ktgrok Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) Ok, so warning, this is a GROSS problem, and I am stymied on how to handle this. One of those "no one told you about this stuff " parts of being a grown up. So... I think something died in the trash can outside. I think something crawled in there, died, had maggots laid or something, and then when the can was emptied by the automatic truck the dead thing and trash was dumped out, but the maggots or whatever they are stuck around. DH took the trash down and somehow didn't notice the terrible smell, but when I went to bring it back up yesterday I was hit by the dead creature smell. Then I saw a ton of wasps flying in and out of the open can. I grabbed a can of wasp spray and sprayed them as I could, then looked in the can and saw all sorts of larvae wriggling around - I'm guessing the wasps were attacking them. I freaked out. I sprayed them with the wasp spray in a panic, and then drove off ( I was on my way somewhere). Came back and they were not dead. Stunk more from sitting in the sun. Dumped some bleach in there, and water, spraying down the sides where the gross things were trying to climb out! Left it in the sun. This morning the bleach killed the lava, and the smell is gone, but I have a few inches of bleach water, mud (there was dirt and landscape rocks in there as well as household trash), a few pieces of trash, and dead larvae of some sort - nearly an inch long each. WHAT DO I DO NOW?!?!?!?! I have a brand new lawn I grew from seed after MONTHS of work. i do NOT want to dumb this crud on my new lawn. I can't stand that idea. The bleach may hurt it, and then there would be dead gross grub/larvae/maggott things in my "nice to walk barefoot on" lawn. Not to mention I JUST killed off a bunch of armyworms/caterpillars in my lawn, the idea of putting any MORE creatures on there is not appealing. But mostly, ugh, gross and can't be good for the new grass, right? But, what else can I do? Wait and dump it in the street under cover of darkness? That's not right. Try to finagle a way to get a super large trash bag over the top of the bind and pour the stuff into the bag? Definitely a two person job, but DS20 is home today and has a strong stomach....maybe he'd help. Then tie it off and put the bag in the trash, after spraying down the trashcan and cleaning it well? Move? Like, I feel this must be something someone else has dealt with, and yet there is no obvious solution that I can come up with. Or maybe my brain is paralyzed by the sight of the larvae. I REALLY hate larvae/grubs/etc. UGH. Update: update - I cleaned it. Diluted, dumped in the grass in that one area that isn't really part of the main yard, and then hosed it out REALLLY well and it is drying in the sun. UGH! Edited July 17, 2019 by Ktgrok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Me, I would get a new trashcan. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 So, my 20 year old came up with the obvious solution I was missing. Just leave it there until the next trash day, and then let it get dumped into the big trash truck by the automatic arm. Duh! Now that the things are dead I figure they will dump out with everything else. They do give it a good shake. So I'll put my trash bags on top like normal, by the time the truck picks it up on Friday the bleach will have dissipated, so no worries about it contaminating anything anyway, and it will hopefully get dumped into the truck, lavae and all. And with the bleach in there I won't grow any new larvae between now and then I'd think. Sometimes the lazy solution is the right solution, lol. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Diluted bleach won't hurt your yard. Dead things won't hurt your yard. If it were me I'd fill the can with lots of water to make sure the bleach is well diluted and then I'd dump it out. Then I'd hose it out really well and water down the grass where I'd dumped. And I'd let the can dry in the sun for the rest of the day. Leaving the stuff in my can would gross me out way more than putting it on the yard, where it will soon decay. Are you sure something died in it? Regular household garbage, especially if it contains meat or fruit/veggie peelings, dog/cat poo, etc., can smell absolutely disgusting in the southern summer heat and humidity. I'm a bit paranoid about keeping a clean trash can, so we routinely clean ours several times a year, especially during the summer months. The grass has never been harmed in the slightest. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 Hmmm..I can't dump in the backyard because the dogs would have a field day rolling in dead maggots. But there IS one patch of grass in the front I care the least about, a little square bordered by the road, driveway, sidewalk, and an electric pole.....I could maybe dump it there. No one plays/walks/hangs out there. It does bother me to think about it being there. And then could clean the recycling bin at the same time I guess. ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) Well we have a very small company pick up our trash and he is the driver and the picker upper. So I would not leave that mess in there for him to encounter. I agree with others to dilute and dump. It won’t hurt your lawn. It is gross though. Happens here a lot. We spray out with the hose and if it is too bad we put bleach in and let it sit for a few hours. Also, once you dump it leave it sitting in the sun to dry Edited July 17, 2019 by Scarlett Melt? I have no idea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 1 minute ago, happysmileylady said: If you have any dirt or mulch, you could dump the maggots there, then cover them up with some dirt so no one will see it when they walk by. The dead bugs will decay right into the ground in a few days anyway. hmm...I do actually. I have an area that is going to be mulched, but hasn't been yet, and I have plenty of straw to cover it up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 This was me a couple weeks ago, LOL. So far I have just left it and it seems to have gone away by itself? In your situation I would either: 1) Dilute, then drag it to a storm sewer on the ground and dump it in. 2) Dump in some pet litter to absorb it and wait until the next garbage pickup, hoping it will all go away at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 update - I cleaned it. Diluted, dumped in the grass in that one area that isn't really part of the main yard, and then hosed it out REALLLY well and it is drying in the sun. UGH! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Next time, if there is a new time, you could use vinegar instead of bleach. It works, and it might be kinder to the lawn? Thankfully, my dh dealt with this but I know the vinegar absolutely worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 4 hours ago, Junie said: Me, I would get a new trashcan. This. This is pretty much what I would do. Or make DH deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 if there is a next time (hopefully, never) - get a huge pile of paper (either shredded from your shredder) or junk mail or advertisement fliers or newspapers. Shove them into the disgusting bleach solution. Put in enough to absorb all of it. Leave for 2 days in the sun. The paper will not be soggy anymore. Then, use double layers of garbage bags to bag it up and put it in your trash. Then, use diluted bleach to spray the can again and rise off several time with the hose. Bleach is a deodorizer as well. Thinking about it, I would actually add another round of spraying with 409 type disinfectant cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 7 hours ago, Junie said: Me, I would get a new trashcan. Hmmm...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 I would soak up the liquid with something like sand, kitty litter? Or shredded paper like mathnerd suggested. Then I'd bag up the soaked material. I don't know that I'd leave it in the sun to dry, that would be pretty smelly for a neighbourhood I'd think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I ❤️your thread title and I ❤️this forum. That is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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