Walking into your garage only to be assaulted by the smell of festering dog poop is stomach turning to say the least. If it’s been a while since the last trash pick-up day, or if your garage doors and windows have been closed all day, the smell can be completely overpowering, especially in the summertime.
Not everyone lives way out in the country where they don’t have to give a second thought to their dog’s poop. Most dog owners must routinely rid their yard of dog waste and pick up (and bring home) what their dog leaves behind on walks as per town and city ordinances.
Dog poop stinking up your garage? Need a solution ASAP? Here are our favorites!
Tried & Tested: Steel trash can lined with scented kitchen trash bags. Sprinkle in some odor-eliminating powder for extra stinky situations.
Self-Contained System: The Playtex Diaper Genie Pail, while designed for human babies, works great for furry babies as well.
Pet Waste Station w/ Ventilation: The PawPail Waste Station is a bit more pricey but comes with activated carbon filters and dual ventilation. Can be used outside or in the garage.
Additionally, many people must abide by the strict rules and regulations outlined by their homeowners’ association. Things such as setting a smelly garbage can outside on a day not designated for pick-up or burying waste in the backyard are often forbidden, and the penalty for infractions typically includes heavy fines.
These ordinances and rules leave many dog owners facing the predicament of what to do with their dog’s poop. Sticking it in a garbage can in the garage (because who could stand that smell indoors?) is often the only apparent solution.
So, is learning to live with the horrible stench your only option? No! We’ve put together a bunch of helpful, practical advice and tricks so that you no longer have to avoid your garage.
How to Keep Dog Poop from Smelling up Your Garage
You may have considered constructing a small catapult to launch your dog’s stinky piles into the yard of that neighbor whose been giving you trouble for years.
As tempting as that idea may be, there truly are better ways to deal with all that poop. After all, you really don’t want to be that guy, do you?
Rather than becoming the most hated neighbor on the block and risking a run-in with law enforcement, try a few of our odor eliminating ideas.
For a more powerful punch, use a combination of techniques to banish that offensive odor for good (and keep yourself in good standing with your neighbors).
#1 Flush the Dog Poop
One great way to keep your garage from stinking like poop is to keep the poop out in the first place. Why not make use of that modern convenience known as a toilet? Yep, you can flush your dog’s poop!
Now, unless your dog is particularly talented, chances are that you won’t be able to train him to actually do his business in the toilet (but wouldn’t it be nice?)
What you can do is carefully pick up the pile using a few paper towels, flushable wipes, or better yet, flushable pet waste bags and drop it into your toilet. Problem solved.
Note:
- Check to see if your city specifically forbids this practice before utilizing this method.
- This method won’t work well if the stools are not firm and solid.
- Do not flush any plastic bags.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) endorses this method as possibly the best disposal plan.
#2 Trash Can with Secure Lid
A tight-fitting lid on your garbage can is a must for controlling odors in your garage. Either a plastic or metal can will work, though a galvanized steel trash can will not retain odors as readily as a plastic one will.
Keep the lid shut firmly at all times unless you’re making a deposit and remind other family members to be sure that the lid is in place. You may receive a blast of fetid air when you do open the lid, but your garage should remain relatively free of poop fumes. Combat that smell by using some scented kitchen trash bags like these.
#3 Cat Litter Deodorizer
Products designed to cut down on odors emanating from cat litter boxes can also be put to use in your garage. When sprinkled into stinky garbage cans or directly into a full dog waste collection bag, they absorb nasty odors and leave the surrounding area smelling fresher.
Nature’s Miracle Odor Destroyer also uses zeolite to trap odors and has a light, fresh scent. Another popular deodorizer is Arm & Hammer Double Duty Deodorizer which, to no one’s surprise, uses baking soda to eliminate and neutralize bad smells.
A somewhat lesser-known, yet very effective deodorizer, is Rocco & Roxie Odor Eliminator. This product uses natural corncob pieces and a blend of essential oils to absorb odors and break them down at the molecular level.
#4 Baking Soda
Due to the high protein diet of most dogs today, the waste that is produced is highly acidic (and smelly). Baking soda, a base, works to get rid of the smell by neutralizing the acids that are producing the odor. Having painful flashbacks of high school chemistry class yet?
You can just sprinkle some baking soda into the reeking garbage can, or for greater effectiveness, pour some baking soda onto a paper plate and place on top of the garbage before closing the lid. This provides a large surface area of odor-fighting crystals so that more stink-producing acids are able to be neutralized.
Tip: Be sure to use a garbage can liner to make removal quick and easy.
#5 Coal and Ash Bucket With Lid
Metal buckets used for cleaning out the ash that accumulates in fireplaces have an old-fashioned charm to them and such an antique, country appeal that they are often used as decorations.
Those living in a neighborhood where outdoor garbage cans are frowned upon may be able to dupe the neighbors by using one of these attractive coal and ash buckets to store a dog’s regular deposits outside in plain sight.
Either drop in your sealed dog waste collection bags or line the bucket with a small liner and add the waste directly to the bucket. Place the lid on top, and no one will guess what is actually inside. The yard gets a new decoration and your garage stays fresh and clean. That’s what we call a win-win situation!
#6 Mini Septic System For Dog Poop
The Dog Dooley Septic Tank For Pet Waste keeps the dog poop out of your garage entirely. This galvanized steel unit installs under the ground in your backyard and acts much like a standard septic tank does.
Dog waste is composted naturally into a liquid using just water, bacteria, and enzymes. The resulting liquid then seeps harmlessly away into the ground.
For greater decomposition speed, try drilling several holes in the bottom of the unit before installing it in the ground and occasionally add mealworms or a product like RidX to the composting poo.
#7 Separate Container Designed For Dog Waste
Using a separate, self-contained system for storing dog poop until trash pick-up day works for many dog owners dealing with a stinky garage. A separate vessel allows you to still access your regular garbage cans without being overwhelmed by the stench of rotting dog stool.
The Diaper Genie can certainly be repurposed for stashing away dog poop and actually does a really good job.
Another effective option we’ve found is the PawPail Pet Waste Station which can be used either outdoors near your dog’s potty area or inside your garage. This station includes an activated carbon air filter and dual ventilation system to keep the smells at bay while discreetly hiding the contents. Either use individual dog waste bags or use a small liner in the inner basket.
#8 Dog Waste Bags
If you have owned a dog for a while and enjoy taking long walks with him regularly, you’re probably already familiar with those little bags that you use to pick up and dispose of your dog’s offerings.
For those new to dog ownership or those who recently moved into a town that requires you to clean up after your dog, you’ll most likely soon need to invest in some (okay, a lot of) dog waste bags.
When properly tied shut, these handy bags can go a long way in preventing your garage from becoming a smelly space everyone avoids. Most come with a convenient dispenser to clip onto your dog’s leash so that you’ll never forget to bring it along and find yourself stranded by a pile of you-know-what.
#9 Standard 5 Gallon Bucket With a Lid
An ordinary 5-gallon pail with a lid is a convenient way to keep your dog’s waste contained until the next trash pick-up day. The lids clamp down firmly to hold the odor inside and not pollute the air in your garage with nauseating smells.
Line the bucket with a 5-gallon liner for a mess-free way to empty the waste into your large bins when full.
Many grocery store bakery departments receive their cake frosting in buckets like this and will gladly sell you their empty buckets for a small fee. It certainly won’t hurt to ask. You may need to wash them out thoroughly before using them, but this is a small price to pay for a sturdy, quality bucket.
#10 Bury It
If you live in an area not governed by a homeowners’ association, burying dog waste in an unused part of your landscape may be a feasible option. Just choose a sight that is well away from the house and is unlikely to be disturbed by children playing or digging in the dirt.
For the sake of the environment, don’t bury any plastic bags along with the poop.
#11 Clean Trash Cans Frequently
Washing out the garbage cans in your garage regularly will help to cut down on foul odors. Trash cans made of plastic especially tend to hold on to odors and will benefit from a thorough washing.
A plastic spray bottle filled with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution or bleach and water solution (opt for the vinegar and water if washing metal cans) are great for saturating the inside of the cans. Give them a quick rinse and let them air dry upside down in the sun.
An odor-eliminating product like Simple Green Odor Eliminator For Pets is great for freshening up your trash cans and can be used on patios, decks, gravel, brick, and even your lawn to dispel bad, lingering smells. Simply attach the bottle to your hose and spray away odors.
In the event that your dog (or a stray that you’ve housed in your garage while you located the owner) has done his business on the floor of your garage, the Simple Green Odor Eliminator will eradicate the smell and won’t leave you with a headache like bleach might.
What You Should Not Do With Your Dog’s Doo-Doo
We’ve already cautioned against chunking hunks of poop into a neighboring yard, but there are also a couple of other disposal methods that are not the best of ideas.
Please do not:
- Use dog droppings as fertilizer in your vegetable garden. Dog feces can take a long time to fully decompose and contain harmful parasites that can infect your other pets and even you and your family.
- Throw away your dog’s waste in a neighbor’s garbage can. That is just plain rude and is a great invitation for revenge if you’re caught in the act.
- Add dog poop to your backyard compost heap. Chances are excellent that the compost pile will not maintain the ideal temperature range for the required time to kill all harmful bacteria and parasites.
- Leave behind “surprises” when walking your dog. Be responsible.
- Allow your backyard to become a turd minefield. Regularly clear your yard of dog waste to keep the fly population at bay and to ensure that you and your family will be able to enjoy spending time outdoors in the backyard with your faithful friend.
Last update on 2024-04-24 at 12:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
