How to Keep Your Trashcan Smelling... Okay

I purchased a trash can with a flush lid on purpose:  to keep my kids out of it.  It's worked out great in that regard, but it's so large, it gets pretty stinky before it's full.  And because the lid is, well, flush, the inside of it gets grimy over time.  So I came up with a fix.  This will really work on any type of trash can but I think it's especially useful for a flush-lid can since it lays flat against the trash itself.

Materials

• Double-sided tape or reusable poster sticky stuff
• Used Scentsy bars (or any kind of wax melt)
• Press-n-Seal plastic wrap

Note that I list both the reusable blue sticky stuff and double-sided tape.  I prefer the sticky stuff because I can rearrange it, and the tape is sometimes hard to get off the can.  Also, I prefer to use the Press-n-Seal plastic wrap because it sticks to the entire surface and lasts longer, but you can use regular plastic wrap if you prefer.

De-Stinkify

Once I've warmed a Scentsy bar a few times, it loses most of its smell.  So I pour the wax back into the container and let it harden, and then pop the used ones out.  If you don't use wax melts, I recommend getting a few paper towels, spraying Febreeze or air freshener on them until they're wet, and throwing those into the bottom of the can.

Those are not crumbs in the bottom of my can.  They are broken-off slivers of the wax.  Just so you know.

De-Grossify

Next, get out your tape or sticky stuff, and stick it on the inside of the lid.

Finally, grab a sheet of the plastic wrap that's the size of your lid, and apply it to the tape/sticky stuff.  The point of this is to keep the lid itself clean.  Every time I empty the can, I replace the plastic wrap.  It's not very green, but it is very clean!

It's not perfectly aligned, but it doesn't need to be.  It's the inside of a garbage can.

Other tips:

Every few weeks I also clean the inside of the can with disinfectant spray to catch any errant grossness.

Some people like to line the bottom of the trash can with newspaper to absorb the odors and any escaping liquids.  We don't get a newspaper so I had to come up with something else. 

Or you can sprinkle baking soda in there.  I don't like that because replacing it is a nightmare.  

I hope someone out there finds this useful.  

-Adri