Stop January Garbage Can Smells with This Easy Frozen Lemon Trick Cleaning Pros Swear By

January can be a tough time for trash can smells in the kitchen, as this month delivers a perfect storm for odors to build and linger.

We’re cooking at home more due to the expense of the recent holidays, and often with richer, more aromatic winter meals like roasts in the oven and hearty stews in the slow cooker. However, due to the biting cold outside, windows often stay shut, and trash bags get taken out less, so there’s far less air circulation and a greater chance for odor-causing bacteria to build.

However, as a professional cleaner myself, I swear by an easy frozen lemon cleaning tip to provide days of relief from unpleasant indoor kitchen smells during the cold weather. It’s free from commercial additives and is a brilliant natural deodorizer.

Why Kitchen Odors Linger in Winter and How Frozen Lemons Help

In winter, heating systems dry out the air and actually amplify odors instead of dispersing them. Working as a professional cleaner for years with Spekless, I have noticed that people also tend to take trash out less frequently when it’s cold, icy, or snowing, so bags linger longer than they should.

Add shorter daylight hours and busy holiday schedules into the mix, and bins often get overlooked. All of this allows nasty odors the time they need to build and settle into the bin itself, not just the bag.

Cleaning with lemons, especially ones that have been frozen, is an easy fix.

What causes trash can smells?

Most bin smells in summer, winter, or in fact, any season, come from what leaks or lingers underneath. Food residue, moisture, and bacteria collect at the base of the trash can where the bag doesn’t fully protect it. #

Even a tiny tear or drip can soak into the plastic and start feeding odor-causing bacteria, especially when trash includes food scraps. Once that happens, changing the bag alone won’t solve the problem.

Using sturdy trash bags such as the highly rated Hefty ones from Amazon will help mitigate the risk of tears, but taking extra steps, such as dropping frozen lemon halves in the trash can itself, will go a long way to tackling unpleasant and pungent kitchen smells.

It's one of the things people with nice-smelling kitchens often do.

Why Frozen Lemon Halves Are a Brilliant Natural Fix

Lemons do more than just smell nice. They contain citric acid, which actually helps break down the bacteria that cause odors in the first place. Freezing the lemon slows the whole process down, so instead of getting a quick burst of scent that disappears in a day, it releases gradually as it thaws. That slow melt is what makes this ‘trick’ last longer than simply tossing a fresh lemon straight into the bin.

Dropping it in the base matters too, because that’s where drips, leaks, and moisture tend to collect. As it melts, the lemon lightly freshens the exact spot where smells usually start.

It is worth noting, however, that frozen lemon halves are meant to be a short-term helper, not something that lives in your bin indefinitely. In most homes, replacing them every three to five days is the cleaning-with-lemon sweet spot.

Once the lemon halves have fully thawed and are no longer releasing that fresh citrus scent, it’s time to toss them. Leaving them longer can backfire, since the lemon itself can start breaking down and begin contributing to trash can smells instead of preventing them.

The key is pulling it out and discarding it before it turns. I recommend removing it as soon as you take out a full bag or notice the scent fading. Short and intentional is what keeps this cleaning method effective.

Keeping Your Kitchen Trash Can Clean in Winter

One thing that makes a huge difference is remembering that the bin itself holds onto smells, even with regular bag changes. Every three to four weeks, I clean my trash can with hot water and dish soap, then add lemon juice or clean with vinegar to cut lingering residue.

For a regular monthly wash, I usually go with about one to two tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar per quart of hot water, and a few drops of dish soap. That’s enough to cut light residue and odors without being overpowering. Mix it in a bucket or sink, give the bin a good scrub with a brush or sponge, then rinse and dry thoroughly.

You can keep a collapsible bucket from Target and a bristled, long-handled scrub brush from Amazon, specifically for the job. This will avoid any cleaning cross-contamination when cleaning your kitchen.

For a deeper clean, for instance, if your trash can has stubborn stuck-on residue or a noticeable odor, I’d increase the ratio slightly to about a quarter cup of lemon juice or vinegar per quart of water. This is just one of the many ways you can use vinegar to clean your home.

Let that solution sit in your trash can for 10-15 minutes before scrubbing to give it a chance to break down any buildup. I typically do not clean with bleach for everyday sanitization because it can react poorly with food waste odors.

Drying the bin fully before putting a new bag in is non-negotiable, as trapped moisture causes most smells or leads to mold and mildew.

It’s also good practice to separate liquids and compostable food items from the main bag to prevent puddles from eventually forming, which are usually the main source of odor.

You can also line the base with a washable pad or an absorbent liner to catch leaks before they become a lingering problem.

FAQs

Does Using Frozen Lemon Halves in My Bin Create a Pest Risk?

Personally, I haven’t seen indoor pest issues from this method when it’s done properly. It’s rarely an issue if your lemon halves go into the trash can frozen and stay contained. Also, cold citrus just isn’t appealing to pests in the same way as exposed food scraps are.

The mistake I see in clients’ homes is letting the lemon sit directly on the plastic, where moisture can pool. A small silicone bowl from Amazon, or a cupcake liner for the lemons in your trash can base, will keep things tidy.

If pests are already an existing issue, make sure to consistently keep your trash can lid tightly sealed, and don’t stretch the duration between bag changes. A simple lidded pedal bin from Amazon will do 90% of the work for you.

Can I Use Frozen Lemon Halves for My Outdoor Trash Cans?

Outdoors, I’d be much more cautious. Temperature swings and wildlife could mean the lemons won’t last quite as long. If that’s not much of an issue where you live, you can still attempt to do so, but I’d recommend regular monitoring.

Replace the frozen lemon halves every few days and keep them only if temperatures continue to stay low. Once spring hits, it may be more trouble than it’s worth. At that point, regular cleaning of trash cans, both outside and inside, is the better solution.

What to Shop

You can also use lemons in your dishwasher for bolstered cleaning, as well as for faucet scrubbing and to scrub your sink for a spotless finish.