Home Care Challenge: When Your Trash Bins Smell Like Trouble
Sanitize indoor and outdoor trash and recycle bin.
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A not-so-glamorous task that makes a big difference.
I’ve been deep in a color crisis. You’d think choosing a paint shade would be easy—until you find yourself overwhelmed by 30 swatches of greige and beige taped to every wall in your home.
After testing 10 peel-and-stick samples from Samplize and brushing on four real paint samples, I finally landed on Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter… lightened to 75% strength. Subtle, soft, just warm enough. Victory.
When we moved in, our new build had the same paint in every room—Sherwin Williams Anew Gray. Flat finish, builder-grade. The only exceptions were the dining room and master bedroom ceiling in In the Navy (a bold choice I still love). Anew Gray is a solid neutral, but after a while, it all started to blend together. I wanted rooms that felt like us, not like a builder’s showroom.
But choosing a new paint color that works with our existing furniture, finishes, and flooring? Let’s just say I went down the rabbit hole. Undertones, lighting, sheens—paint blogs became my late-night reading.
Eventually, I had to step away from the wall of swatches and take a break. That’s when I remembered this week’s home care challenge: something a little less Pinterest-worthy, but just as necessary.
Picture This
It’s a beautiful spring morning. You head outside with your coffee, ready to enjoy a few quiet minutes on the porch. Then it hits you—that unmistakable odor. You glance over and realize your outdoor trash and recycling bins are to blame. When was the last time you cleaned them? (For me, the answer was… never.)
It’s not the prettiest task, but it’s an important one.
Keeping your trash and recycling bins clean—both inside and out—helps eliminate odors, prevents pests, and cuts down on bacteria that can sneak into your home. So let’s tackle it together.
Indoor Trash & Recycle Bins
Indoor bins tend to get overlooked in daily cleaning routines, but they can quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria and mold.
Step-by-Step:
Empty the bins: Take out the trash and sort your recycling properly.
Rinse & scrub: Bring the bins to your sink or bathtub. Rinse with warm water to loosen debris, then scrub inside and out using dish soap and a stiff brush.
Sanitize: Spray the interior and exterior with disinfectant or a vinegar-and-water mix. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing again.
Dry & deodorize: Let the bins air dry completely. To keep them smelling fresh, try one of these:
A coffee filter filled with baking soda, tied off with a rubber band.
A couple of activated charcoal sachets.
Cotton balls soaked in essential oils (like lemon or lavender).
Outdoor Trash & Recycle Bins
Outdoor bins take more abuse—between the weather, sticky bags, and general gunk, they need a deeper clean.
Step-by-Step:
Time it right: Clean your bins right after trash pickup so they’re empty.
Rinse: Use a hose or power washer to blast out any debris.
Scrub: Mix warm water and dish soap (or a bin-specific cleaner) in a bucket. Scrub all sides using a long-handled brush. For stuck-on grime, baking soda paste works wonders.
Disinfect: Spray or pour disinfectant into the bin. Let it sit 10–15 minutes.
Final rinse: Hose everything down again and turn the bins upside down to air dry in the sun (nature’s original disinfectant).
Optional deodorizer: A spritz of eucalyptus or peppermint oil inside the bin can help keep bugs away and improve the smell.
Final Thoughts
Sanitizing your trash and recycling bins isn’t exactly a brag-worthy task—but it is one of those behind-the-scenes chores that keeps your home running smoothly. No more cringing when you open the lid. No more “what is that smell?” moments on the porch.
So let’s pull on some cleaning gloves and check this off the list together. One fresh-smelling bin at a time.
Happy cleaning!
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