Your wheelie bins are designed to keep waste safely until they are emptied. There are some simple steps you can take to keep your bin clean and smell free.
- 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.
- Rinse out any plastic bottles and tins to be put in the green recycling bin and non-recycling for the black bin. Do this at the end of the washing up to remove any food residue.
- Bag disposable nappies.
- 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.
How can I prevent flies in my wheelie bin?
- 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.
How can I get rid of maggots in my wheelie bin?
- 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.
- Use a mild detergent with a fragrance will help to keep flies away from your bin.
