How to keep your wheelie bin clean

Your wheelie bins are designed to keep waste safely until they are emptied. It is up to you to keep your bin clean and smell free.

How can I keep my wheelie bin clean?

double bag food waste such as meat and bones and squeeze the air out of the bags before tying and putting them into the bin. The lack of air slows general decomposition which will reduce smells and slow down development of any eggs in the waste
use swing or pedal bin liners rather than carrier bags which have air holes to prevent suffocation
rinse out any plastic bottles and tins to be put in the grey recycling bin and non recycling for the green bin. Do this at the end of the washing up to remove any food residue
store your bins away from open windows and doors if possible
disposable nappies must be double wrapped firmly in bags
clear up regularly after your pet and place waste in the bin in a securely tied plastic bag
place scrunched up balls of newspaper at the bottom of your bin with sheets of newspaper over to keep it dry. The paper soaks up any liquids that may escape from the bags

If you cannot close your bin due to excess rubbish, take it to a rubbish tip.

place any food waste, including pet food, immediately into your bin to avoid attracting flies and wasps which can lay eggs
try to keep the bin in shady areas out of direct sunshine as the sun will warm up the bin, increasing the smell and attracting flies
keep your bin lids closed at all times to prevent animals and flies getting in
if flies are a problem smear your bin lid with citronella or tea tree oil as these are natural insect repellents

maggots will only appear in the bin if the eggs have been laid in a suitable food source for them to develop. If maggots do appear, the eggs are likely to have been laid before the food was put in the wheelie bin, especially if it wasn’t wrapped before being put in the bin
when your bin is emptied most of the maggots will be removed
cleaning your bin after it has been emptied with boiling water can kill maggots and fly eggs. Remove any water before putting rubbish in your bin
use a mild detergent with a fragrance will help to keep flies away from your bin
number your wheelie bins to ensure you get your clean bin back after your collections

This advice will also significantly reduce the possibility of getting maggots.

Look in the telephone directory under Cleaning and Maintenance or search Wheelie Bin Cleaning online to find services available locally.