How to Clean a Trashcan

My children spent a week with my parents this month. Prior to their arrival, I asked mom what "project" she would like the kids to undertake and what I would need to bring with for the kids so that they can accomplish said project. Each year the kids tackle a project chosen by mom. Should the kids complete the project... without complaint or arguing, then my Dad, their Poppa, rewards them with extra spending money.

This year's project was considerably easier than last year's...so no one heard any complaints out of the mouths of my babes. The task: to clean all the trashcans in the house.

That sounds fairly easy when you first hear it. The kids thought all they had to do was *empty* the trashcans. Sorry kids, emptying does not equate cleaning.

My mom must have read an Ask Heloise column because what she entailed to me in regards to the project should be mentioned in the cleaning hall of fame. (She mentioned that she wants me to share this with my sister).

Tips on how to clean trashcans- be spunky when met with gunky

The majority of people nowadays line their trashcans with trash bags. Trash bags protect right? Not always. My mom stated she would only buy Hefty trash bags, no matter what else is on sale or what she has a coupon for. Other bags rip. Food spillage can occur; odors can build up.

So she had the kids whistle while they worked.... On rinsing out the trash bins.

Grab a garden hose to tackle those big outside binds. My parents have cats.... Moreover, being owned by a cat or multiple cats means cleaning out litter boxes on a daily basis. That can take its toll on the aroma of an outside trash bin... in the Texas summer heat. Add some dish soap and a plastic broom. No way are the kids leaning inside that trashcan in order to clean the crevices and corners at the bottom. A plastic broom is easily washable.

Then the kids sprayed each other with the hose.

Tips on how to clean trashcans- wash, rinse, and repeat

Who would have thought hair care and trash can care would be so similar. All big trashcans are cleaned the same way as the outside bins. With a hose, dish soap, and a plastic broom. Let air dry in the sun and repeat the process if necessary.

Tips on how to clean trashcans- the sweet smell of it

The majority of mom's other trashcans are nowhere near the dirty condition of her big kitchen and outside ones. Therefore, a different cleaning approach was needed. Rather than hose them down or wash them in the shower, those can be rinsed out with a paper towel soaked in white vinegar (a cleaner's very best friend!) Mom even had the kids do a final swipe along the sides with a towel soaked in lemon oil for added fragrance.

Tips on how to clean trashcans- think pampers without the price

The final step in the cleaning of the trashcans project was for the kids to place old newspaper folded to fit along the bottom of the trashcans. This is to absorb the smells and overspill leading to gunkiness. Every few weeks or so my mom will switch out the now "soiled" newspaper lining for new lining.

The kids did not complain nor did they argue- and they did a great job.

Poppa's wallet might have been hoping for a replay though.