Having maggot infestations in your trash can sound 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 are you 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 mittens 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 the boiling water will be hot enough to kill the maggots by scalding them. Sounds horrible? Well, not as horrific as they are.
Method 2: Spray Vinegar Solution
To clean the maggots this way, prepare a vinegar solution first. First, mix equal parts 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 number 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. Please 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.
Method 6: Apply Diatomaceous Earth
Let me first clarify what diatomaceous earth is. As Oregon State University defines it, “Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms.”
In fancy words, diatomaceous earth kills pests by physically damaging and dehydrating their exoskeletons.
The microscopic sharp edges of the diatom shells in the powder scratch the protective outer layer of insects, causing them to lose moisture and ultimately leading to their death. Still confused?
Let me dumb it down for you. Diatomaceous earth kills pests by scratching them and making them dry out. Do you understand it now, right? Now let’s see how this process goes.
You must sprinkle diatomaceous earth on and around the maggots in the trash can. And yes, that’s it. I would recommend you use food-grade diatomaceous earth and make sure to wear a mask while applying it to avoid inhalation.
Wondering where to find it? Choose your pick from here.
Method 7: Drown Them in Dish Soap Solution
If you don’t feel like going to a store or making any extra purchases, you can still get your job done with household items. The dish soap solution basically suffocates maggots by blocking their breathing pores.
You have to make a solution first. Take a bowl, pour some water, and add dish soap. There’s no exact ratio of water and dish soap.
Just follow your instinct, and nothing should go wrong. Once the mixture is ready, pour it into a spray bottle and spray the solution directly on the maggots and the affected area.
Keep spraying until the maggots are coated with soap. This means their air supply is obstructed.
Method 8: Give them Some Essential Oils
Certain essential oils, like peppermint or tea tree oil, can repel and kill maggots. Essential oils kill maggots by disrupting their nervous system and causing them to suffocate. Not only this, but the oils also damage the maggots’ cell membranes.
Overall, it leads the maggots to a quick death. In case you are wondering, here’s a list of essential oils you can use:
- Lavender oil
- Peppermint oil
- Tea tree oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Clove oil
- Cinnamon oil
- Basil oil
- Thyme oil
You must dilute a few drops of essential oil in water or carrier oil. Now, just apply the mixture to the maggots and the surrounding areas.
Make sure to cover the entire space for an effective result. A huge benefit of this is that you will not have to deal with foul smells, as essential oils have their own strong odor.
Method 9: Spray Some Insecticide
The name says it all. Insecticides are made to kill pests like maggots. Any industrial insecticide can effectively hunt down all the maggots in sight.
Get a can of insecticide from your nearest hardware store. Any will do. Now, casually apply the spray directly to the maggots and the trash can. Wait for a while to allow the maggots to die out. Once they are dead, throw them in a garbage bag.
Remember to take the necessary precautions and avoid inhaling the spray.
Method 10: Deploying Beneficial Nematodes
Beneficial nematodes are natural predators of maggots. Just like maggots are there to eat away your leftovers, the nematodes will eat away the maggots.
All you have to do is buy a bag of beneficial nematodes from a garden supply store. Then, mix them with water as per the instructions on the bag. After the mixture is ready, release it into the trash can. These nematodes will feed on the maggots, emptying your trash can quickly.
Once the maggots are gone, clean the trash can with warm water, and you are good to go.
Method 11: White Vinegar and Baking Soda Combo
Now let’s bring out the big gun. Combining white vinegar and baking soda can create an intense fizzing reaction that can kill maggots in minutes.
For this method, as you can tell, you just need white vinegar and baking soda.
Firstly, sprinkle baking soda over the maggots in the trash can. Spray thoroughly to make sure they are fully covered with baking soda.
After a few seconds, pour some white vinegar on the baking soda-drenched maggots. Wait for the chemical reaction to start and kill the grubs. Once the maggots are killed, dispose of them.
And that was the last of it. If you try at least one of these methods, you are sure to have a positive outcome. So, pick the method that suits you best and put an end to your nightmare.
How To Keep Maggots Away from The Trash?
Once you have killed off all the maggots, you surely don’t want to deal with them again. Fortunately, you can do a few things to prevent maggot infestations. Check out three of the most popular methods that I usually prefer:
Trash Maintenance: Make sure to clean out the trash regularly and clean the trash can with soap and water occasionally.
Don’t directly dispose of food residue in the trash can. Use a ziplock bag to keep the leftovers enclosed so bacteria cannot get close to the food.
Use Trash Can Liners: Place a sturdy trash can liner inside the can before adding the waste. These liners prevent direct contact between garbage and the can. This reduces the chance of maggot development.
Keep the Trash Can in a Dry Place: Wet spaces attract maggots and all kinds of pests. So, pick a clean, dry spot for your trash can and make sure the trash can is not near any water source.
These simple techniques keep the maggots at bay, preventing their infestation and growth.
My Final Few Words
No one wants maggots, but once they are here, what can you do? Well, if you have read this article, you now know exactly what you need to do.
This article may seem huge, but what you need to do is a little. Follow any of the 11 methods discussed here and clear your trash can of maggots.
Any one of the methods will do the trick. And once the maggots are out of the trash, perform some simple maintenance to prevent their infestation for good.
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