TikTok's Clever Hack Will Have Your Trash Can Smelling Fresh With An Unexpected Bathroom Staple

If it's hot where you live, the elevated temperatures could heat up your garbage, which could make your trash can smell worse. Luckily, we found a clever TikTok hack that will freshen that right up. You may already have this staple stored under the sink in your bathroom or in your linen closet, which would save you money. This hack will also allow you to repurpose a common household product in an unexpected way. Trash can stink, meet toilet gel deodorizer.

Regardless of the season or temperature, trash cans can always emit unpleasant odors since they're filled with garbage. This is disagreeable to live with and attracts flies. Good sanitation is always important, so use best practices with your garbage can to decrease the smell. You might want to empty the trash or clean your garbage can more frequently. However, even when following best practices, your trash may still stink. If so, try placing a toilet gel deodorizer inside the can, which will help mask foul odors. 

If you're not already using toilet gel deodorizers/cleaners in the bathroom, you'll need to purchase one. You could buy Lysol's Click Gel Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner, which comes in scents like Lavender Fields and Mango & Hibiscus. Another brand, Scrubbing Bubbles, has a similar product that comes in scents like Rainshower and Floral Fusion. They usually have six gel deodorizers per box, and you can expect each one to last about two months in the trash can (which is much longer than they'd last in your toilet bowl). To keep things sanitary, the individual gels come packed inside a plastic applicator. You'll click to release and press the gel inside the trash can. 

First, take out the trash and wash the can, if necessary. Then, let your garbage can sit in the sun to kill off bacteria that causes odors. Once it's dry, press a gel onto the lid or any interior side of the garbage can a few inches from the top and add a trash bag. After two months, scrape the gel off with a butter knife and replace it with a new one. To maximize this hack's benefits, you could add a second squirt of gel, which would increase the scent power of the deodorizers.