How to clean the bin properly — no matter how gross it is 

We’ve all let the contents of the bin cascade in an avalanche of expertly piled yoghurt pots, orange peels and chocolate wrappers onto the floor, at least once, in an unspoken game of household bin Jenga. Your housemate’s slimy salmon from last week is slopped out into a juicy heap, its rotting, congealed flesh not even tempting to the hungriest kitty. Which means you have to clean it up and throw it out – again. Bin there, done that. 

Piling up rubbish in the already-full bin can be fun for a while, but when the binbags go out and the salmon stench remains, you know you’re in trouble. And that’s why learning how to clean your bin is important. Whoever you live with, you love them, and doing the messy, smelly jobs shows just how much you care. So here’s your 101 on how to clean a kitchen bin. 

How to clean a bin – what you’ll need 

No matter how funky your bin smells, you can do it – even if you do need to hold your nose. It’ll all be worth it when you and those you live with can return to the kitchen without gagging.  

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Rubber gloves  
• Scrubbing brush 
• Kitchen towel 
• Your choice of cleaning solution 

How to clean a bin – cleaning solution options 

There are a number of cleaning solution choices that can help get the stench off your bin. They’ll take your bin from funky to fresh… ready for the next time something gunky causes a stink. When it comes to learning how to clean a kitchen bin (or any other type of bin, for that matter), the following methods are well worth a try: 

1. Hot water and soap. Yep. Good old soap and water can freshen things up when you want to know how to clean a rubbish bin the easy way. 
2. Multi-purpose cleaner. Whatever you use to clean your kitchen can work wonders on your bin, and disinfect it in the process, too. Just make sure you follow the instructions. 
3. White vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. This classic homemade cleaner is great for getting the job done. 

How to clean your bin – a step-by-step guide 

Right then, the good stuff. Time to make your bin look, and more importantly smell, like new. Here’s how to clean your kitchen bin/bathroom bin/any-stinky-bin surfaces: 

• Take the bin outside if you can, or lay down some old newspaper, rags or towels. 
• Choose your cleaning solution and follow our top tips: 

If you’re going with hot soapy water… 

1. Only fill the inside of the bin a quarter full.  
2. Take your scrubbing brush and get in there! The outside, the lid, the exterior – make sure you cover all areas.  
3. Rinse off and dry with kitchen towel. 

If you’re going down the multi-purpose cleaning product route, which you’ll probably need to do at some point…  

1. Spray liberally and scrub, scrub away.  
2. Re-spray, scrub, re-spray, scrub. And on it goes.  
3. Rinse and wipe down with kitchen towel. 

With the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda option…  

1. Combine equal amounts of each ingredient into half a cup, or more if the bin’s really big.  
2. Coat particularly stubborn areas with the paste, leave for five minutes and then scrub away. 
3. Repeat the process until you’re free of the gunk. 
4. Rinse with clean water and wipe with kitchen towel to dry. 

Tip: You want something absorbent and super strong when wet when you’re wiping out your bin. Step forward Plenty Flexisheets! Not only will it help you get your bin clean, it won’t break down either, so you won’t end up with manky bin juice on your hands *big sigh of relief*. You can even leave some sheets at the base of the bin to absorb any rogue juices that seep out of the bag.   

Bin cleaning tips – ongoing tricks 

Now that you’ve learned how to clean the kitchen bin, let’s get to grips with on-going maintenance and things you can do to battle the stink. Give these bin cleaning tips a try to help quench that stench so that you, and anyone you live with, won’t get that head-snap-back moment the next time you go to empty it: 

• Sprinkle some cat litter in the bottom of the bin before putting the bag in. There’s a reason these granules are used for smelly cat poop. They are supposed to absorb that odour, and can do the same for the wafts in your rubbish bin. 
• Put some slices of lemon at the base of your bin. That’ll help stifle the stink (as long as you remember to refresh them). 
• Pour in a handful of coffee beans. They’re known to be great at neutralising pongy smells. 
• Clean your bin regularly. Make it a part of your regular household chores and the pong shouldn’t ever get that bad again… well, from the bin itself. The bag? No promises there. 

And that’s it, how to clean a rubbish bin. The next time it needs doing you’ll be able to get the job done before the stench really sets in.