Nothing is worse than going outside in summer, taking a deep breath, and smelling that putrid plastic odour coming from a dirty wheelie bin. Wheelie bins will likely be crawling with bacteria at the moment as the hot weather will cause all the food scraps inside them to begin rotting at a much faster rate.
However, what most people do not realise is that organic waste can eventually turn into liquid, leak out of the rubbish bag and create a foul sticky build-up at the bottom of bins that is really difficult to clean. Hosing down a wheelie bin can help to some extent, but doing this on its own will not be enough to break down tough residue, and it will still have a lingering smell that can attract flies, which can quickly lead to a maggot problem. Luckily, Lynsey Crombie, known as the Queen of Clean online, has a simple yet effective way to freshen up wheelie bins as all you really need are some soda crystals.
Lynsey said: “If your wheelie bin is smelling less than fresh, here’s a simple trick that really works.
“After washing your bin, sprinkle a generous handful of soda crystals into the bottom before adding a new liner or bag. They help neutralise lingering odours and keep your bin smelling fresher for longer.”
Soda crystals are a highly alkaline item, which means they can dissolve grease, fat oils and other sticky food build-up without much effort.
They will help loosen the residue inside bins to make it easier to rinse clean, so you do not have to try reaching the bottom of a wheelie bin to scrub at it.
Using soda crystals is a natural way to get rid of sticky stains and deep clean a wheelie bin to keep it smelling as fresh as possible for the rest of the summer.
Soda crystals are usually found in the cleaning aisle of supermarkets, but might be called washing soda or sodium carbonate, and usually cost £2 to £3, but this may vary depending on your location.
How to deep clean a wheelie bin
It is best to clean a wheelie bin after collection day so it is completely empty and you do not have leave any leaky rubbish bins in your garden as you clean.
To begin, use the hose to try and loosen as much dirt as possible and then add a generous amount of soda crystals to your bin,
Pour warm water to cover the bottom of the bin, then leave it for at least 30 minutes, or even a few hours, to give the soda crystals time to break down the grime.
Once the time is up, use a long-handled brush or broom to loosen any residue in the bin, and you should find all those stains come off without much effort.
Hose down the bin again to make sure all the stains are gone, and doing this just once this summer should be enough to prevent smells and stop flies buzzing around your wheelie bin.