The Paper Towel Trick That Can Keep Your Trash Can Smelling Fresh

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A trash can do a good job of keeping its aroma to itself when its lid is down, but once you lift that lid to add more trash, you may be surprised by an amalgamation of unpleasant odors. While foul smells are one of the gross downsides of pull-out kitchen trash cans in particular, any household garbage receptacle will quickly acquire off-putting odors with the right combo of trashed items. And even if you've recently cleaned your trash cans, they may smell putrid in a short time if one of the trash bags within them leaks. If you don't have time to deep-clean those cans every week, one hassle-free way to keep odors at bay is with a paper towel dotted with a fragrant essential oil. These oils are highly concentrated, pure extracts from plants such as lavender, eucalyptus, or cedar, with pungent yet pleasant aromas being among their many benefits.

Essential oils with fragrances such as peppermint or lemon add a delightful scent to the trash can. Since the scent is outside the trash bags, it will keep the can smelling fresh, provided the bags are sealed well and leak-free. Oils like Handcraft Blends Peppermint Essential Oil are fairly inexpensive but last a surprising amount of time, since you only need a little with each use. Much as peppermint oil helps repel squirrels, it may keep pests away from outdoor trash cans, too. There's no need to stick with just one fragrance, either. Mix rosemary, grapefruit, and peppermint oils for a fresh and clean scent, or blend lemongrass and lavender for a soothing fragrance — the possibilities are almost limitless.

In best-case scenarios, some essential oils might be able to neutralize odors, but they don't always get rid of them. For that reason, your DIY trash can freshener works best if the can is already clean. Wash it inside and out, and let it dry thoroughly. When it's ready, fold a paper towel in half or even into quarters, since the oil may soak through. Set the paper towel atop a plastic sheet, a plate, or something else impermeable, because essential oils can damage some fabrics and finished furniture. Add 15 drops or so to the paper towel; the exact amount varies based on the size of the can and on how much fragrance you prefer. A small garbage can in the kitchen might need fewer drops of oil. There are also different mediums to carry your essential oils to try when you run out of paper towels. You could also use furniture pads and essential oils to keep the room smelling fresh, and if you have loads of cotton balls you aren't using, the oil technique works on them too.

Set the oil-infused paper towel in the bottom of an empty trash can. If you're doing this for a kitchen can, line it with a fresh trash bag. For an outdoor can, add the paper towel at any point before you add full trash bags to the bin. If you already have full trash bags in your outdoor cans, this oil trick could help mask the odor of rancid garbage, too. In either case, replace the oil-dotted paper towel whenever the scent dies. For a clean-smelling kitchen can, you may be able to just add new oils to the old paper towel.