How To Clean a Garbage Can With Bleach

Jan 27

We Googled “how to clean a garbage can with bleach”. The response? “About 4,690,000 results”

We Googled “how to clean a trash can with bleach”. The response? “About 7,370,000 results”

We Googled “how to clean a trash bin with bleach”. The response? “About 35,000,000 results”

Combined, that is over FORTY SEVEN MILLION results for these three searches! Why is there so much info on the web on this subject? Because trash cans are dirty, full of things that can make you sick… and they stink! People don’t like cleaning dirty trash cans, so these problems get worse over time. They go looking for answers, because they have typically tried all sorts of things that simply haven’t worked.

Summary

One of the most germ-ridden things on your property is the garbage can.
The garbage can is a source of bacteria and odor that people often just live with.
Bags and can liners catch a lot of the solid debris, but liquids and trash residue still find their way onto the inner surfaces of your garbage cans and need to be cleaned regularly.
Bleach is the most recommended solution
Bleach is a disinfectant, not a cleaner.
It’s a dirty, disgusting job.

Bleach has disinfecting properties and when used properly, can be the final step of an overall cleaning solution. But bleach is just a disinfectant, not a cleaning product. We associate the smell of bleach with cleanliness, but bleach on its own does not work like detergents to clean. In order for bleach to kill germs on a surface, you must pre-clean it. This is because bleach is actually inactivated by organic soil which is common on most surfaces. If you do not pre-clean, you are likely not killing germs which makes “cleaning” with bleach a two-step process. Clean away the dirt, then disinfect with bleach.

This two step process:

Kills the COVID-19 virus
Kills 99.9% of most other bacteria & viruses

Before using bleach, please follow all safety precautions. Never use products that contain ammonia while using bleach.

Equipment & Supplies Needed to Clean a Garbage Can with Bleach

A respirator or work in a well-ventilated area
Rubber gloves
Eye protection
Face mask
Paper towels or old rags
Toilet brush or other long-handled soft brush
Mild detergent
Putty knife or other suitable scraper
Old clothes

How to Clean a Garbage Can with Bleach

Protect yourself from harmful and potentially dangerous spatter. Rubber gloves, safety glasses, a mask and old clothing that can be tossed if damaged by bleach are recommended.
Empty the trash can. Remove as much residue as possible by scraping the sides and bottom with a plastic putty knife.
Rinse the trash can using a garden hose to remove loose dirt and grime.
Fill the trash can 1/4 – 1/3 full with hot water.
Add a mild soap such as dish washing detergent. The amount needed will depend on the size of the trash can.
Add bleach. The amount needed to clean your trash can will depend on the size of the can. Most containers have mixing recommendations for disinfection.
Allow the solution to soak for 30 minutes or more depending on the amount of residue is in the trash can.
Use a soft brush scrub the surfaces and remove any odor–causing residue. Pay special attention to the corners and crevices where grime can build up.
Don’t forget to clean the lid!
Dispose of the liquids and dry the surfaces with a clean, soft cloth or allow it to air dry. Note: Storm drains direct runoff to fresh water streams and should never be used to dispose of harmful chemicals.
Place the open, freshly cleaned trash can in the sun to dry. The sunlight can actually help kill the remaining bacteria.

Extra Credit

Trash bags help minimize the amount of gunk that ends up in your trash can but are not foolproof. Punctures and leaks still occur. Double bagging can help.
Cleaning and disinfecting wipes allow for convenient between-cleaning touch ups.
Trash cans should be cleaned monthly. More or less frequent cleanings might be in order depending on your circumstances. By the time you can smell it, it’s overdue for a cleaning!
Plastic trash cans are quieter and more durable than metal trash cans, but tend to smell worse. That’s because the plastic used to make trash cans is just porous enough to hold on to the things that bacteria love to eat. The foul odor you smell is the gas generated by the bacteria having dinner.

If these instructions are followed, your garbage cans will likely be much cleaner than those of your neighbors. But will they really be clean and sanitized? What do you do if you find a maggot infestation in your can? Where do you responsibly dispose of 25-30 gallons of bleach water used to clean and disinfect a full-sized 96-gallon outdoor trash can? Where do you find the hours this process will take to complete?

We Can Help!

TriStar Bin Cleaning offers solutions that eliminate the need to don protective clothing, eyewear, masks and gloves. Our purpose-built bin cleaning truck accomplishes a level of safety in just seconds that is simply not possible when cleaning your garbage can using bleach.

Our environmentally friendly process safely kills more than 99.999% of the harmful germs and bacteria living in your garbage cans without using hazardous cleaning agents. That is 100x more effective than products, like bleach, that only kill 99.9%.

When you use harsh chemicals, you put yourself, your pets and the environment at risk. We use industrial-grade equipment to safely clean, disinfect and deodorize your bins using only clean, high-pressure hot water while collecting and responsibly disposing of the waste.

After our hot water cleaning process is completed, the contact surfaces of the garage cans are dried with a clean towel, then electrostatically sprayed with Vital Oxide. Within seconds, Vital Oxide kills 99.999% of any remaining germs that may have survived the standard cleaning process. This includes SARS-CoV-2, the novel Coronavirus that causes COVID-19, H1N1; MRSA; Norovirus; HIV; Legionella; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Hepatitis A, B, and C; Ebola virus; and others.

Despite its effectiveness, Vital Oxide is an EPA (Registration No.: 82972-1) and FDA approved category 4 , no-rinse food-safe disinfectant. Category 4 means there are no exposure warnings required on the label. Nearly everything has some kind of exposure warning required on the label. Vital Oxide doesn't. Vital Oxide treatment is included with every TriStar cleaning at no additional charge. TriStar Bin Cleaning is the first in the industry to offer this important next step in the bin cleaning process. You can read more about electrostatic spray and Vital Oxide here.

TriStar Bin Cleaning offers cleaning options to fit every schedule and every budget. For more information on TriStar Bin Cleaning's services, please visit the Learn More page. To let the professionals handle your dirty trash cans, book a cleaning now!

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