Clean and Sanitize Trash Cans
Why It Matters
Dirty trash cans breed bacteria, attract pests, and create persistent odors that leak into your garage and kitchen.
Quick Guide
- 1
Gather your tools and materials
You'll need: Garden hose. Materials required: Disinfectant cleaner.
- 2
Perform the clean and sanitize trash cans
Wash interior and exterior trash cans with disinfectant, rinse, and dry in the sun.
- 3
Verify and clean up
Check that the work was completed correctly and clean up your workspace.
Tools & Materials
Tools
- Garden hose
Materials
- Disinfectant cleaner
Community Tips
Flip trash cans upside down and spray interior surfaces with a garden hose at moderate pressure before applying disinfectant, as this removes compacted debris that blocks sanitizer contact and reduces cleaning effectiveness by up to 40%. Lysol Disinfectant Spray ($4-6) works best when applied to damp surfaces and allowed to sit for 10 minutes before rinsing.
A pressure washer set to 1,500 PSI or lower accelerates drying time and ensures thorough disinfection of ridged can bottoms where bacteria colonies form. Ryobi's 1,800 PSI Electric Pressure Washer ($100-130) offers precision control that prevents warping plastic cans while delivering professional sanitization results.
Never mix bleach-based disinfectants with ammonia cleaners when sanitizing trash cans in enclosed spaces or poorly ventilated garages, as the chemical reaction produces toxic chloramine gas that poses immediate respiratory hazards. Clorox Clean-Up All Purpose Cleaner ($3-5) eliminates this risk by combining bleach safely in a single formula designed for trash can sanitation. ---