There aren’t many things that gross me out more than “garbage juice,” the slurry of brown liquid that collects in the bottom of garbage cans. It’s particularly bad during the summer months, when hot, humid weather drives up moisture levels in the trash, bringing the usual squadron of flies and gnats.
My Brooklyn neighborhood has curbside composting (and before that I kept a compost bin out back), so my garbage isn’t filled with food scraps. Yet I still have to contend with garbage juice. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: salt.
How does the salt trick work?
Once a week, I pour a cup of regular table salt into the bottom of my trash cans, where it absorbs moisture and helps neutralize bad odors—the same way it can when added to the garbage disposal, though our experts in the Good Housekeeping Home Care & Cleaning Lab prefer a mix of baking soda, vinegar, ice, and salt for that task.
I haven’t had to deal with maggots in the trash, not since we started composting all those years ago. But if you’re not so fortunate, the salt trick also works on those nasty creepy-crawlies by dehydrating them until they’re dead.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
Source: Home Ideas - goodhousekeeping.com
