Prevention Tips: Maggots in a Garbage Can

Maggot prevention is achieved with the right strategy

There is no one single tip for keeping maggots out of garbage cans and other household locations. Instead, a sound strategy involving sanitizing, proper disposal, the right types of garbage cans and the ability to prevent flies from getting to places where they can lay eggs tremendously increases your odds of success.

Garbage Cans

A good way to prevent the manifestation of maggots in your trash cans is to make an investment in self-sealing trash cans. Self-sealing trash cans are available as both indoor trash cans as well as outdoor trash cans. Though self-sealing trash cans are marketed mainly for keeping animals and rodents out of your trash bins, they are also a great solution for keeping the flies out as well. It is also important to avoid overfilling trash cans so that the self-sealing property of the cans works as intended.

Food Disposal

Proper disposal of foods can help prevent maggots from taking over your trash cans. Put unused foods down your garbage disposal whenever possible. For foods that cannot be put down the disposal, make sure the food is sealed in a Ziploc container or other sealable bag. Avoid throwing away old meat until the day of or day before garbage pickup. It is also very important to find and address the source of any foul smells as soon as possible.

Sanitizing

Sanitizing your garbage bins and garbage disposal on a regular basis is also very important. Pour at least one cup of bleach down your sink, baths and garbage disposal every couple of weeks to eliminate breeding grounds that attract flies. It is also a good idea to rinse all garbage cans with bleach on a monthly basis, even if your cans are regularly lined with plastic trash bags. The same goes for recycle bins. It is also wise to rinse out all food, soda and beer cans and bottles prior to putting them in the recycle bin.

Controlling Flies

It is always important to control the flies inside your home. Make sure that all window and door screens in your home are free from holes. This will help keep flies from entering your home in the first place. If your home becomes inhabited by flies, keep lights dim in all areas of your home with the exception of one room with a light left on, such as a bathroom. The flies will be attracted to the light and can be easily contained and disposed of in one room. Hang fly strips in every room of your home until the fly problem has been corrected.

References

• Maggots