How to Get Rid of Garbage Smell in an Apartment

Living in an apartment can have its challenges.  From issues with space to a five-story walkup, apartment living isn’t always glitz and glam. 

But, perhaps, nothing can be truly worse than a smelly apartment.  With the limited space available, having an apartment that smells like an indoor garbage can, can definitely put you in a negative mood.

And if you happen to have an issue with a smelly apartment, and one that smells of garbage, then we’re here to help!

Below, we’re going to review the absolute best ways on how to get rid of a garbage smell in an apartment and leave your apartment smelling fresh, clean, and odor free.

Why Does Your Apartment Smell Like Garbage?

While it’s difficult to ascertain the exact reason why your apartment smells like garbage, the most obvious and common answer is none other than the garbage or trash can itself.  More often than not, the kitchen garbage can tends to accumulate the waste and refuse of the entire home, leaving behind a particularly rancid smell and odor.

That’s why, especially if the odor is particularly daunting, it is important to properly clean and deodorize the entire trash can.  Cleaning and deodorizing the entirety of the trash can, can help to more quickly reduce the overall pungent smell within your apartment and help you get back to a more neutral one.

You can follow the below steps to better and more effectively clean both the inside and outside of your indoor trash cans.

For these steps, you will need the following items:

• Rubber gloves
• A garden hose
• All-purpose cleaner
• Baking soda
• A sponge or microfiber towel
• Paper towels
• Face mask (optional)

Empty the Trash Can

Before you can effectively clean out your trash can, you will need to ensure it is completely empty.  With your rubber gloves on, take your trash bag out of the trash can and make sure that any fallen food particles or debris have been removed from the inside of the can.

Rinse the Trash Can Out

Taking your trash can outside, thoroughly rinse both the inside and outside of the trash can with water.  Be sure to get deep inside the trash can and that the entire can has been rinsed with water.  If you don’t have an outdoor garden hose, you can fill a bucket with warm water and dump it into the trash can.

Spray the Trash Can with an All-Purpose Cleaner

Once you have rinsed the trash can with water, use an all-purpose cleaner and spray down both the inside and outside of the trash can.  Be sure to spray all the crevices, nooks, and crannies of the trash can with your all-purpose cleaner of choice.  If you want to go an extra step, sprinkle about half a cup of baking soda inside the trash can and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Scrub Down the Trash Can

Using a sponge or microfiber towel, scrub down the entirety of the trash can.  Working from inside to out, you should be sure to scrub away all remaining dirt, debris, and nicks from the trash can.

Rinse Again and Dry

With your trash can fully scrubbed down, rinse both the inside and outside of your trash can once more.  After a second rinse, dry both the inside and outside of the trash can with a paper towel and let sit until fully dry.  Once fully dried, you can bring the trash can back into the house.

Cleaning & Deodorizing Your Apartment to Get Rid of Garbage Smell

Once you’ve cleaned and deodorized the exterior and interior of your trash cans, you can focus on the rest of the apartment and keeping the areas immediately closest to the trash cans from odor buildup.  There are a number of easy and effective methods to do so, which we’ll review below.

Baking Soda

As mentioned above, baking soda is one of the best staples in any home or apartment and can help to more effectively neutralize and deodorize any lingering smells.  In addition to sprinkling a half cup of baking soda at the base of your trash can, you can also sprinkle a generous amount over leftover food, diapers, and spoiled fruits and vegetables.

Mopping with a Vinegar Solution

Along with baking soda, vinegar is one of the most effective tools in your kitchen pantry.  With its acidic properties, it can have a strong effect on almost any material and can leave behind a cleaner smell.

However, being that vinegar has such an acidic property, less is more.  That means that proper dilution is important, with half a cup of vinegar mixed with one gallon of warm water being enough to get the job done.

Disinfectant Fogger Machine

Investing in a disinfectant fogger machine is an investment in your apartment and your family’s health.  Disinfectant fogger machines more effectively disinfect airborne pathogens and the interior spaces within your home or apartment.

Similarly, in that a disinfectant fogger machine will rid your home or apartment of harmful pathogens, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of odor causing bacteria and their transmission.

Personally, we utilize the Nordmond Professional Disinfectant Fogger Machine and Sanitizer Spray.  Affordably priced, the Nordmond Fogger can easily clean and disinfect an entire room in under five minutes, with no spraying, mopping, or wiping needed.

Powerful enough for commercial utilization, the Nordmond Fogger has a USB rechargeable battery and a daily use time of over 120-minutes, more than enough to clean and disinfect your entire apartment.

Activated Charcoal

The benefits and use cases of active charcoal are only more recently becoming apparent, with everything from deodorant to toothpaste to shampoos jumping on its benefits.  However, activated charcoal is also excellent at absorbing odors and smells, making it a great addition to baking soda.

However, you only need a teaspoon of activated charcoal to effectively reduce pungent odors.  Sprinkle a little around or within your trashcan and welcome the breath of fresh air.

Air Fresheners and Febreze

Once you’ve cleaned and deodorized your apartment, consider investing in some air fresheners or Febreze to help mask any lingering odors.  While not a permanent solution or fix, these options can help to mask any short-term smells.  And with a wide variety of available scents, these solutions can make your apartment smelling fresh and clean.