How to Clean a Wheelie Bin

First, you’ll have to gather your wheelie bin cleaning products. The items you need depend on how dirty and pongy the wheelie bin is. If it’s cleaned regularly then just a bucket of warm water, a cloth, and some washing-up liquid should do the job. For filthier ones, you’ll need a few extra items.

Antibacterial or bleach sprays are necessary to destroy germs, but there are eco-conscious options to stay green when you clean. A homemade recipe of water, white vinegar, and lemon juice works just as well. Then throw down a bit of baking soda as the finishing touch to dry it off and keep bad odours at bay.

Put on some old clothes, slip into your marigold gloves, and psyche yourself up to transform your dirty bin into a shining beacon of the street or business park. You can clean a wheelie bin in any order but tackling the inside first feels like the more sensible option.

Move your wheelie bin into a clear space outside and ensure it’s empty of any waste bags, debris, and other bits of rubbish. Prepare and gather your wheelie bin cleaning products, turn on some motivational music (whether it’s Binyoncé or Kanye Waste) and get to work cleaning the inside of your wheelie bin:

• Base – scrape out any thick bits of grime, dirt, or rubbish stuck to the sides or bottom of the bin with a trowel or shovel. Lie the wheelie bin on its side and use a hose or pressure washer to blast away the dirt, pouring it out into a drain. Put the bin upright and add the antibacterial spray, bleach, or eco-friendly alternative and swill it around in the bottom. Leave to destroy the germs then pour it out and rinse with clean water.
• Sides – as you spray water into the base make sure you get the sides as well to remove any bits of dirt. Cover the four sides with the antibacterial spray too and leave for as long as necessary to kill any germs. Scrub the sides clean with a mop or hard brush before the cleaning solution in the base is poured out. After the bin is emptied of all liquids leave it to dry, either on its side or upside down (you can also use a towel to speed up the process).
• Lid – after washing the sides and base inside the bin, move onto the lid. Simply wipe the underside clean with a cloth and warm water, then apply the antibacterial spray and leave for a few minutes. Rinse it off with a sponge or cloth and some fresh water and leave it to dry.

Cleaning rubbish bins effectively is still possible if you don’t have a hose or pressure washer at home or work. It can be a bit more labour-intensive, and gloves are necessary, but you’ll still achieve sparkling results. This is how to clean a wheelie bin without a hose:

• Use a dustpan and brush to knock off any dirt and debris from in and outside of the wheelie bin.
• Pour a bucket of warm water into the base of the bin, shake the bin a bit to swill it around, then drain to remove any bin juice.
• Fill three-quarters of a bucket with warm water, a few squirts of washing-up liquid, and half a cup of white vinegar. Stir it in the bucket then pour most of it into the bin.
• Get a mop and plunge it into the bin, using the mixture to wash the sides and base. Dip a cloth into the remaining mixture in the bucket and wipe down the outside and lid.
• Drain the bin then chuck in a bucket of clean cold water to rinse and tip the bin on its side to drain. Rinse the outside of the bin too and leave it to dry in the sunshine (or use a towel if grey clouds are hovering nearby).

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Choose from 120 litre to 1100 litre wheelie bins and use a variety to store everything from general waste to glass recycling, paper, cardboard, and food waste. There’s no need to clean them as our licensed waste carriers remove and replace your wheelie bins so they’re always looking fresh.