Around the House: Tame Trash, Master Mess, and Prevent Pests

By Yehudit Garmaise

By taking on just a few simple practices, we can prevent our homes’ trash from becoming out of control.

Before heading outside with full trash bags, prevent spills and leakages that attract cats, rodents, and insects, by washing and rinsing out food containers before tossing uneaten leftovers into the trash.

Prevent liquids from sitting out on the street unnecessarily by pouring down them down the kitchen sink.

Garbage disposals, if available, can grind up leftovers to help cut back on trash outputs.

As of last Thursday, New York City residents are now required to separate out their scraps of food and yard trimmings, which must now go into heavy black bags to be composted instead of getting sent to landfills to molder and create toxic waste.

While tying up bags and using only cans with lids can help to keep trash contained and pests away, residents can do their part to keep the neighborhood and their property clean, tidy, and smelling good: by regularly spraying out their garbage cans, recycling bins, and compost containers with water hoses or buckets of warm water and detergent. "

"Spraying an ammonia solution, which has a pungent smell that can be harmful to children and adults, onto trash outside or onto the inside of your outside garbage cans is a serious way to deter critters and pests from tampering with your trash," says wasteawaysystems.com.

Other openings, such as cracks and holes in garbage bins, can also provide entryways for animals and insects. Use an epoxy or fiberglass reinforcement tape that is found at local hardware stores to repair any openings or purchase new cans.

Put trash out as close as possible to pick-up times.

Keep trash as far away from your home as possible: to minimize the chances that vermin will, G-d-forbid, infest homes’ interiors.