Trash that isn't secured properly tend to invite flies, ants, rats and other pests you don't want to have in the apartment. And there is a way to dispose of trash without spending too much.
What do you use for Trash Bags?
Some people just do it the old way - use an ordinary plastic trash can, as is. When it's filled to the brim, they just pour the trash contents to a cheap trash bag, maybe a plastic grocery bag, and then tie up the trash bag. Trash, however, even if you call it "dry trash" usually isn't dry at all.
Think of used tetra pack cartons for juices or milk, or even soda from plastic bottles. Liquids from these containers can drip down into the the plastic trash receptacle and leave stains and odor. This, naturally, invites flies, ants and other insects that you'd most likely wash the trash receptacle occasionally.
Others use trash can liners whose tops can be secured to the rim of trash cans or waste baskets. These trash can liners are typically black plastic trash bags that are resistant to puncturing and tearing. They're quite convenient to use. They come in standard sizes to fit standard-sized trash cans. The downside is you need to have a steady supply and buy them from supermarkets.
Still, others are on the extreme end. They do away with the trash can liners AND the trash can. These folks simply use plastic grocery bags and hang them by the door knob. These door knob bags don't cost a cent because plastic grocery bags come free whenever you buy groceries. Some of them are now even biodegradable. It's a cheap way of getting rid of trash - if not, the cheapest.
There are, however, some drawbacks.
- They're unsightly. Anything that hangs by the door knob, posing as a door knob bag but with a grocery name stamped on it, looks trashy. This is more so if the plastic grocery bag's bulging with trash.
- Hard to use. An empty plastic grocery bag hanging at the door knob typically doesn't have its mouth open. You'd need to pull open open the bag's mouth with your other hand to put the trash in. This is unhygienic especially with semi-dry trash. When it comes to trash, the lesser you touch the trash receptacle's opening, the better.
- Spillage. Plastic grocery bags are not puncture resistant and tear easily. A used barbecue stick at the bottom of the plastic bag can quickly create a hole when there's heavy enough trash above it. If the door knob trash bag bursts open, there's nothing that will catch all the trash, wet or dry, other than the floor.
- Location. A trash receptacle that needs a door knob means it needs to be by the door or anywhere it can be hanged. That limits where I'd like to position the trash basket to where it's more convenient for me. I'd also rather have a trash basket that I can move around if I need to.
See part 2 of this article on how to effectively convert grocery bags into trash bags.
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