Weird question- how to clean big outdoor trash cans

[Anonymous]

You do understand that it is no longer "disinfected" once you put more garbage into it, right? It's a GARBAGE CAN.

The solution for you germophobes is to wash your hands.

Jesus.

This.

Someone just compared a garbage can to a bathtub, saying both need to be disinfected. WTF? If I ever plan to put my NAKED BODY into the garbage can, I will disinfect it first. Until then, ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I rinse my can with water regularly and we don't have flies and maggots living in my bins. You don't need bleach to disinfect and outdoor can that will have a rat jumping into it to eat any food thay may have been thrown away - the day after you bleach that rat will jump right back in and the germs are back. The best way to disinfect - is to disinfect yourself - wash your hands. You are a bunch of germapobes. I do not know of one person in the area who got ill because they had a dirty bin - and I bet you don't know of anyone either. You have to be exposed to some bacteria for your body to know how to fight it. I am a military brat grew up in a 3rd world country and was exposed to a whole host of things. I only get ill now every 5 - 10 years or so. I think it is because my body knows how to fight.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for just soap and water, if it's really stinky give it a good scrub with vinegar. Using bleach is overkill. If your worried about bringing in germs clean the handles more often and wash your hands. You don't really go touching all the insides of the trash can every week do you??

To keep out rodents, make sure all bags are closed properly. Don't let food sit in the trash for days on end. If you have food to get rid of, leave it in the fridge/freezer until the night before trash day and then throw it out. This is what my relatives in Florida do, it's too hot there to leave food in the trash can for too long.

You probably and more likely come in more contact with germs by touching the 1st floor button on an elevator. I don't see those getting hosed off with bleach very often.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP above - I typed fast and notice that I left words out of some of my sentences. Sorry grammar police; don't arrest me.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but doesn't the water that empties out of your washing machine ultimately go to the same place as the water than runs down your driveway and into the sewer system? If so, why is bleaching your garbage cans any worse for the environment than bleaching your clothes?

[Anonymous]

I also use vinegar, not bleach. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, kills about 99% of germs, and IMHO is sufficient.

[Anonymous]

Chlorine bleach, as used in household cleaning, is mainly composed of sodium hypochlorite. An enormous volume of bleach is flushed from our homes into the drainage system everyday. This does not sound like such a great thing but the truth is that most chlorine bleaches do break down harmlessly into salts and water. The environmental authorities regard the effects of chlorine bleach upon water systems as negligible.

Oxygen bleaches are chemically different and they are safer for the environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps this is a dumb question, but doesn't the water that empties out of your washing machine ultimately go to the same place as the water than runs down your driveway and into the sewer system? If so, why is bleaching your garbage cans any worse for the environment than bleaching your clothes?

No, the water that goes into storm drains does not go into the sewer system.

[Anonymous]

Lol. Disinfect the Supercan is pretty funny and crazy OP, but yes, I've done it several times and didn't realize how crazy that might seem to others!

Also, so bleach is bad for the environment in the quantities that a typical homeowner uses? Because, I use about a gallon a month...hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps this is a dumb question, but doesn't the water that empties out of your washing machine ultimately go to the same place as the water than runs down your driveway and into the sewer system? If so, why is bleaching your garbage cans any worse for the environment than bleaching your clothes?

No, the water that goes into storm drains does not go into the sewer system.

What? Storm drains and sewers are the same--It goes to the river which flows back to the water purification system which filters it and we drink and otherwise use it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you need to disinfect an outdoor garbage can?
Just rinse it out and be done with it. What am I missing here?

You wrote this before I got a chance to. I agree, I can understand wanting to get rid of the odor, but disinfecting an outdoor garbage can is just silly.

Umm this is just nasty. You want to disinfect your trash can so that you dont get nasty germs and diseases. Every time you touch the can you are bring those germs into your house, your car, your door knobs, your garden hose, your patio railings. Ewww I cant believe you even asked this question.

Ummm - don't you wash your hands? Especially after touching your garbage can?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you need to disinfect an outdoor garbage can?
Just rinse it out and be done with it. What am I missing here?

You wrote this before I got a chance to. I agree, I can understand wanting to get rid of the odor, but disinfecting an outdoor garbage can is just silly.

Umm this is just nasty. You want to disinfect your trash can so that you dont get nasty germs and diseases. Every time you touch the can you are bring those germs into your house, your car, your door knobs, your garden hose, your patio railings. Ewww I cant believe you even asked this question.

Ummm - don't you wash your hands? Especially after touching your garbage can?

Ummm of course I wash my hands but what about all of the other stuff door knobs and handles and railings etc touched along the way... those are still dirty from the bacteria that you tracked on it from touching your undisinfected trash can. silly, dirty people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you need to disinfect an outdoor garbage can?
Just rinse it out and be done with it. What am I missing here?

Stink, bags ripping, old food debris, rodents. I've seen crows flip the lid. There are rodent diseases like the hantavirus so you do want to make the can clean:
http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/clean_up.html

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:9OA3jn9_uTQJ:www.co.amador.ca.us/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx%3Fdocumentid%3D7584+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgrpSYschCK9OeE0Jdv3810TqK4XZdlgM-QFIlduazgijRXb7tmfQSmPdvepl6EOrTCyvNOsGfDBFSeNijdGuCMvhxHmh2ME2cuLa-3n8oaouv0k98PvuKnbLKpsa4zQeCEkuid&sig=AHIEtbRs3z8iWydgMJkepWglFrpCXGPT6g

The above is one of the best rodent clean up docs I've read. Note the no sweeping dry debris as well as the recommended use of disinfectants mixed with water to ettle possible air borne particles. Anyone else care to debate the use of bleach?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Use Simple Green if you have to use a detergent. It is safe for the environment.

Use vinegar to take out the smell.

Simple green is good stuff. I have a pressure washer; I'd use that on it.

[Anonymous]

Ummm of course I wash my hands but what about all of the other stuff door knobs and handles and railings etc touched along the way... those are still dirty from the bacteria that you tracked on it from touching your undisinfected trash can. silly, dirty people.

You realize that as soon as you disinfect your trashcan, a bird shits on it, right?

And who touches the inside of the trash an when you're throwing trash away?

PBFC.