It’s amazing to think that such a tiny baby can produce so many dirty nappies and foul smells. Newborn babies need changing as many as 12 times per day, while older babies can get away with 6-8 nappy changes each day – although there are always a few exceptions!
While you can throw disposable nappies straight into the nappy bin, without regularly cleaning the nappy bin can be a breeding ground for strong odours and bacteria, so it’s important that you clean it to stop it from smelling.
Why does my nappy bin smell?
Although many nappy bins have been designed to eliminate odours from the get-go, it’s not always that simple. No matter how hard you try to keep those dirty nappy smells at bay, no bin can claim to be 100% odour free.
A gradual build-up of bacteria, whenever you add something new to your bin, is what causes it to smell. The only way to successfully eliminate odours is by regular emptying and cleaning of your bin.
It may be a universally hated household chore, but regular cleaning of your nappy bin will make you feel instantly better about your child’s nursery.
How often should I clean my nappy bin?
You don’t have to deep clean your nappy bin every single day, however you should regularly wipe it down to keep it from smelling. Wiping your bin daily each time you notice a splatter or a split bag will help to keep your nappy bin in tip top shape and smelling fresher for longer.
Wipe it daily
The best way to make cleaning the nappy bin less of a chore is to do it regularly. Wipe the bin lid and outer sides daily using an antibacterial wipe or spray to keep smells at bay.
Deep clean once a month
If it’s been a few weeks and the nappy bin is particularly smelly, give it a thorough clean to eliminate odours. Use a multipurpose antibacterial spray or bleach on the inside of the bin and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Once it has time to soak rinse out with hot water and wipe the inside, outside and lid with a scented disinfectant spray or wipe to keep odours and bacteria away.
Use scented bin liners
There are plenty of scented nappy bin liners on the market with a strong and fresh fragrance to help mask the unpleasant odours associated with nappy changes.
Use an odour neutralising spray
Odour neutralising sprays are a great temporary solution to eliminating odours from your nappy bin as they leave a fresh, clean scent no matter what the mess in your baby’s nappy!
Fragrance free and allergy friendly, odour neutralising sprays help to neutralise bad smells with no harmful chemicals.
After changing your little one, all you need to do is shake the bottle, spray into the nappy bag and tie up.
The spray is instantly effective and a quick spray in the nappy bag and you’ll soon forget the smells your little one’s bum has made!
If you don’t like using chemicals on your nappy bin, you can always try some fantastic home remedies to keep odours and bacteria away.
Baking soda
Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda at the bottom of your nappy bin once a week and dissolve with water. This will help to neutralise odours and remove any build-up of grime without the use of chemicals.
Lemon
This is a temporary solution but chopping up some fresh lemon and popping them in the bottom of your nappy bin will help to eliminate odours until you have the chance to give your bin a thorough clean.
Essential oils
Soaking cotton balls in essential oils such as lavender, jasmine, or peppermint and placing in the bottom of your nappy bin before placing the bin liner is a great way to help eliminate powerful odours.
Essential oils that contain citrus and tea tree also have antibacterial properties, so will help keep your bin free of any nasty bacteria too!
Let your bin breathe
Last but by no means least is to let the nappy bin air out. This is usually only beneficial in summer when you can leave your bin outside without the fear of rain, but it’s a method that has been tried and tested on both kitchen bins and wheelie bins for years.
Leave the lid off your nappy bin for a few days to not only eliminate the smell, but to help get rid of the problem. When air is trapped in the bin, it allows bacteria to thrive which causes bad smells.
Leaving the lid off your nappy bin will allow the odours to leave and bacteria to escape meaning you will have fewer problems when you bring the bin back indoors.
Don’t leave your bin outside in wet weather as this can make the problem worse, you should only do this method when you know it’s going to be dry for a few days.
