Here’s Why You Should Drill Holes in Your Trash Can
One of the most important household chores is taking out the trash. While it’s a relatively easy task, replacing garbage bags with a packed-out trash bin can be challenging and time-consuming. However, a home expert suggested a simple hack that will solve the problem for good. Drilling a few holes in a typical plastic trash bin prevents the filled-up bag from forming a seal and helps in removing it swiftly. The holes can be about 1.4 inches and spread out on the edges of the bin, per Reader’s Digest.
“When a trash bag fits tightly around the rim of the trashcan, it forms a seal. This leaves a new bag bubbled up and hard to fill, and makes a full bag hard to remove. A few 1/4 in. holes drilled into my plastic trashcans solves both problems,” the expert told the media channel. Experts from The Family Handman revealed that the drilled holes allow passage of air beneath the trash bag seal, thus, creating space to avoid vacuum packing of the bag. “You’ll be able to easily slide the full bag out of the bin and remove it from your home. Problem solved!” the report stated.
In order to achieve this, the experts explained that using a power drill is the best way to lodge tiny holes into the trash can. However, other equipment and expertise will also have to be considered since not all trash cans are made of plastic. It is advised that professionals be consulted for drilling a metal trash can with specialized equipment while prioritizing safety. Another aspect of the trash can problem could be the foul odor. Researchers have found that odor-causing bacteria thrive in the kitchen sink and drain, in a report published in the journal WebMD. Garbage disposal scraps are also a potential source of these unhealthy odors.
Therefore, to tackle the issue, the experts provided a quick fix that if performed weekly can completely eliminate odors from garbage disposals. Closed trash cans or bins with lids also could potentially prevent the odor from spreading into other areas of the house. The study detailed that a mix of six ice cubes, one tablespoon of baking soda, three thin slices of lemon, and one tablespoon of bleach be added to the disposal to prevent the odor. The bleach effectively kills bacteria while the lemon slices remove the foul smell. The ice is used to dilute the food particles. If this hack seems like a task, an expert shared the knowledge of an even easier trick that requires minimal attention.
Garbage stinks can be dealt with by simply popping a cotton ball soaked in essential oils at the bottom of a trash can right under the liner, per a report by Apartment Therapy. Essential oils mask the smell and soaking a cotton ball with it can help maintain the fragrance for quite a while. Lemongrass oil is said to be a natural bad-odor balancer while tea tree oil and citrus oils are useful in fighting bacteria and microbes. Piling garbage can invite infestations from rodents in addition to insects and bacteria. Mint oils are best in the game in deterring rodents and can also be used for outdoor trash cans whereas neem oil prevents insects from attacking the trash can. The cotton balls can be replaced weekly or after every few loads.