# How to remove the stench of decomposition?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 24, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396 "2010-06-24T19:25:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/1 "2010-06-24T19:25:11Z")
Rat went into a bag. Bag went into the trash bin. Rat leaked. Bag leaked. The trash has been picked up, but wheeeeeee-_doggie!_ What a stench! I poured some ammonia into the bin and left the top open. (Good thing the houses nearby are empty for now.) Is there anything else I can do? Some of that ‘freshening’ cat litter? Or just let the ammonia do its work?
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/2 "2010-06-24T19:28:30Z")
Throw some coffee in there and see if that helps?
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/3 "2010-06-24T19:28:50Z")
Is it a metal trash can? If so, maybe a cup of gasoline and a match? Of course, outside only, no wind and away from hanging branches. Don’t forget the lid and a fire extinguisher handy, just in case.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/4 "2010-06-24T19:29:43Z")
It’s plastic.
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### Author:  [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/5 "2010-06-24T19:31:50Z")
You forgot the “Need Answer Fast” 😃
Bite the bullet and rise it out with a hose. Throw some soap or detergent (or heck, just about anything; it’s a trash bin) in for good measure.
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### Author:  [@Birger\_Jari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birger_Jari)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/6 "2010-06-24T19:33:12Z")
Try [this](http://www.ehow.com/how_4463858_remove-odor-from-trash-cans.html) if you have all of the necessary ingredients to hand and a bit of spare time.
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### Author:  [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/7 "2010-06-24T19:35:06Z")
Pinesol, warm water, go to work with a scrub brush (get a cheap toilet brush, long handle). Rinse and let dry with top open.
If that doesn’t work, quietly swap it with one of your neighbor’s garbage cans when nobody is looking.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/8 "2010-06-24T19:36:26Z")
Hm. Grass clippings. Only I’m not planning to have the grass cut until next week.
I do have some charcoal briquettes I can crush up.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/9 "2010-06-24T19:43:22Z")
Clorox works wonders.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/10 "2010-06-24T19:49:07Z")
> [@beowulff](#):
>
> Clorox works wonders.
Brilliant! I’ll put that in with the ammonia! 😃
😛
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/11 "2010-06-24T19:58:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Brilliant! I’ll put that in with the ammonia! 😃
>
> 😛
Worked in WWI…😃
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### Author:  [@Viscera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viscera)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/12 "2010-06-24T20:02:03Z")
When I had a bout of rotting meat that somehow ended up in the summer garbage bin 6 days before trash day, combined with baby diapers, and resulted in a horrible stench and a ton of maggots…
Not knowing any better, I just sprayed it out with the garden hose, and then used a couple of rounds of dish soap over a couple of days. Eventually the stench went away.
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### Author:  [@DogRatCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogRatCat)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/13 "2010-06-24T20:04:29Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Throw some coffee in there and see if that helps?
Will this be in your book? 😉
Seriously though, do not combine Ammonia and Bleach. Chlorine gas is not good for you!
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/14 "2010-06-24T20:07:10Z")
Baking soda couldn’t hurt either. After you’ve cleaned it and dried it throw some baking soda in there to sit for a while - it should help.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/15 "2010-06-24T21:24:30Z")
I’d left the lid up, and the wind is blowing toward the front door. I didn’t detect any smellage. I threw my spent coffee grounds in.
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### Author:  [@osme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/osme)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/16 "2010-06-24T21:31:33Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Brilliant! I’ll put that in with the ammonia! 😃
>
> 😛
NEVER mix bleach and ammonia, it makes chlorine gas.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/17 "2010-06-24T21:39:52Z")
I thought the smilies would be a give-away.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/18 "2010-06-24T21:45:29Z")
> [@osme](#):
>
> NEVER mix bleach and ammonia, it makes chlorine gas.
Whoosh!
I imagine it would work like a charm, though.
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### Author:  [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/19 "2010-06-24T22:14:47Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Whoosh!
>
> I imagine it would work like a charm, though.
Yeah but his next post would be “How to remove the dead bodies from my front yard - need answer fast!”
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-the-stench-of-decomposition/544396/20 "2010-06-24T22:41:30Z")
No problem - now if they leak again, you know what to do.
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