How to Keep Dog Poop from Smelling Up Garage? (and Tricks)
If you have a dog, it is going to poop…a lot. You often need somewhere to put that poop. Many people will stick it in the trash can in their garage. The problem?
It won’t be long before that poop smell starts to appear in the garage. Well, that is if you do not do anything about it. Don’t let poop smell win! Let’s fight the good war against the stink and use our guide to escape the stink.
Luckily for you, we will tell you everything that you need to know about stopping that poop smell dead. GOODBYE STINK!
Your arsenal, tools, and war guide on how to keep dog poop from smelling up garage.
Trash Cans
Since you are reading this article on keeping dog poop from selling up garage, we assume that you are actually using trash cans. One would hope you do not have the poop just scattered around the place! You will, however, likely notice that placing the dog poop in the trash can may not stop it from smelling, mainly if it is warm in the garage (more on that soon)
There are three things you can do here that will help stop the poop stench from filling up your garage.
Perhaps the ‘most important’ is to actually buy a bin that seals shut. You want the seal between the lid and the rest of the bin to be as tight as possible. This will help to keep the awful stench locked away inside of the container.
You could also purchase a steel bin. Although, of course, you will still want to ensure that the bin has a reasonably decent seal on it. Steel is a bit better at stopping smells from escaping, at least in comparison to plastic containers.
Finally, use scented garbage bags. While they may not lock in the worst smells, they will certainly help a little bit.
Diaper Bin (Yep really!)
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Diaper bins have been designed specifically for poop. So, what better place to store poop than in a nice diaper bin? Obviously, they are going to be costing a little bit more than your standard trash can. Still, if you have a really intense smell in your garage, this may be the only option available to you. Luckily, it is probably one of the best options on this list.
Your one issue will be that you absolutely must remember to remove the poop from the diaper bin and stick it in the trash can on trash days (you will be surprised at how many people forget!)
Bag Up Poop Individually
While this is unlikely to completely cut back on the smell, it will almost certainly help a little bit.
If you bag up the poop into small poop bags, then the poop smell now needs to get through two bags and a bin before it gets into your garage. It is really just adding an extra barrier. As we said, it is unlikely to do too much, but every little bit helps rights? This is particularly true if the poop is particularly smelly!
It is worth noting that you should only be using biodegradable poop bags. They may be a little bit more expensive, but since you will be using multiple ones per day, you probably do want to do your bit for the environment, right?
Natural Deodorizer (Unleash the POWER of Bicarb)
When it comes to keeping dog poop from smelling up the garage, natural deodorizer should be a pretty safe bet. Now, you can pick up a solid natural deodorizer but don’t buy those. They can be expensive. You just need something that you can find in your store cupboard at home—two words; baking soda.
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If you understand a dog’s diet, you will know that it is packed to the brim with protein. This is what helps your dog keep robust and to be active, but the waste produced by this smells absolutely awful. This is because the waste is very, very acidic.
As you may well know, baking soda is an alkaline compound. This means that when it comes into contact with that smelly acidic poop, it is pretty much going to neutralize the smell. It will stop it dead in the tracks. Sure, a small amount of poop smell may somehow get around the baking soda (it can’t eliminate everything!), most of it should be ‘trapped.’
There are several ways that you can use the baking soda to neutralize the poop smell. Our favorite is to just sprinkle it into the trash can as soon as you make a poop deposit. However, some people will buy a pot of some description. They will add some baking soda and then sit on top of the trash bag in the trash can. This should capture any smells that are rising from the trash can, which is fantastic!
A super cute Poochon puppy Photo by mbtrama /CC BY
Cat Litter Deodorizer
Cat litter deodorizer has been designed specially for capturing poop smells. While it can be a little bit more expensive than baking soda, it may be pretty much your only option if you find the baking soda doesn’t work i.e., the poop is repulsively smelly, or you have just let it get completely out of hand.
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There are plenty of different cat little deodorizer options on the market. You will probably need to experiment with them to find what works well for you.
You will use this in much the same way that you would use the baking soda. This means sprinkling it into the bin.
Flush the Poop
Why put the poop in a bin in the first place? Why not just wrap it up in a small amount of tissue and flush it? Save the environment where possible by embracing this simple solution.
This is actually far, far better for the environment. After all, you will not be tossing a ton of small plastic bags into the ground, biodegradable or not.
Yes. We know that flushing the poop can make some people a little bit squeamish. However, we promise you, once you have wrapped up the first piece of poop in a bit of paper and flushed it away, things get a whole lot easier.
Some people will have a small sealable bucket they put the dog poop in. Once a day, they flush it away. This may be a good solution for some people. It will stop you from needing to run to the bathroom every time your dog does its business.
Build a Porch Potty (self draining!)
If you feel like getting hands on and doing some DIY – you could consider building a self draining porch potty. I built one (in the video above) for our Miniature Labradoodle Max. He loves it! See how we built it.
There are easier DIY options and budget friendly premade options for porch potties available. For people with a balcony it can be a very elegant solution!
Store the Bins Outside
This may not be possible for everybody. However, if you can store your bins outside, then do that.
The problem with garages is that they tend to be quite hot. When you warm up bacteria (and there is a lot of it in the poop), it will start to unleash awful smells. If the bin is outside, then it probably will not warm up anywhere near as much. Although, do bear in mind that when the warmer summer months start to roll in, it may actually be better to store the bins inside your garage again. You probably do not want to be confronted with an awful smell the second you get back home, do you?
Storing bins outside will, of course, mean a lot more airflow around the bin too. This means that the smell should just waft away.
Clean the Trash Can
Every so often, you should be giving your trash can a good scrub.
Remember, smells will stick to the inside of the trash can. This means that even if you stop putting poop in it, the scent will still linger about still.
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Every couple of months grabs some disinfectant and goes to work on the inside of the trash can. You may even want to sprinkle a little bit of baking soda into it when you are done. Hopefully, it will end up smelling nice and fresh.
If you are already dealing with a poop smell in your garage, this will probably be the best place for you to start.
Compost Heap
If you have the space to make a compost heap, why not use the poop? Obviously, poop is a fantastic fertilizer, so you may as well put it to some fair use, yes?
It doesn’t take much effort either. Just get yourself a compost bin. Throw in some trash plant matter (including grass clippings) and then use the poop on top of that. It will all break down naturally over time. This will leave you with some fantastic compost.
You do need to remember that it will smell, so you will probably want to try and keep your brand new compost heap away from your home. Most people will stick it down the end of their garden.
Stink Busting Conclusion
So, there you have it—plenty of ways to prevent dog poop from smelling up your garage. While you may not be able to completely eradicate the smell, if you follow the tips above, you should be able to keep it to the absolute minimum. It will probably make your garage a much more pleasant place to be!
