.
Empty your bin as often as required, doing so more regularly in the heat of summer. Food residue shouldn’t sit indoors for more than a few days, or it will start to smell.
4. Watch what you throw away
Certain items are bound to smell more than others, especially when there’s fish or meat involved! That’s why it’s a good idea to rinse away any smelly liquids first before you tip it into the bin. As for the food residue, keep it separate and contained where possible. Some bins come with removable food waste caddies for this very purpose, such as Joseph Joseph Totem Max 60L Stone Waste Recycling Bin.
Once full, or within a couple of days, you can then add your food waste straight to the compost or food collection heap. Try lining your food waste bin with newspaper to keep the container free from spills and stains.
I personally like using the Foodcycler from Sage. It breaks down my food residue into tiny chips by drying and grinding it down, taking just a few hours from start to finish. There’s no smell once it’s done and the chips can be thrown away or used in the garden soil; although you need to wait 90 days before planting or coming into contact with produce.
Don’t forget to recycle what you can. Use the postcode checker on Recycle Now if you’re unsure what can be recycled in your area. Remember, any food residue will need rinsing from whatever you recycle, too, or it could be diverted to landfill. There’s the added bonus that this makes your recycling bin smell better as well!
5. Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda needs a mention, of course. It’s a great deodoriser because its presence neutralises acidic and alkali odour molecules in the air, which is what creates a lot of unpleasant smells. So, by sprinkling a few tablespoons of bicarb into the base of the bin (under the bin bag), you’re neutralising potential nasty odours. This should last up to three months before it needs replacing, at which point you can just wipe or vacuum it away.
There are dedicated deodorises and air fresheners you can buy for your bin as well. Bin Buddy’s Bin Freshener Deodoriser Powder is one such product you could try, as are Vivid’s Dust Bin Fresheners, which are designed to be attached to the lid of the bin.
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6. Carbon filter
Active carbon is handy for deodorising, too; it’s made from a porous material that has a large surface area. As such, it attracts and absorbs gases in the atmosphere as they pass through it.
This is why you will find a carbon filter included in most air purifiers, and in the lid of some cat litter boxes. It’s a useful addition in bins, too, so try to find one with this feature if you’re shopping for a new one. The ECO X Cube Kitchen Bin features in our list of the best kitchen recycling bins and has a deodoriser compartment specifically for a carbon filter or perfume capsule. Just remember to replace as needed.
7. Keep it cool
If your bin continues to smell despite following all the above, consider where you keep it. If direct sunlight hits it at any point in the day, or there’s a heat source nearby, such as a radiator, that’s a likely contributor. By heating up the contents of your bin, you’re encouraging decomposition and bacterial growth.
The smell of rotting food will make it all the more enticing to flies as well, which can lead to maggots in the bin. So, keep it away from the heat and store your bin in the shade instead, in a cool, dry and ventilated space.
8. Buy a hands-free bin
Most of the mess on our bins comes from what our hands leave behind as we open and close the lid. From fingerprint marks to grease and food residue, we can leave a lot behind without realising, especially when our hands are full.
To keep this to a minimum, you could try a hands-free bin instead. Some have sensory features, so you simply wave your hand over the sensor to open it up, while others have a manual foot pedal to do the work. This makes the task easier and keeps the lid free from accidental spills and stains as you open and close.
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