Cleaning up trash enclosures is never pleasant. And it only gets worse the longer you wait to empty them. But thanks to pressure washing, maintaining outdoor trash cans is now simple and convenient.
There are two ways to clean dumpsters: DIY or professional cleaning service.
If you prefer to have your janitors clean the outdoor trash can, you will need to invest in the right tools – the right brush, the right nozzle, and the right soap.
You will need a pressure washer with high PSI for apartments and restaurants, preferably in the 1500-2000 range.
How to Clean an Outdoor Trash Enclosure
Once you have all your tools, it’s time to get down and dirty. The cleaning crew should follow these five steps to completely remove dirt, grime, and grease.
1. Empty
The first thing to do during cleaning day is to empty the dumpster – yes, including any gross liquids. You do not want dirty liquid foaming with the soap.
2. Pre-soak
After emptying the trash enclosure, pour soap and let it foam until it coats the inside of the trash can. Then, leave it to soak for around 30 minutes.
3. Scrub
Attach the scrub brush to the pressure washer and then begin scrubbing inside and outside the trash enclosure.
4. Pressure wash
Remove the brush and attach the nozzle. Start pressure washing at a low pressure to avoid damaging the trash can. If the power is not enough to remove stubborn dirt, then you can turn the PSI up.
5. Deodorize
No matter how often you perform pressure washing or how powerful your soap is, trash enclosures always reek of leftover smell. Vinegar is the simplest way to deodorize a dumpster. Dilute one part vinegar in two parts water and pour the solution into the trash can. Leave the lid open while the vinegar soaks and rinse well.
If vinegar is not doing the job, you can also deodorize your trash can with laundry sheets, cat litter deodorizer, or Arm and Hammer trash can and dumpster deodorizer.
When to Clean Outdoor Trash Enclosures
Depending on the volume of trash your tenants dispose of every day, you need to set a schedule for cleaning outdoor trash enclosures.
Clean them during spring – when the snow melts, any liquid at the bottom of the trash can will melt too, so wash them out before they start to smell.
Clean them during summer – to prevent flies, bacteria, and other organisms from breeding.
How to Maintain Trash Enclosures
If you are managing an apartment complex, office space, or even storage space, you are responsible for the upkeep of the property – including all dumpster enclosures on the premises.
A clean and well-maintained dumpster enclosure could encourage tenants to make an effort to clean up instead of making a mess.
The first step to maintaining trash enclosures is to segregate waste. Post a list of items that go into each individual trash can.
If you are managing different properties, research the waste and recycling enclosure needs of each type.
Line all of your trash enclosures with thick garbage bags to prevent leaks. It is all too common to find commercial trash cans, especially in restaurants, with half-eaten food carelessly thrown over the enclosure, across the wall, or on the ground – slowly rotting, reeking with a foul odor, and attracting flies and rodents. Ensure that trash bags are sealed and make garbage disposal convenient for your tenants.
Obviously, you cannot make tenants and customers behave the way you’d like them too, and there will always be careless, unhygienic people on your property. If you are a new manager, you probably even inherited a messy, worn-out trash enclosure that is almost impossible to clean. If that is the case, you must hire a professional cleaning service.
Contact your trusted Orange County and Los Angeles cleaners for parking lot and trash bins cleaning and maintenance.
Professional cleaners offer steam cleaning and pressure washing services for removing tough grease and grime. They have the right tools – detergents, soaps, and concentrates – to make your trash enclosures look new without subjecting your janitorial staff to intense manual labor. Plus, they can guarantee that that awful, reeking stench will be gone so that insects and rodents are discouraged from infesting the dumpster.
If the trash enclosures on your property are in dire need of pressure washing services, you may contact Prestige Property Services for a free consultation. We have been pressure washing and steam cleaning dumpsters for many years, servicing commercial properties in Orange County, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles, California. As a green cleaning company, we provide customers with science-based, environment-friendly cleaning systems that eliminate the spread of infection while ensuring the safety of humans and the planet.
Fill out our online contact form or call us at (714) 224-0301 to inquire about our dumpster pressure washing services.