How to Clean Garbage Cans and Recycling Bins in Ontario — 2026

Cleaning Garbage Cans and Recycling Bins

Garbage cans — both the kitchen bin and the outdoor curbside cart — are among the most germ-dense surfaces in any home, yet they're rarely cleaned. In Ontario's summer months, a dirty bin can produce maggots within days of a meat or food waste deposit. Seasonal cleaning is minimum; monthly is better.

Kitchen Garbage Can

1. Empty completely and remove the liner
2. Rinse the interior with hot water to loosen residue
3. Spray with an all-purpose cleaner or a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach per litre of water)
4. Scrub the interior with a brush, paying attention to the bottom and the lip where the lid sits
5. Wipe the exterior, especially the handle and lid
6. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry completely before relining — a damp bin accelerates bacterial growth

A sprinkle of baking soda on the bottom of the fresh liner absorbs odours between cleanings.

Outdoor Curbside Cart

Ontario municipal curbside carts accumulate far more residue than kitchen bins. On a warm day after emptying:

1. Rinse with a garden hose
2. Add a small amount of dish soap and scrub with a long-handled brush
3. Rinse and leave to sun-dry with the lid open

Do this at the curb on collection day so the rinse water goes into the municipal drain rather than your yard. Most Ontario municipalities permit this.

Preventing Odour Between Cleanings

• Bag all food waste before binning — don't put loose food directly in the bin
• Wrap meat scraps separately before binning in summer
• Freeze fish and meat scraps until collection day if odour is a concern