Author Topic: New kitchen garbage can?  (Read 6804 times)

jeromedawg

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New kitchen garbage can?
« on: July 21, 2017, 10:19:51 AM »
Hey guys,

So we have one of those automatic opening garbage cans but there are a couple problems with it:
1) the auto-opening lid mechanism/motor has worn and it doesn't really work well - it opens enough to where you can manually pull it up and toss your trash but it's annoying. It's not the batteries - it's just old.

2) it smells horrid and awful - it has been this way for a while but even baking soda barely helps. I think the construction of the trashcan (it's not fully sealed at the bottom or top so awful smells leak), and the fact that it's 7yrs old are contributing factors.


So I ended up picking up a cheapo Rubbermaid from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MZSHX6Y) but after several days of using it we had the same exact problem with the awful smell leak - not sure why our trash smells so bad LOL. I'm returning that can to Amazon because the foot pedal/lid mechanism really sucks too. Now I'm wondering if I should just *splurge* and get a SimpleHuman but it feels so ridiculous spending that much for a trashcan.

In any case, what do you guys recommend? We don't have space for a under counter/pull-out trashcan or else we would probably do that. Just want something that doesn't leak smells and has a foot pedal/lid mechanism that reliably works.

« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 10:22:55 AM by jeromedawg »

SimpleCycle

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2017, 10:39:01 AM »
Kitchen garbage should go out once a day or anytime it has something that might smell in it.  I'm assuming that will solve the smell problem.

I don't think the step pedal ones work well enough, so I got this type:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Pivot-Lid-13-3-Gallon-Trash-Can-Silver/14170574

Blueskies123

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2017, 10:53:37 AM »
Have you considered any of the following:
1) cleaning the can,
2) Use plastic bags and throw them out daily,
3) not putting stinking foods in the can but use a garbage disposal for stinkers.

galliver

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2017, 10:56:22 AM »
If your trash is leaking into your can, the problem might be the bags, not the container... If you've switched recently, double bag until you use up this package and don't get them again.

For smell, I soak my trash can in bleach (actually, Comet with bleach bc I don't keep bleach around typically). If you want to get a fancy one (eg electronic), I'd look for one with a removable plastic bucket inside so I can do this.

Homegoods will sometimes/often have good deals on nice cans (but sometimes there's nothing good :( ). Good deals meaning $50-100 models are about half price, possibly with some tiny dents.

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Cranky

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2017, 11:24:31 AM »
What is smelly in your garbage?

I compost most vegetable related things, so the stuff that smells in my garbage is only meat-related, and I know to take it out before it gets smelly. You can also put some baking soda in the bottom of the can.

I had a Simple Human can for years, and the foot pedal mechanism broke repeatedly. They cheerfully replaced the broken piece about 5 times, but it did annoy me. When we remodeled the kitchen, I decided to just use a smallish wastebasket under the sink. We really don't make an awful lot of trash.

Rosy

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2017, 11:53:05 AM »
I like the swing lid trash cans, but it does not fit under the sink, so it is an open trash can.
Certain things like fish, I bag up in a grocery bag and it never remains in the house, but is immediately transferred to our outside can.
To combat the occasional smelly situation, I use an air freshener under the sink - but mostly, it is not an issue. We do take out the trash daily.

We have never had an issue with the actual trash bag leaking - we use the ones from Aldi (drawstring), therefore our trashcan has no odor to it. 

Blonde Lawyer

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2017, 12:15:37 PM »
We've noticed that the packaging that raw chicken comes in needs to be thrown out of the house same day.

Miss Piggy

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2017, 12:52:06 PM »
We'll often wrap up the potentially stinky stuff in a plastic grocery bag and put it in the freezer until trash day. No smells.

KCM5

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2017, 12:54:13 PM »
Get a small trash can (grocery bag size) and you'll empty it more often. I love this because we just use grocery bags. As long as you're not in a progressive place that does't allow grocery bags anymore. I try to get away from packaging like this, but I don't know what else to do about trash. It's really just best if it goes in a bag.

If you put something smelly in the trash (fish bones, leftovers that you failed to eat, etc) take it out immediately.

jeromedawg

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2017, 02:42:52 PM »
Kitchen garbage should go out once a day or anytime it has something that might smell in it.  I'm assuming that will solve the smell problem.

I don't think the step pedal ones work well enough, so I got this type:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Pivot-Lid-13-3-Gallon-Trash-Can-Silver/14170574

The pivot lids are cool but someone in a review mentioned that as the can gets full, the pivot lid has issues staying shut. I guess that might just be a indicator to take out the trash though? LOL

This one looks pretty good: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Touch-Lid-13-3-Gallon-Trash-Can-Black/14170566

jeromedawg

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2017, 04:24:24 PM »
Get a small trash can (grocery bag size) and you'll empty it more often. I love this because we just use grocery bags. As long as you're not in a progressive place that does't allow grocery bags anymore. I try to get away from packaging like this, but I don't know what else to do about trash. It's really just best if it goes in a bag.

If you put something smelly in the trash (fish bones, leftovers that you failed to eat, etc) take it out immediately.

I'm in SoCal, where they recently started charging for plastic bags :( Though, you can go into Home Depot or Lowes and grab a ton of em too hahaha.

We go through a good amount of kitchen garbage so having a smaller trash can would be pretty annoying. Our kitchen trash we usually empty by the end of each week before the garbage truck comes.

jeromedawg

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2017, 04:41:05 PM »
Kitchen garbage should go out once a day or anytime it has something that might smell in it.  I'm assuming that will solve the smell problem.

I don't think the step pedal ones work well enough, so I got this type:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Pivot-Lid-13-3-Gallon-Trash-Can-Silver/14170574

I didn't realize the lid 'caves inward' - I thought it was like one of those swivel lids so was discounting it at first. Swinging inward makes more sense though, and as far as the guy complaining that it can't close when there's too much trash, I can understand if he was using a standard garbage can with a lid that closes over - you can stuff a lot more into it vs something like this. We'll 'evaluate' it for a week or so to see how it is - if we don't like it we'll just return it and maybe try the push-button lid. Unless it's a SimpleHuman though, the foot pedals on most of these lower-end brands don't seem to work out that well in general.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2017, 05:07:17 PM »
I freeze smelly garbage.

We live in bear area, so garbage is to be kept inside until morning of collection, and even that's only every two weeks.

Most stuff that smells is food, so that goes in the compost (in the freezer). When I had some meat packaging I figured would stink, though, that went into it's own small pail in the freezer. Morning of collection, I add the frozen garbage to the rest. Recyclables with potential smelly (food) stuff stuck is washed before it goes into the bin.

Spork

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2017, 05:38:13 PM »
We go through a good amount of kitchen garbage so having a smaller trash can would be pretty annoying. Our kitchen trash we usually empty by the end of each week before the garbage truck comes.

Maybe I am misinterpreting this but... what I am hearing you say is that you have food stuff in the kitchen garbage can for as long as a week and it gets stinky. 

I'm not trying to be overly snarky here... but... if I am understanding the premise, ... your problem isn't the garbage can.  It's that stuff is rotting inside it.  You either need to take it out more often, freeze it, tie it up in smaller bagged packages inside, separate out rotting things and divert to a compost, or.... something ... anything... to keep the stuff from sitting there rotting exposed to open air.

Maybe divert more "other trash" to that trash can, so that it is full and you don't feel wasteful taking a half a bag of trash out.  Make that trash can your main dumping grounds for anything you dispose of.  (I just realized we do this accidentally... which means ours kitchen trash goes out almost once a day.

jeromedawg

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #14 on: July 21, 2017, 07:41:31 PM »
We go through a good amount of kitchen garbage so having a smaller trash can would be pretty annoying. Our kitchen trash we usually empty by the end of each week before the garbage truck comes.

Maybe I am misinterpreting this but... what I am hearing you say is that you have food stuff in the kitchen garbage can for as long as a week and it gets stinky. 

I'm not trying to be overly snarky here... but... if I am understanding the premise, ... your problem isn't the garbage can.  It's that stuff is rotting inside it.  You either need to take it out more often, freeze it, tie it up in smaller bagged packages inside, separate out rotting things and divert to a compost, or.... something ... anything... to keep the stuff from sitting there rotting exposed to open air.

Maybe divert more "other trash" to that trash can, so that it is full and you don't feel wasteful taking a half a bag of trash out.  Make that trash can your main dumping grounds for anything you dispose of.  (I just realized we do this accidentally... which means ours kitchen trash goes out almost once a day.


I think the trash can has just absorbed many odors over the years... even if we don't have anything smelly in it, if it stays and we put something in it, it'll start smelling really soon after. I've sprayed it out and exposed it to sunlight for days but nothing has ever resolved it. As far as stinky foods, etc, we tend to bag it up into a small produce bag and tie it off before dumping it in now that I think about it. My wife generally tends to avoid throwing straight food items in there unless they've been bagged up somehow, yet it still manages to get really bad and smelly.

JetBlast

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #15 on: July 21, 2017, 09:26:52 PM »
A couple months ago my wife was visiting my MIL and commented that she liked her kitchen trash can. A couple weeks later a fancy Simple Human trash can is delivered to us compliments of MIL. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice garbage can, but man is it antimustachian. First, due to the rectangular shape, most garbage bags won't fit even though they say they have sufficient volume. Not to worry, Simple Human has overpriced bags to match. Second, due to the stainless steel exterior you need special wipes to clean it. Nothing else in our kitchen is stainless steel.

We bought special cleaning wipes for our garbage can.  It hurts just writing that.

nottoolatetostart

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #16 on: July 22, 2017, 05:12:00 AM »
A couple months ago my wife was visiting my MIL and commented that she liked her kitchen trash can. A couple weeks later a fancy Simple Human trash can is delivered to us compliments of MIL. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice garbage can, but man is it antimustachian. First, due to the rectangular shape, most garbage bags won't fit even though they say they have sufficient volume. Not to worry, Simple Human has overpriced bags to match. Second, due to the stainless steel exterior you need special wipes to clean it. Nothing else in our kitchen is stainless steel.

We bought special cleaning wipes for our garbage can.  It hurts just writing that.

We have simple human trash can (we have a crazy dog that tries to knock over trash so needed something extra heavy....got mine on clearance since it was dented). I just use nornal Costco or Glad bags (whatever I get at Costco). Not perfect but it works. Also, I found that it is a better SS than my appliances and cleans up with anything I use - water, Mrs Meyers.....is that not yoir experience?

Cranky

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #17 on: July 22, 2017, 10:45:31 AM »
I just used a little window cleaner and a microfiber cloth on my SH trash can.

Dicey

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #18 on: July 22, 2017, 11:18:58 AM »
We have a rental that just has no cupboard space for a trash can. We bought a Simple Human (or equivalent) at Costco and it's been a good solution.

At home, we compost. DH works for the Water District, so nothing goes down the garbage disposal. Our container is nothing fancy, or even covered. It sits below a ledge on the counter. We dump it into our compost bin frequently, so our other cans rarely develop any smell, even though they can take a week to fill.

Plastic bags thrown out daily? Are you kidding me???

jeromedawg

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #19 on: July 24, 2017, 04:53:25 PM »
Plastic bags thrown out daily? Are you kidding me???


Seriously, here in CA plastic bags are to be treasured and hoarded LOL! I always thought it was funny that Lowes and Target had (and probably still have) those plastic bag return bins. Every time I would pass by on my way out, I'd be tempted to grab several handfuls to bring back home. Now, I'd imagine those bins to be pretty empty.

Yea, our trashcan really stinks and there's *nothing* in it - the plastic has just absorbed so many odors over the past 7 years that nothing can get the stench out. Like I said, I've left the can out for *days* in direct sunlight, etc and have sprayed with bleach, Lysol, etc you name it. I think it's just ruined. And we either use Hefty or Glad garbage bags for lining this can. I think for a while we were using the HDX HomeDepot brand - I think there have been leaks but not that many. I even disassembled the stupid thing and did a really thorough cleaning job but that still didn't help alleviate the smell any more.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2017, 04:55:05 PM by jeromedawg »

meghan88

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #20 on: July 24, 2017, 05:26:19 PM »
I freeze smelly garbage.

We live in bear area, so garbage is to be kept inside until morning of collection, and even that's only every two weeks.

Most stuff that smells is food, so that goes in the compost (in the freezer). When I had some meat packaging I figured would stink, though, that went into it's own small pail in the freezer. Morning of collection, I add the frozen garbage to the rest. Recyclables with potential smelly (food) stuff stuck is washed before it goes into the bin.

^^^This, and we take it one step further.  We live in a condo with no green waste pick-up, so I save mid-sized paper bags from the bakery and keep one in the freezer to collect meat and veg scraps.  Once a week or so, I put the full paper bag into a plastic bag, then into my knapsack, and dump it into the green waste bin at work. 

I keep butcher paper from meat in the freezer in another bag if it's really gross, or quickly rinse it if it's not too bad, then fold it an put it in the garbage.  We recycle as much as we can, so for two people, we only have one tiny grocery-sized bag of garbage every 2-3 months.  I had to train DH on this system at first but now we're both on auto-pilot.

lizzzi

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #21 on: July 24, 2017, 06:10:15 PM »
Also wash cans and bottles with detergent (not just rinsing with water) before throwing in trash can. Echoing what others have said for putting bad smelling trash right outside into exterior or garage garbage bins--don't keep it in the kitchen trash can. Freeze bad smelling garbage until pickup day...especially in hot weather. My trash can is four years old from Home Depot. Metal with foot pedal. Has never malfunctioned and does not smell. Cost $36 in 2013.

(Sorry if repeating posters upthread--have read some but not all.)

dodojojo

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #22 on: July 24, 2017, 06:16:54 PM »
Get a small trash can (grocery bag size) and you'll empty it more often. I love this because we just use grocery bags. As long as you're not in a progressive place that does't allow grocery bags anymore. I try to get away from packaging like this, but I don't know what else to do about trash. It's really just best if it goes in a bag.

If you put something smelly in the trash (fish bones, leftovers that you failed to eat, etc) take it out immediately.

Going smaller worked for me too.  I had a small trash can (actually it was a 13 quart pet food container) already as my apartment kitchen is small and I needed something that fit in a cabinet with a sliding tray.  I live alone though so even with a small trash can, it wouldn't fill up for 4 or 5 or 6 days.  Which was okay in the cool season but in the summer, it was rank and little tiny black things would fly out.  But I felt bad throwing half empty plastic bags out.  And no amount of washing and bleaching would keep the stink away.

Last week I found a little step trash can at the thrift store for $2.  It sells at Target for $17 but is on sale this week for $13.  Aside from looking for a smaller trash can, I wanted a step one as so I could get away from manually opening up the trash can lid whilst cooking. Snapped it up and it's about the same size as the little Ikea trash can in the bathroom.  I can use the small trash bags that I buy in a roll from Target.  Now I'm taking the trash out every 1-3 days and so far, no more stinky trash can.  I now use the old trash can as the recycling bin and without trash and lid, it's no longer stinky too.

Even with a tiny trash can, I haven't been always to fill up the bags after 2-3 days.  At that point, instead of scooping the cats' litter into a separate bag, I top off the kitchen bag with the waste and it goes out.

My mom uses grocery bag size trash cans throughout her home and takes them out every night.  I cringe at the waste of so many half empty plastic bags--but it works in terms of odor control. 

kite

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #23 on: July 25, 2017, 02:26:50 PM »
We use a Green Johanna Hot Composter which takes even meat scraps and bones.  No stinky trash beyond the occasional diaper.  The compost bowl in the kitchen never stinks because the morning's coffee grounds are on hand to sprinkle atop whatever was just put in the bowl.  Then nightly, the whole coffee filter and remaining grounds go on top.  Further starving any bugs of access, the day's shredded junk mail goes on top of that.  Compost bowl makes it to the bin frequently, but even if it doesn't go daily, there is no odor or bugs.  No odor to the trash itself, as there is nothing decomposing.  It is mostly plastic bags, plastic wrap, the plastic windows from window envelopes, spent rubber bands, dental floss and the like. 
This method evolved because I'm lazy.  Too lazy to take out the trash, so I figured out a way to generate as little as possible without inconveniencing myself.  Unless we have a diaper clad infant around, I could manage a month without taking out the trash.

lukebuz

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #24 on: July 25, 2017, 08:30:42 PM »
I have this same can.  It doesn't smell.  Even with a child in diapers (we shopping bad the poopies).

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: New kitchen garbage can?
« Reply #25 on: July 25, 2017, 08:53:16 PM »
I think the more basic the bin, the easier it is to keep clean.

My current kitchen bin is a $10 nine-litre mop bucket.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/oates-9l-blue-rectangular-squeeze-mop-bucket_p4464915

I'm using up my old stash of plastic grocery bags (from before I switched to cloth).

We recycle, so each morning I drop any glass, cardboard, etc, in the main recycling bin outside.

I empty the bin once or twice a week. We don't have a lot of garbage that smells (and will have less once we start composting on our balcony).

I wipe the bin out once a week, and put it through the dishwasher once a month or so. (I don't put dishes or anything in with it, just do a load with the bin in the bottom tray and my veggie storage tubs, etc, in the top).

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!