Persistent garbage odors can linger in the bin even after you’ve taken the bag to the curb. If you’re battling bad scents coming from your trash can, try this simple hack that gets rid of them in just a few hours.
DIY Trash Can Deodorizer
Looking for an easy way to keep trash can odors at bay? You can make your own odor-absorbing sachets using a few simple items you likely have in your kitchen. The key ingredient in this hack is baking soda, which naturally eliminates odors by reacting with odor-causing acids and trapping smelly molecules on the spot. Just pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking soda into a disposable coffee filter (the basket-shaped ones work best), then seal it shut with a rubber band or clip to secure the contents.
We like to make a few of these at a time and drop one or two into the bottom of the can, right under the trash liner or bag. If you notice your baking soda sachet isn’t as effective after a few weeks or months, just toss it and drop in a fresh one to keep your trash can — and your entire kitchen — smelling fresh.
More Ways To Reduce Trash Smells
Baking soda isn’t the only household ingredient that can quickly zap odors. Coffee grounds are another inexpensive way to reduce bad smells quickly. You can easily make the same deodorizing pouches using coffee grounds instead of baking soda and place them anywhere odors linger. We even like to drop these in our sneakers during the humid summer months to prevent stinky soles.
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What else works? Try making an odor neutralizer with crushed, activated charcoal, or whip up a deodorizing spray using equal parts distilled white vinegar and water to spritz the inside of your trash can before adding a new bag.
A final tip: Keeping food waste separate from everyday trash will significantly reduce trash can odors. Compost bins and biodegradable bags are a great way to turn food scraps into fertilizer, but if you don’t have room, just toss your waste in a plastic bag and keep it in the freezer until you can move it to an outside garbage bin.
