Maggots giving you a hard time? This article will teach you How to Kill Maggots in Outdoor Trash Cans rather easily. Have a good read!
Having maggot infestations in your trash can sounds as nightmarish as it is. It’s hard to think of anything else once you have seen that mass of maggots swarming in the trash can.
Not only do maggots create a disgusting sight, but they also attract pests and spread harmful bacteria. I don’t have to tell you how crucial it is to address this issue ASAP. It’s understandable if you need some clarity about what to do.
Not every day, you are faced with such a horrible sight.
Fortunately, with boiling water, vinegar, bleach, or even a dish soap splash, you can clean your problems away. Keep scrolling through this page but take advantage of every word. By the end, you will learn how to kill all the maggots in your trash can without calling pest control.
How I Control Maggots in My Trash Can Without Creating a Mess
Now let’s familiarize you with simple ways to eliminate those squirmy pests. Choose any of the solutions mentioned below. They all work!
Method 1: Pour Boiling Water on The Maggots
This is the most hassle-free and undoubtedly the simplest method of killing maggots. This method is also anything but costly. Here’s what you need to do:
Firstly, take the trash can far away from the living area and keep the garbage can’s lid open. Be careful while removing the trash can because things will get messy if you trip over it. Although you can take it to your backyard, performing the task somewhere more open is better.
Now, boil a large pot of water. Bring out the biggest pot in your house and fill it with hot, boiling, bubbling water. Be careful while handling it because a small drop can cause a painful blister on your skin.
Put on a pair of oven mitts and take the pot of boiling water to your trash can. Slowly pour the boiling water over the maggots and the surrounding areas. Again, make sure to wear protective gear to avoid burns.
Don’t wear shorts or anything thin. Opt for a thick pair of pants or anything that will protect your skin from the splash of boiling water.
You need this protection because this boiling water will be hot enough to kill the maggots by scalding them. Sounds horrible? Well, not as horrible as they are.
Method 2: Spray Vinegar Solution
To clean the maggots this way, prepare a vinegar solution first. First, mix equal water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.
Again, the number of maggots will determine how much water/vinegar solution you need.
Once your solution is ready, spray it onto the maggots and the affected areas. And that’s it. Thanks to vinegar’s acidic nature, it is super effective in killing grubs and cleaning the entire trash can as well.
The acid of vinegar disrupts the internal pH balance of maggots. This blocks the maggots’ spiracles, causing them to suffocate and put an end to their life cycle. This process can take 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of maggots.
However, it does the cleanest job.
Method 3: Bleach Them with Bleach
Bleach is my favorite method when it comes to killing maggots. Why? Because it does a quick job and sanitizes the trash can as well. And it’s straightforward too.
Firstly, dilute the bleach properly. Take a bucket and mix one part bleach with ten parts water. In other words, you have to create a 10% bleach solution. This diluted mixture is often effective in killing maggots while minimizing the risk of damage to surrounding surfaces.
Once the solution is ready, apply it directly to the maggots and the affected area. The bleach kills maggots because it is corrosive and causes chemical burns. This suffocates the larvae by blocking their airways.
The bleach cleans the trash can along the way as well. However, it can be dangerous if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Make sure to put on safety gear to avoid contact with the bleach. Otherwise, you, too, will have to endure a painful chemical burn.
Method 4: Freeze Them All
This method is only effective if you are from an area where water turns into ice within seconds.
You can skip this method if you are not from an area with sub-zero temperatures. However, if you are a dweller of the frozen world, you are in luck because this is the cleanest method out there.
You will basically eliminate the maggots by freezing them. Take the maggots outside your house and put them away where the temperature is the lowest.
Now, pour a water bowl into the trash can and leave it there for several hours. You basically have to wait until the maggots are frozen.
The amount of time it’ll take depends on the amount of maggots and the temperature level. However, I would recommend checking the trash can every 3 hours. It should freeze completely within this period if there is, in fact, a sub-zero temperature.
Once the maggots are frozen, remove the trash can and dispose of the maggots in sealed bags. As you can tell, freezing kills the maggots by subjecting them to extremely low temperatures.
Method 5: Sprinkle Some Salt
Salt is a natural desiccant that basically kills the maggots by dehydrating them. While it’s easy to do, it can be costly.
You must sprinkle a generous amount of salt directly onto the maggots in this method. And by generous, I mean pour enough to drown the maggots with salt.
Now leave the trash can in this state for a couple of hours. Wait until the salt draws moisture from the maggots and dehydrates them completely. Once the maggots are dehydrated, they will die immediately.
After their demise, pour them into a garbage bag, seal them, and throw them away.
However, I would recommend this method only if you have tons of salt lying around that you don’t need. Otherwise, as I have already mentioned, this will be expensive.