Rubbish bins can become noticeably dirtier and smellier in the hot weather, as the warm temperature can create the ideal conditions for bacteria and mould to thrive. It is incredibly important not to overlook cleaning your bin at this time of year as pests such as flies, ants and even maggots can become drawn to smelly bins.
However, keeping a bin clean and fresh does not need to be a time-consuming chore as Josh Morris, an expert from Busy Bins, has shared you only need a few simple kitchen ingredients. Josh said: “Place citrus peels, such as lemon or orange peels, at the bottom of your bin before adding a new trash bag. The natural oils in citrus peels help to neutralise odours.”
It may sound bizarre, but citrus peels from lemons and oranges contain oils that slowly release a fresh fragrance that is strong to mark unpleasant odours.
Citrus peels are also mildly antimicrobial and will slow down bacterial and mould growth in bins.
However, one of the best reasons to use citrus peels in bins is that their oil has insect-repellent properties and will keep the ants and flies to keep them away.
This is a simple and very effective method to prevent bins from becoming smelly in the heat, but cleaning them does not need to be difficult either.
There are several cleaning methods to keep a bin fresh but the easiest tends to be using white vinegar.
John said: “Use equal parts white vinegar and water and place this together in a spray bottle.
“Once in the spray bottle, you can then spray this onto the interior and exterior surface of your rubbish bin. You can then give the bin a good old scrub to remove stains and odours.”
White vinegar contains acetic acid, which can kill bacteria and mould naturally without having to use a harsher chemical cleaner.
It also helps break down food spills or any sticky residues that have leaked from a rubbish bin and makes it very easy to wipe these stains away.
The strong smell will also repel flies and other pests that can creep into your home this time of year, so you do not have to worry about insects if you want to open a window.
There are also many products you can buy to keep your bin clean without much effort if you would prefer such as charcoal odour absorbers, scented rubbish bins and even bin cleaning tablets,
However, the absolute best way to stop smells and pests around your rubbish bin is to simply make sure not to overfill it and take it out every few days to stop leftover food rotting in your kitchen.