How to Get Rid of Maggots in Your Trash Can

Why maggots show up in the first place

Maggots are fly larvae. Flies are drawn to the food residue and warmth inside your bin, lay their eggs on it, and in the heat of summer those eggs can hatch in as little as 24 hours. Where there's leftover food and a warm, moist bin, maggots are basically inevitable unless the bin is kept clean.

Kill them fast

The quickest fix is boiling water — pour a kettle or two directly over the maggots to kill them on contact. A 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water works too, and helps with the smell. Bag up the dead larvae and any loose trash and get it out of the bin. Skip the bleach and harsh chemicals where you can; they linger and aren't great around a container you'll keep using.

Clean and sanitize the bin

Killing the maggots isn't enough — the food residue that attracted the flies is still there. Scrub the bin inside and out with hot, soapy water, rinse it, and let it dry fully in the sun. The goal is to remove every trace of the residue and bacteria that started the cycle.

Keep them from coming back

Bag all food waste before it goes in, rinse out food containers, keep the lid shut tight, and don't let trash sit longer than it has to. The biggest difference-maker is cleaning the bin regularly — and this is exactly where a professional service earns its keep, because 190°+ hot water kills the eggs and bacteria that a cold garden hose leaves behind.

Tired of fighting maggots every summer? Let Bin Busters sanitize your cans with 190°+ hot water on a regular schedule — see our plans.