Household Staple

Baking soda is a must have here at the OHC HQ. I use it so much and so frequently that I have started buying the gigantic size of it at the warehouse store. This huge bag sits in my laundry room on a shelf. I cut off the top, stick in a scoop, and it’s always ready for whatever I might need it to do that day. Since I use it so much I figured it was time for it to be mentioned in a TT.

This is one of my favorite uses for baking soda. In your kitchen garbage can, before putting in the trash bag, sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of the garbage can, then add the trash bag.

The baking soda helps absorb odors and keep things a little more under control. Of course we all have times when the garbage bag decides to spring a leak causing a lovely icky mess to deal with in the bottom of the can. The baking soda in the bottom of the can will absorb the spill making cleanup easier. Just dump out the baking soda, wash out the can and then add in some more. Since the baking soda absorbed the spill, there’s no sticky yucky mess to have to deal with.

When you are about to replace the baking soda and add in a fresh batch, before dumping it, use it to clean out the garbage can. Add in a touch of vinegar (or bleach if you would rather use that) and some hot water. Wipe the inside of the can with a cloth and rinse. Then dry thoroughly. Once dry sprinkle in some more baking soda and start the process over again.

However, if the baking soda smells because it has absorbed a lot of odor or it absorbed a leak, then you are not going to want to use that to clean the garbage can. Instead, dump it and wash the can with either some fresh baking soda or a little bit of dish soap.

If there are no spills, it should last about a month before needing replaced. If you have a lot of trash and are changing the trash bag frequently, you might need to change the baking soda more frequently as well to keep up with a more active trash can.

You can use this tip in any household trash can, I used the kitchen one as an example since food and items that tend to be smelly get tossed in there. But try it out in a bathroom trash can as well!