The Gross Downside Of Pull-Out Cabinet Trash Bins

Ah, the pull-out trash can. To many, it's the unsung hero of kitchen cabinet interior organization upgrades, seamlessly hiding a common eyesore out of sight yet still keeping it well within arm's reach. A roll-out cabinet trash elevates the aesthetic of the space by disguising it to blend in with the rest of your kitchen cabinets. It also saves the square footage of a standalone waste bin. What's not to like, right? 

Well, a quick trip through social media forums will let you know that there are plenty of people with major critiques about pull-out trash systems. Some say they waste precious storage space in small kitchens, while others say they hate having to touch the handle to open the trash. There are plenty of complaints about bending or wearing out the pull-out mechanism from constant use, as well as the limitations on bin capacity. But by far, the most common issue flagged by homeowners is how unsanitary the entire setup can get. 

Between discovering weeks-long hidden spills, food messes on the pull-out mechanism itself, having the trash hit the underside of the cabinet, odors stinking up the entire inside of the cabinet or island, and other icky concerns, it is easy to see how this supposedly streamlined trash system can be a dirty disaster. The worst part? The whole setup is lacking a critical element of freestanding trashcans — a lid. And where there's uncovered trash, kitchen odors, or rotting food spills, there's always... you guessed it, pests. Attracted by all of the unsavory sanitary issues homeowners face, these pull-out trash cabinet systems can quickly become a paradise for any number of trash-hungry creatures like ants, rodents, and cockroaches.

It's no surprise that kitchen pests, like bugs and rodents, love trash. One rotten banana peel is enough to attract an entire swarm of fruit flies, intrusion of cockroaches, colony of ants, or family of mice. So a major key to avoid luring these unwanted kitchen pests is to keep your trash area, their favorite snack, as clean as possible. The issue is that it is task enough to clean a gross trash can that is freestanding, but to also tackle the entire inside of the cabinet and the pull-out mechanism itself can be a miserable undertaking.

Aside from the usual bin (which is generally removable and easy to clean), a pull-out cabinet system creates a complicated surrounding area to add to the cleaning routine, often with a drawer and mechanism above, a cabinet with hard-to-reach corners, and hidden areas underneath and behind the bin — not to mention the actual pull-out mechanism, which is full of small nooks and crannies that can collect grime. Any neglected spots can be a beacon for pests, so keeping pull-out trash areas clean, especially in families with children or teenagers, can be very challenging. Frequent emptying of trash and a rigorous cleaning routine are essential to removing the odors and spills that attract pests in the first place.

Even if you have an Olympic gold medal in cleaning, the structure of the pull-out kitchen cabinet trash system is an issue unto itself. Since it is designed to simply roll out of the cabinet interior and accept waste into the open bin, there is typically no lid, as this would be an inconvenient additional step for someone to use the trash. But without a sealed lid, your trash can is always out in the open for pests to enjoy. A cabinet front, especially one with added bumpers for noise dampening, is nowhere near a sealed system, leaving a gap plenty big enough for odors to get out ... and bugs to get in.

There is a solution: You can add a manual interior lid to seal in odors and deter pests. While it may be inconvenient to operate with the extra step of lifting the lid, a lack of bugs or rodents is a significant consolation prize. Alternatively, look into purchasing a kitchen trash pull-out system with an integrated lid or one that operates automatically, if you want the best of both worlds.

While it may seem basic, keeping your pull-out cabinet trash bin area sanitary and investing in an internal lid are two simple yet smart ways to keep pesky bugs (or other pests) out of your kitchen.