It’s always nice to get your yard cleaned up during the spring, summer, and fall. Seems like there are always clippings to be made, grass to be cut, and weeds to be pulled. (Ahhh…the joys of home ownership, right?) Most of us — rather logically — put all this extra plant matter in our garbage cans. The only problem with that is the smell. After just a day or two, you take out a bag of trash only to have that distinguished odor of rotting plants waft back at you. Yuck. Well, guess what — you can fix that! Here’s how.
1. Don’t Pack ’em Wet
If the clippings you’ve cut are wet or have been rained on, rake them into a warm and sunny location to dry before dumping them into your can. Dry leaves, grass, and plants won’t smell nearly as bad as throwing them away when wet. As you probably know, grass will cut easier when it’s dry anyway!
2. Add Some Non-Greens
Try adding things like crispy, dried leaves, wood shavings, or saw dust to keep air flowing and lessen the odor. Add it in layers as you dump the green stuff, or mix it in after.
3. Fluff it Up
You read that right. The longer green matter sits still, the faster it will decay. Once the matter is in the can, try fluffing it daily with a rake or pitchfork to keep it aerated, which will also help keep moisture at bay. Lift it, flip it, get some air in there. Your nose will thank you!
4. Muffle It
If none of the above options are quite grabbing you (or it’s just too late), you can also try keeping the smell down with straw or dry leaves. Just layer this dry, better-smelling stuff on top.
5. Cleaning Your Can
It doesn’t seem like a glamorous job — because it isn’t — but cleaning your garbage can and getting rid of that stinky aroma really isn’t that hard. You’ll just need your garden hose, some bleach, and your powdered laundry detergent.
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