How to Get Rid of Garbage Can Smell (For Good)

The source of trash can smell isn't the garbage, it's a thin, sticky layer of residue coating the inside of the can itself. Most solutions just mask it. Here's how to clean it out properly and keep it from coming back.

By Joseph Wead, April 17, 2025

Published by Natural House

The smell from a garbage can is one of the most common household odor problems, and one of the most persistently unsolved, because most people are treating the wrong thing.

Scented trash bags, baking soda in the bottom, charcoal inserts, dryer sheets tucked under the lid, these are all masking strategies. They reduce the perceived odor temporarily, but the smell comes back within days because they do nothing about the source.

Here's what's actually causing the smell, and how to clean it out so it doesn't come back.

What's Actually Causing the Smell

When food scraps, liquids, and organic matter contact the interior of a trash can, even through a liner bag, the can surface accumulates residue. That residue gives bacteria something to feed on, and over time it builds into a thin, sticky film of residue on the can's interior.

That film is a mix of dried food, grease and spilled liquid, plus the bacteria breaking it all down. It sticks tight to the walls of the can, and as that residue breaks down it gives off the sour, lingering smell you get every time you lift the lid. A quick rinse doesn't touch it. The same mechanism is responsible for the smell inside drains, the odor from dirty sponges, and the buildup in dishwashers.

The trash itself (even removed and gone) is not the ongoing source. The residue coating the can is. This is why the smell persists even right after you put in a fresh bag.

Secondary contributors include:

Solutions That Don't Work (And Why)

Scented trash bags: Mask the smell for a few hours. The residue on the can stays right where it was. The scent fades; the smell returns.

Baking soda in the bottom: Baking soda is a good passive odor absorber, but it does nothing about the residue stuck to the sides and lid of the can. It's addressing a symptom (odor molecules in the air) rather than the source (the residue producing them).

Charcoal inserts: Same limitation as baking soda, passive absorption, zero biological effect.

Rinsing with water: Removes loose debris but doesn't lift the sticky film on the walls. You need soap and a good scrub to get it off, then a probiotic cleaner to keep breaking down whatever's left.

Step-by-Step: How to Actually Clean a Trash Can

What You'll Need

Step 1: Empty and Rinse

Remove the trash bag and take the can outside or to a utility sink. Rinse the interior with hot water to remove loose debris and liquid residue. If there's significant dried residue, let hot water soak for a few minutes to soften it.

Step 2: Scrub with Dish Soap

Add a good squeeze of dish soap (Natural House Dish Soap works well here, the plant-derived surfactants cut grease effectively) and scrub the interior with a stiff brush. Work the sides, the bottom, and the lid interior thoroughly. For outdoor cans or kitchen cans with significant buildup, this may take 3-5 minutes of actual scrubbing.

Pay attention to:

Rinse completely with clean water.

Step 3: Apply Probiotic Treatment

This is the step that keeps working after you put the brush down.

After rinsing, apply Trashy Trash Deodorizer to the clean, damp interior. Trashy contains a laboratory-cultured probiotic Bacillus blend made to:

Spray the interior, bottom, and lid. Do not rinse off, the probiotic ingredients need to remain on the surface to keep breaking down odor-causing residue. Allow the can to air dry with the lid open.

Step 4: Let It Dry Completely

Air dry the can in a well-ventilated area or in sunlight (sunlight helps it dry fast and freshen up). The interior must be completely dry before you replace the liner and lid. Replacing a wet bag or closing the lid over a wet interior accelerates microbial regrowth.

Ongoing Prevention: The Maintenance Routine

Once the can is clean and probiotic-treated, the maintenance routine is simple.

Use a bin liner every time. Even a large, strong liner bag occasionally leaks, especially from meat packaging and produce. Using a liner is the single most effective barrier between organic matter and the can interior.

Treat with Trashy after every bag change. A few sprays of Trashy into the clean, empty can before installing a new bag takes ten seconds and keeps the probiotics working on any new residue. It's the habit that keeps the smell from building back up.

Double-bag leaky items. Meat packaging, fish, and coffee grounds are high-risk for leaks. Wrapping them in a second bag before placing in the trash bin cuts out one of the biggest sources of smelly residue.

Clean the lid separately. The lid interior is often overlooked. It accumulates condensation and odor-producing residue independent of the can body. Wipe the lid interior with a damp cloth and a spray of Trashy monthly.

Outdoor bins: monthly rinse. Outdoor garbage and recycling bins build up residue faster and thicker than indoor kitchen bins due to temperature fluctuations and direct organic matter contact. A monthly hose-down followed by a Trashy treatment keeps them manageable.

Kitchen Bins vs. Outdoor Bins: Different Problems, Same Cause

Kitchen bins typically have lighter residue buildup because they're lined and because the waste is removed frequently. The main sources are condensation on the lid interior, the upper rim, and any bag leak contact. Treatment frequency: monthly clean, Trashy after each bag change.

Outdoor wheelie bins and recycling bins have direct contact with organic matter, higher heat (in summer), and often go weeks between cleaning. The residue here is usually thicker and older. Quarterly deep clean minimum, monthly Trashy treatment.

Bathroom bins tend to accumulate tissue and personal care product residue. Because these are typically unlined, the interior builds up residue faster than kitchen bins. Weekly Trashy spray is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop fruit flies in my trash can? Fruit flies love the damp, sticky residue inside a can. A thorough scrub takes away the spot they like to breed, so check under the liner too. After that, a few sprays of Trashy after each bag change keeps breaking down new residue before it builds up.

Can I use bleach to clean my trash can? Yes, if you follow the directions on the label. Scrub the residue out with soap first, rinse well, keep the air moving, and never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner (that one's straight from the CDC). If you'd rather go bleach-free, scrub with dish soap and finish with Trashy, which keeps breaking down new residue between cleans.

Does Trashy work on recycling bins? Yes. Recycling bins build up plenty of residue from rinsed-out food containers, drink bottles, and packaging residue. Regular Trashy treatment controls odor in recycling containers without any chemical residue that could contaminate recyclable materials.

How often should I deep clean my garbage can? Indoors: every 1-3 months depending on use and whether bag leaks have occurred. Outdoors: every 3 months. With consistent Trashy use between cleans, you'll find you need the deep clean less frequently.

Why does my bin smell even with a fresh bag in it? The smell is coming from the residue on the can interior, not from the contents of the bag. Remove the bag, check the inside of the can for sticky buildup, and run through the full cleaning process above.

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Getting rid of garbage can smell for good means cleaning out the source, the sticky residue on the can's interior, instead of masking the smell. Natural House Trashy is formulated specifically for this purpose, using probiotic bacteria to break down the residue that produces the odor, going after a source conventional deodorizers just cover up.