How to Avoid Using a Diaper Pail

Many parents place a lot of importance on what kind of diaper pail they select. Forums are filled with pregnant women asking which diaper pail they should get. Often parents are not satisfied with diaper pails - they stink, they are expensive and they are complicated. What they do not often realize though is that a diaper pail is a rather expensive solution to a simple problem that can be taken care of inexpensively. Diaper pails tend to just be fancy trash cans - no more, no less. So how do you get away without spending money on a diaper pail and without stinking up your house or emptying your wallet? Here's how.

First start off with a trash can that has a lid. A simple five gallon trash can will do. If you don't have one, one can be purchased at many stores for around five dollars or more. It does not need to be made out of anything special - plastic or metal both work just fine. Also make sure you have a can of disinfectant (anywhere from one to three dollars at most stores) and vanilla scented kitchen size trash bags (around one dollar at most stores for 30).

Start off by spraying the inside of the can down with disinfectant and allowing it to dry. This will help prevent odors from sticking to the trash can. The lid will prevent them from rising out of the can and spreading. Now put one of the vanilla scented trash bags in to the trash can. The vanilla scent also helps to naturally keep odors at bay, more so than any other scent I have tried.

Now you're ready! Start using the trash can as a diaper pail. Make sure to remove the vanilla scented bag of diapers at least every three days (although once a day is best). After removing the bag, spray the can down with disinfectant again and allow it to dry. Then place another bag in the trash can.

My son eats solids - which makes his diapers stink to high heaven - and this method has yet to fail on keeping my house smelling fresh and clean. I switched over to the trash can after I got tired of buying expensive refills for a Playtex Diaper Genie that hardly ever worked the way it was supposed to. Now I can't help but wonder why anyone would want to use a diaper pail after discovering this method. Cleaning and disposal does not take any more time or effort with a trash can than it does with a diaper pail, and I have found this method actually works better at keeping odors at bay than the aforementioned diaper pail did.

Stop wasting money on diaper pails and refills. Try this method out... you are sure to love it.