How to clean a trash can at home
Most people clean a trash can only after it starts to smell. That is a late signal. By then the film at the bottom has been feeding bacteria and flies for weeks.
Cleaning a 96-gallon roll cart at home is easy and costs almost nothing. It takes about 20 minutes and a few supplies. Done right, it works. Done carelessly, it pushes dirty water into a storm drain and leaves the lid and hinge untouched.
Here is the full method, plus the step most people skip. If you would rather not do it every month, curbside trash can cleaning comes to your street on trash day. We also cover when that is the better deal and when it is not.
What you need before you start
You likely own everything on this list. Gather it first so the can is not sitting open while you hunt for a brush.
- Rubber gloves and closed shoes.
- A garden hose with a spray nozzle.
- A long-handled scrub brush with stiff bristles, kept just for this job.
- Dish soap or a general-purpose household cleaner.
- A bucket for hot soapy water.
- Optional: a household disinfectant, used exactly as the label says.
- A heavy bag for any trash left in the can.
A recycling cart gets the same treatment. The sticky ring of old soda and juice at the bottom is what draws ants and flies, so give it the same scrub. A 96-gallon cart is deep, so a brush with a long handle saves your back.
Check the can for cracks or a loose lid before you start. A split in the plastic holds water and residue that no brush will reach, and it is a good reason to ask your hauler about a replacement.
Pick a spot first. A patch of lawn or a gravel strip works well. Stay away from the curb inlet, ditch or driveway drain. In Horry County, storm drains lead to the Waccamaw River and the Intracoastal Waterway, and soapy, dirty water does not belong there.
How to clean a trash can at home, step by step
The best time is right after pickup, when the can is empty. Early morning or evening keeps you out of the worst heat.
- Check that the can is empty. If a bag is stuck, tie it off and set it aside for the next pickup.
- Roll the can to your cleaning spot and tip out any loose debris. Pine needles and live oak leaves collect in the bottom.
- Rinse the inside with the hose. Spray the walls, corners and floor to loosen the film.
- Fill the bucket with hot tap water and a squirt of soap. Scrub the inside from the top down, working in the corners and along the bottom ridge.
- Scrub the lid on both sides. Pay attention to the hinge, the rim and the underside, where residue hides.
- Wash the outside, the handle and the wheels. Sand from sandy driveways collects around the axle.
- Rinse everything until the water runs clear.
- Tip the can upside down in the sun so it drains and dries. Sunlight and airflow do the final work.
A few small habits make the job go faster. Work in the shade so the soap does not dry on the plastic. Do the lid while the inside soaks. Keep a second bucket of clean water for the final rinse of the brush, so you do not spread grime from one side of the can to the other.
If a smell persists, stand the can in the shade for a few hours with the lid open. Then check it again. A lingering smell usually means residue you missed in a corner or under the lid seal.
Hot water, bleach and the step most people skip
Disinfecting safely
Soap and a brush remove the film. Disinfecting handles what is left. A diluted household bleach solution is common, and you should follow the dilution on the label. Do the disinfecting step after you wash, then rinse well.
Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or another cleaner. The combination can release dangerous fumes. Use one product at a time, rinse between them and keep the area ventilated.
How hot is hot enough
Heat is what kills fly eggs. Water above 140 degrees does it, and most home taps do not get there. A kettle can help on a stubborn spot. Let it cool a few minutes, pour slowly and keep the water away from your feet. Boiling water can burn you and can warp a plastic cart.
The step most people skip: the lid and hinge
Almost everyone washes the inside and forgets the lid. The underside, the hinge pins and the gap along the rim hold old residue and eggs. Open the lid fully and scrub there with a small brush or an old toothbrush. It adds two minutes and makes the biggest difference to how long the can stays fresh.
Where the dirty water should go
It is easy to wash a can on the driveway and let the water run to the street. Please do not. That runoff carries food residue, soap and bacteria straight into a storm drain.
- Wash the can on grass or gravel, away from any drain.
- Tip the bucket onto the lawn, not the pavement.
- Sweep leaf debris into a bag before you rinse so it does not wash into the street.
- If your HOA has rules about washing or driveway use, check them first.
Our truck captures wastewater in a holding tank and disposes of it at an approved site. At home, a lawn or gravel area is the closest you can get. Ask your city, town or county if you want the official guidance for your address.
DIY cleaning versus professional curbside cleaning
Both get a can clean. They differ in effort, heat and cleanup.
| Compare | Hose and bleach at home | Professional curbside cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| Time | About 20 to 30 minutes per can, plus drying | About three minutes per can, and you do not need to be home |
| Cost | Soap, gloves and your water bill | From $25 a month for the first can (sample) |
| Water temperature | Your tap water, usually warm to hot | 200-degree water |
| Wastewater handling | Lawn or gravel, kept away from drains | Captured in a truck holding tank and disposed of properly |
| Result | Clean if you reach the lid, hinge and corners | Inside, outside, lid, hinge and wheels sanitized and deodorized, with a photo by text |
How often to repeat it
For most Horry County homes, a thorough clean once a month keeps odors from building. In summer, every two weeks is better, because heat and humidity speed everything up. Between cleans, a quick hose rinse after each pickup helps.
If you keep forgetting, tie the clean to something you already do. Pick the day after pickup, put it on your phone calendar, and treat it like mowing. Some households split it up: scrub in the first week of the month and rinse after every pickup.
We go into schedules by season and household size in our guide on how often to clean your trash can.
After a hurricane or a tropical storm, add an extra clean. Cans that were tipped, filled with rain or left full for days need a full scrub before you use them again. Check the lid seam for debris that blew in.
When it makes sense to hire it out
Scrubbing a can yourself is a fair weekend job. It stops being worth it when you have both a trash cart and a recycling cart, when your HOA limits driveway washing, or when summer heat means doing it twice a month.
Rentals and HOA neighborhoods are another case. A host turning over a property on Saturday does not have time to scrub two carts, and a street where every home washes at once can strain the rules about driveway runoff. A single route-day clean avoids both problems.
Our crew handles the whole job on your trash day and sends a photo when it is done. If you want to try it, you can book a clean here. Call (843) 222-0207 with questions, Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Rather not do it yourself?
We clean on your trash day and text a photo when the can is done.
