If The Garbage Cans In Your Garage Stink, Grab Those Old Coffee Grounds

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A lot of people place their garbage cans in the garage to make things easier and avoid problems with animals. Storing your trash inside means you don't have to go far to throw something out, especially when the weather's bad or pickup days are spaced out. It also keeps annoying raccoons from getting into your garbage, which can lead to a big mess and possible health concerns.

However, even out in the garage, you have to be attentive to funky smells and odors which can start to waft into the house. And to be honest, even the cleanest homes can't escape the reality that trash cans — especially ones stored outside or in garages — can start to smell awful. It can quickly become a wild jungle of odors between summer heat, plentiful food waste, and the natural funk that builds up over time.

Luckily there's a simple solution that doesn't involve scrubbing or fancy sprays: used coffee grounds. They're a natural deodorizer, and if you drink coffee at home, they're already something you have on hand. Instead of tossing them in the bin, dry them out and put them to work inside the can. Just a small bowl or paper filter filled with grounds can neutralize stagnant odors and keep your garage from smelling like a landfill.

The reason this trick works so well has to do with the natural properties of coffee. Used coffee grounds are high in nitrogen, which helps neutralize sulfur-based odors — the kind that tend to build up in garbage bins and make your space reek. These compounds don't just smell bad, they stick around by clinging to plastic surfaces, so simply taking the bag out won't fix the problem. Coffee grounds go a step further by pulling those odors out of the air to absorb them.

You don't need to do anything fancy to make this work. After brewing your morning pot of coffee, just scoop the grounds into a bowl and let them dry out on the counter. Once they're dry, transfer them to a coffee filter, paper towel, or open container and set it at the bottom of your garbage can, ideally underneath the garbage bin liner so it stays in place. You can also place a container on a nearby shelf or hook if the can is particularly smelly or gets a lot of use.

If you're dealing with persistent odors, especially in warmer months, change out the coffee grounds once a week. They'll continue absorbing odors for several days, but they do eventually lose their effectiveness. As long as you don't use wet or moldy grounds, they're safe to handle and easy to throw away when done.

Once you see how well they work in the garage, you'll probably start eyeing other smelly spots around the house. Coffee grounds can pull double duty just about anywhere odors tend to build up. In the fridge, for example, a small bowl tucked into a back corner will soak up leftover food smells – especially pungent ones like garlic, onion, or fish. If your fridge is running low on baking soda, coffee makes a surprisingly good backup.

Got a closet that smells musty or a laundry hamper that could use a little freshening up? A mesh bag or breathable pouch of dried coffee grounds can help reduce that stale smell without adding artificial fragrance. Same goes for gym lockers, shoe racks, and even under the car seat if something's been spilled. Coffee doesn't just smell good, it neutralizes the air around it.

You can even toss a bit into diaper pails or pet waste bins to tone down the intensity, just be careful around areas where pets might try to get into the grounds. While they're great for deodorizing, they're not safe for animals to eat. When in doubt, keep them tucked away in containers with lids or vents that let the scent escape without tempting curious noses. At the end of the day, coffee grounds are one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways to take on bad smells without needing a single extra trip to the store.