How to Clean and Maintain a 13 Gallon Kitchen Trash Can | Step-by-Step Care

A 13-gallon kitchen trash can needs weekly cleaning with warm soapy water, a thorough rinse, and complete drying to prevent odors and mold from building up.

A 13-gallon bin sees more grime than any other kitchen appliance. Coffee grounds ferment at the bottom, mystery liquids pool under the bag, and within two weeks the smell makes you avoid the whole corner. The fix is a predictable weekly routine that takes about ten minutes, plus a different approach depending on whether your can is stainless steel, plastic, or a sensor model with electronics. One wrong cleaner can ruin the finish or destroy the lid mechanism, so the order matters as much as the effort.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you touch the can so the cleaning runs without a pause to hunt for supplies. Most of them are already in your kitchen.

• Liquid dish soap
• Long-handled brush or scrub brush
• Nylon scrubbie or old toothbrush (never steel wool)
• White vinegar and baking soda
• Terry cloth or microfiber towels
• Rubber gloves
• Disinfectant spray (optional, for deep sanitizing)

Weekly Cleaning Routine for Any 13-Gallon Can

The basic cycle works for every type of bin — the only variable is whether the lid can get wet.

Empty the can and remove any stuck liners or debris. Take it outside or place it in the bathtub. Spray the interior with warm water, then scrub every surface with dish soap and a brush, paying extra attention to the bottom seam where liquid pools. Rinse thoroughly with clean water — leftover soap attracts dirt. Wipe the interior dry with a towel or let the sun do the work for an hour. Sunlight also helps kill odor-causing bacteria naturally.

Important: On sensor touchless models like the iTouchless 13 Gallon, never submerge the lid. The electronics live inside it. Clean it with a lightly dampened cloth only, and dry it immediately.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Without Ruining the Finish

Stainless steel is the most common material for 13-gallon kitchen trash cans, and it also has the most cleaning rules. Break any of them, and you get permanent scratches or rust spots.

Always wipe in the direction of the grain — usually top to bottom. A damp cloth with a drop of dish soap is enough for routine cleaning. Rinse the cloth with clean water and wipe again to remove soap residue, then finish with a dry terry towel. Streaks mean you left soap behind.

For tough stains that won’t lift, make a paste with baking soda and liquid dish soap. Apply it to the stain with a nylon scrubbie or an old toothbrush, scrub gently following the grain, rinse, and dry. If that doesn’t work, use undiluted white vinegar on a cloth, scrub gently, rinse, and towel dry. Vinegar dissolves mineral deposits and stuck-on residue without damaging the metal — but only if you rinse it off completely.

Deep Cleaning When the Smell Won’t Quit

If the weekly wipe-down isn’t enough and the bin still smells the moment you lift the bag, it needs a deeper treatment. Odor embeds in the bottom seam and under the rim where liquid seeps into crevices the brush misses.

Remove the can to a well-ventilated area or outside. Mix 4 cups white vinegar with ½ cup dish soap and enough warm water to fill the bottom few inches. Pour it in and let it sit for 15 minutes. Scrub everything again — the vinegar cuts grease and neutralizes alkaline odors that soap alone leaves behind. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. For persistent smells, sprinkle baking soda across the bottom and let it sit overnight before rinsing.

If the mold is visible on the underside of the lid, it likely came from warm, moist food scraps like coffee grounds or fruit peels. Let food waste cool before tossing it into the bin. For disinfectant sprays like Lysol, use them outside or with the windows open — the fumes concentrate in a confined kitchen.

Sensor Lid Problems and How to Fix Them

Touchless sensor cans are the most convenient until they stop responding, and the fix is almost never the electronics being broken.

If the lid won’t open, place the can in an open area where nothing blocks the sensor eye — counter edges and walls disrupt the infrared beam. Make sure direct sunlight or a bright spotlight isn’t shining on the sensor, which floods it and confuses the reading. Let the unit sit undisturbed for two hours to reset, then test it again. Most sensor failures are location problems, not hardware failures. If the lid still doesn’t respond after that, replace the batteries and check the filter at the manufacturer’s iTouchless filter and battery page.

Choosing Between Plastic, Sensor, and Step-Open Models

The material of your 13-gallon kitchen trash can defines how much maintenance it needs and what you can do wrong. Stainless steel needs the most care but lasts longest and resists odors best. Plastic step-open bins are lighter and cheaper — a solid choice if you don’t mind replacing them every few years. Sensor models save you from touching the lid but require you to keep the electronics dry and the sensor path clear. Before you buy a new one, check our tested roundup of the best 13-gallon kitchen trash cans for the models that actually survive daily use.

Weekly Maintenance Checklist

This is the routine that keeps a 13-gallon can working and smelling clean without overthinking it.

1. Empty the can and remove all liner remnants.
2. Scrub interior and exterior with warm soapy water and a brush.
3. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
4. Wipe dry with a terry towel or air dry in the sun.
5. On stainless steel models, do a final dry-polish with a soft cloth in the direction of the grain.
6. On sensor models, wipe the lid with a slightly damp cloth — never submerge it.
7. Check the sensor area for obstructions and direct light sources.
8. Replace the odor filter per the manufacturer’s schedule.