How to Clean Your Wheelie Bin

How to Clean Your Wheelie Bins

Even if you use black bin bags or fully rinse out your recyclables, your outdoor bins can end up getting pretty dirty and smelly.

Indoor bins are relatively simple to wipe down with bleach or disinfectant every time you change the bag, but outdoor wheelie bins are a different subject.

Your wheelie bins are a paradise for germs. While they’re not inside your home, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be looked after.

A dirty wheelie bin can soon become smelly, especially in warmer weather. This can attract flies into your garden, which then come into your house (and can lay maggots).

They’re big, though, which means you probably can’t reach down to the bottom to wipe them. It is still possible to keep them clean, though.

 

What you need:

• Pressure washer
• Hand brush
• Bleach
• Yard brush

When using a pressure washer and cleaning products, always wear gloves, eye protection, work boots, and protect bare skin with clothing. Any PPE you require can be purchased from Speedy online, on our App, and in store.

 

Step 1: Pressure wash

A pressure washer on a medium setting will be able to blast the dirt away a lot better than just a hose. You can hire pressure washers from Speedy and tackle a whole host of other cleaning projects with them too.

SPEEDY TOP TIP: Use a medium setting to prevent too much splashback.

Connect your pressure washer to your hose and outside tap. Firstly, pressure wash the inside of the bin, pushing the dirt on the side of the bin to the bottom. Don’t allow too much water to gather at the base of the bin as it could become too heavy to move, so regularly empty the water out.

Then lay the bin on its side and allow any remaining water to run out before pressure washing again. Try to place the bin near a drain, and blast the water right into the bin, focusing on the base.

Keep repeating until the bin is clean. If there’s any really stubborn dirt in the bin, use a long yard brush to try and remove it.

 

Step 2: Clean the outside

Once you’re happy with the inside of the bin, clean the outside. Again, use your pressure washer to blast away any dirt, focusing on the wheels and the bottom of the bin.

Then make a bleach solution by mixing bleach and water according to the instructions on the bleach. Grab a hand brush and dip it into your bleach solution, before scrubbing the outside of the bin. Don’t forget about the bin lid, too.

You can also use washing-up liquid if you want to avoid bleach.

Ensure you’re wearing your PPE when working with bleach. Rubber gloves, protective clothing, face masks, and eye protection are all needed.

 

Step 3: Rinse

Don’t leave cleaning products in the bin. You can leave the bleach to sit on the bin for a few hours to fight any germs, but always rinse before you start to use the bin again.

 

Step 4: Allow to dry

Any moisture left in the bin could provide an ideal breeding ground for mould. Always leave a bin to dry before using it again.

You can leave the bin upside down against a wall to ensure all water runs out. If you need to dry anything by hand, a newspaper is really absorbent.

Alternatively, a wet and dry vacuum cleaner can suck up all water, leaving behind minimal moisture which should dry within an hour or so. This could be handy if you decide you want to fill your bin with water to clean it first.

 

 

How to stop a smelly wheelie bin

If the smell of your bin is a particular issue, especially in summer, you can prevent this by using some baking soda.

Just sprinkle it at the bottom of your bin, and it will absorb any smells or liquid in your bin. Add a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda once it is in the base if you want the bin to smell nice.

SPEEDY TOP TIP: Citronella oil can also prevent flies

Then, every few weeks once the baking soda has done its job, rinse the bin out with a pressure washer or hose, allow it to dry, and add some fresh baking soda.

If you have cats, you can also use cat litter, which can be a more effective solution.

 

 

 

READY FOR MORE CLEANING TIPS?

Hiring a pressure washer to clean your wheelie bins? Why not make the most of it, and read our How-To Clean a Patio with a Pressure Washer blog too?

You’ll find all the power tools and hire equipment you need right here. Why not start planning your next DIY project and open a Speedy account online or visit us instore for all your tool hire needs.

Speedy has more than 200 local service centres across the nation, hire counters in selected B&Qs and nationwide 4-hour delivery. It has never been easier to hire the tools and equipment you need.

 

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