How Much It Costs to Have Your Trash Can Cleaned

Let’s face it: Trash stinks — and just because your garbage can is empty doesn’t mean the odor or bacteria are gone. Fortunately, for a small monthly fee, a trash can cleaning service can leave your bin or dumpster sanitary and make it smell as sweet as roses (or .... at least less like yesterday’s garbage).

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What Is a Trash Can Cleaning Service?

Whether you keep them in the garage or outside, trash cans are one of the most unhygienic items on your property. If they aren’t cleaned and sanitized regularly, they can harbor bacteria and mold and attract pests such as ants, flies and rodents.

A garbage can cleaning service is a professional pressure washing company that comes to your home to clean and sanitize your cans, bins and dumpsters. These companies typically wash and sanitize garbage cans and other trash receptacles using heated, pressurized water and an odor neutralizer.

How Does the Bin-Cleaning Process Work?

Trash can cleaners typically schedule service for the same day your sanitation company picks up your garbage, so you can leave your cans at the curb for cleaning. After the truck arrives, a technician checks the bins for any remaining debris, which is cleared away and bagged. Once the cans are empty, the technician uses a spray wand or truck-mounted delivery system to clean and sanitize them with pressurized water heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

After the cleaning process, the cans are reinspected to ensure all mold, grime and debris have been removed. At this point, some companies spray on an eco-friendly odor neutralizer that often has a pleasing scent, such as lemon.

How Much Does It Cost to Have Your Trash Can Cleaned?

The price of trash bin cleaning can vary widely by company, and pricing may depend on the number and size of your garbage receptacles, the cleaning method and the frequency of treatments. Some companies offer one-time cleaning options, which can cost anywhere from $50 to $85 (CAD 68 to CAD 109) for two bins, according to Bob Vila. Many trash container cleaning services also offer monthly options, which cost between $22 and $35 (CAD 30 and CAD 47) per month for two cans.

Bimonthly or seasonal options may cost slightly more per cleaning, as these companies often offer discounts based on the frequency you contract for service. For example, some companies offer weekly services for under $20 (CAD 27) per visit. Cleaning of additional cans may run about $5 (CAD 6.75) per unit per cleaning.

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Is a Trash Can Cleaning Service Worth the Money?

If left uncleaned, trash cans can pose a health risk to your family and an environmental risk to your neighborhood. They can attract wildlife and other pests, and they can harbor bacteria. Worse, if you clean them yourself using a hose or home pressure washer, you can potentially contaminate groundwater with the runoff. For these reasons, a dumpster cleaning service may appeal to many homeowners. Coming in as low as $20 per visit, these cleanings may easily fit into your household budget.

However, it’s important to remember that trash can cleaners can’t necessarily return your bin to pristine condition. Wear marks, paint stains and discoloration due to weather can’t be washed away. Additionally, if your bin is cracked, bin cleaning can exacerbate the damage and may cost you more money in the long run.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.