Are dirty garbage cans a health risk?
4 min read
A garbage can is one of the dirtiest things on your property, and most of it is out of sight. Left uncleaned, the inside becomes a home for bacteria, mold, and the pests that feed on them. Here is what is actually growing in there.
Bacteria
Food waste feeds bacteria that can include E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. They thrive in the warm, damp residue at the bottom of a can and transfer to your hands, your gloves, and anything that touches the lid or rim. A sanitizing wash is what brings that bacterial load back down.
Mold
In warm, humid conditions, mold can start to form inside a neglected can in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Mold spores are an irritant and a problem for anyone in the home with allergies or asthma, and the dark, damp inside of a closed can is close to an ideal place for it to take hold.
Pests
The smell and residue that build up in a dirty can are a dinner bell. Flies lay eggs that become maggots, and the food source draws rodents, raccoons, and other wildlife that tear into bags and scatter trash. Removing the residue removes the attraction.