It's your turn to clean the kitchen, and you get to your least favourite task. Yes, it's time to take the bin out. So you pull the string, do your thing… and then lift the bag out of the bin. But then you see them — the bottom of your bin is moving with a grumble of maggots. The small, worm-like creatures are all squirming at once, and you feel sick.
Learning how to get rid of maggots in your bin doesn't have to be complicated. You may not know where to start if you have never dealt with this problem before now. That is perfectly okay. The fact of the matter is that there are many ways that you can curb the problem.
Once you know what kills maggots, you can swiftly combat the problem and move on. Luckily, we've got you covered here. In the following guide, we will cover everything you need to know about how to get rid of maggots in your bin and why you get them.
Why are there maggots in my bin?
Before delving into what you can do about this problem, let's first talk about why it happened. You may wonder what you did wrong if you have maggots in your bin. The truth is that this is not your fault! You can sigh in relief. Having maggots in your bin does not mean you have a dirty household or are gross. But wait a minute, where do maggots come from in the first place?
As you may know, maggots are fly larvae — or baby flies. Before a fly turns into a fully-fledged adult being, it is a larva. But, of course, you only need to have seen a maggot to know that it looks incredibly creepy. It wiggles and jiggles and makes your skin crawl. We've all been there.
If flies can get into either your wheelie bin or kitchen bin, they may lay eggs in them. Should the conditions be suitable for this, you will find that they lay a bunch of eggs, which shortly turn into maggots. It takes around 24 hours for these eggs to turn into maggots. That means the infestation can appear from nowhere when you change your bin. So if you are confronted with maggots in your bin, you must act fast.
How to get rid of maggots in your bin
Okay, so you've got a bin full of maggots. Let's do something about it. The first thing that you should note here is that you want to act quickly. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away. Yes, the maggots will graduate to flies, and they may go away in the best-case scenario.
However, you might also find that they lay more eggs that become larvae. Should that happen, you will constantly be trying to get rid of the maggots in your bin. With that in mind, you should do something about it sooner rather than later. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that you can approach this problem. Here are some of the options.
1. Use fly spray first
First, you should grab a fly spray and spray the maggots directly. Since this product can kill flies, you will often find it works well to kill maggots. However, the product is not always strong enough to do the job. You should spray it directly into the bottom of the bin and leave it for around 20 minutes. Check back and see whether the maggots are still moving or not. You can then wash the container out with some warm water.
2. Use bleach and hot water
Need something more substantial to get rid of the maggots in your bin? If you have tried tip one and still need something stronger, here's a quick solution.
Mixing some bleach with boiling water may do the trick. Make sure that you use rubber gloves when trying this approach. As you may already know, bleach can corrode the skin and cause problems. Tip the boiling water mixture into the bottom of the bin, swill it around, and then leave it for a few minutes. You should find that the larvae stop moving. You can then clean the bin out.
When you've finished, check out our article on how to get bleach smells off your hands.
3. Try using some salt
If you don't want to use the boiling water method, another option exists. Many people have found that salt kills maggots. This is a slower method. Get some white salt and pour it on the maggots. You will need to leave it for a few hours. You should find that this kills the larvae so that you can clean out your bin completely. Be aware that this approach does not always work. Check the larvae are dead before cleaning the bin.
4. Disinfect your bin
You must disinfect the bin after trying any of the above methods. Having maggots in the bin is tricky. You might find that the larvae carry bacteria or germs. Put simply, you want to get rid of all of the germs before you use your bin again. You can use standard cleaning products to get rid of the bacteria. Look for products that have bleach in them. You may find that this option also helps deter maggots in the future.
How to prevent maggots in the bin
Now that you know what to do about the maggots, let's talk about how to prevent them in the future. When you get rid of these gross larvae, you will want to ensure they don't return. As we have already covered, you get them in your bin because flies can get in there and lay their eggs. If you want to stop that happening in the future, you should try some of the following tips:
● Always close your bin
First, you want to ensure that flies cannot get into your bin in the first place. You can do this by adequately sealing your bin. Ensure it is always closed when you are not putting rubbish in it. You should also change your bin regularly to avoid a build-up here.
● Double-wrap your scraps
If you put food scraps in the bin, you must ensure you wrap them up well. This is because these scraps can attract flies which will lead to maggots. So you need to make your bin less attractive to insects. You can put your scraps elsewhere — in a compost heap, for example — or wrap them up when throwing them in the bin.
● Rinse food packets before binning them
Are you putting food packets in the bin? If the answer is yes, you should rinse them out first. That way, you can prevent there from being too much waste in the bin that will attract flies. Give food packets, tin cans, and bottles a quick wash before you put them in the bin. This is a quick way to lower your chances of maggots in your bin.
Having maggots in your bin can be highly gross. However, if you are dealing with this problem, there are plenty of ways to clean the bin. In this guide, we have covered how to get rid of maggots in your bin and how to prevent them in the future too!
Q&A
Did we miss something along the way? You've come to the right place if we haven't covered everything yet. Here are some of the frequently asked questions.
What kills maggots instantly?
If you are squeamish, boiling water and bleach is the quickest way to kill maggots. This combination should help you to get rid of the grubs immediately. Tip the solution into the bottom of the bin, and you will find that it does the trick.
Are maggots in bins common?
Yes. People often find that they get maggots in their bins when flies can get to them. If that is the case, you must act sooner rather than later. Luckily, getting rid of maggots is easier than you might imagine.
Are maggots more active at night?
Maggots can be active at night or day. However, you may notice them more at night when fewer things are happening around you. Therefore, whenever you see maggots in your bins, you must take action quickly.
Did we help you fix your maggot problem? Let us know in the comments below!
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