Why Your Trash Can Needs Holes In The Bottom

Taking out your trash is a necessary but often gross and even irritating chore. Food and other trash from throughout the past few days or weeks build up and get all over the lining, which can very quickly get grimy and sticky, not to mention the unpleasant odor.

No matter how difficult or annoying it can get, though, it's important to do so regularly for cleanliness, food safety, and health measures. As Trash Cans Depot warns, leaving food to sit in your trash can without disposing of it in your outdoor bins can lead to salmonella developing and spreading around your kitchen, as well as attracting all sorts of gnarly bugs and pests. One simple and both cost- and time-efficient hack can make the chore much easier, though. In fact, it may not even require a trip to the store. Keep reading to learn how to make the simple task of taking out the trash easier and neater.

One of the most annoying things that can happen when taking out your trash is the bag getting stuck inside the can. It doesn't have to do with how much food or trash you've shoved in, but more so that it's all compacted in the center, making it difficult, if not seemingly impossible, to yank it out.

Spare yourself the tug of war by simply drilling holes into the bottom of the can, advises YouTube channel The King of Random. The main reason trash bags get stuck like that is that the plastic of the can and the trash bag glue together. Drilling some holes introduces air in between them, like a vent, and allows the bag to simply slide out of the can. However, this may not be the best idea for those who are struggling with pest infestations in their home. As Waste Away points out, holes in your trash can allow common bugs and pests to get into the bag, where they can eat and multiply. Plus, this method only works on plastic trash cans.

If you don't want to drill holes into your garbage can for fear of pests and bugs or because you have a non-plastic trash can, there's another option for making the chore of taking out your trash much easier. This hack also comes from The King of Random, and it requires a pack of adhesive hooks or Command Strips and can work on any container.

On either side of your trash can where the bag cinches would go, add an upside-down adhesive hook towards the center, both height and width-wise. Put on your trash bag as usual, and then loop the cinches over the upside-down hooks. This way, your trash bag won't fall in on itself, and the cinches remain clean for easy removal. This also helps evenly distribute all the waste in your trash can, so it doesn't all compact in the center and makes it hard to remove.