[froggy7]

I've been cleaning up after my dog on walks and in the yard, and putting the poop in the trashcan that I keep in the garage. With the temperature getting up over a 100 these last few days... it reeks whenever I open the garbage can. I was thinking of getting one of those deoderizers that I remember having for gym lockers lo these many years ago (round discs that you could stick to things), only to discover that they apparently don't make them anymore.

So... any advice on what to do to control the odor? My mom has already suggested the obvious one of moving the trash out of the garage, which I will do. But I'd still like some advice, because I think it will still smell when I open the trash can, just not inside.

[Wondergirl]

I have four cats and scoop litter nightly. I put the scooped-up litter in a brown paper bag and seal it before it goes into the big trash can. If the can started to smell, once the trash has been picked up on Monday morning, I wash out the can with Simple Green.

Don't throw the poop directly into the can. Put it walk-by-walk into a brown paper bag that sits next to the can, and fold over the top edge a couple of times or even seal it with a clothes pin or two to contain the odor. Add the bag to the can in time for garbage pick-up.

[RubyPitbull]

Yeah, froggy, it gets pretty revolting this time of year. Wondergirl is right about keeping it in bags if you don't already. I thought they still made those deodorizers. Air Wick Stick Ups.? I haven't looked for them recently but do an internet search on them and see what you can find. You should be able to find them and stick them on the inside of the lid. The other thing you can do is find an odor neutralizer spray. Lysol makes a good one. Spray down the garbage when the odor knocks you over. Keep the can of spray somewhere nearby in the garage.

[froggy7]

I'll take the advice... but how does putting it into a paper bag help? I'd think that the plastic trash can would contain the odor better. Of course, that is the problem, so maybe it does work. Also, should I take the poop out of the plastic bags that I use on walks, or just throw those in the paper bag still sealed up?

[labman]

Surely you jest. Take it out of the bag? Not me.

I just picked up a pack of 180 bags for $4 at the pet store. These are the first I have bought. I love the bags my newspaper comes in on wet days. They are nice and deep, and free too. The trouble is, it has been so dry here this summer, they aren't keeping up to Holly. I only use them way from home. In less than a week it was 5 days mostly away from home. It depleted the last of my newspaper bags.

Do you slip the plastic bag over your hand and pick it up and turn the bag inside out? That is so easy a blind man could do it.

[Wondergirl]

Plastic bags, especially if tied up, will cause aerobic bacteria to work on organic contents that will then "decompose" and smell even stronger. Brown paper bags will allow organic contents to dry up (exposure to air) and not smell as strong.

If the "walk" bags are tied up tightly so odors are contained, they can be put into the brown bag. If they are open, tie them up tightly or dump the contents into the brown bag.

This is all very scientific. Medical examiners and forensic pathologists sometimes have to deal with bodies that have decayed when trapped in plastic. Read books by Patricia Cornwell who writes fiction adventures around such things.

[RubyPitbull]

Like labman, I use either the little doggy poop bags or recycled plastic newspapers or grocery bags. I keep a plastic garbage bin in my garage with a contractors garbage bag lining the bin. When I dispose of the feces, I don't open the poop bags. They go into the bin and I fold over the plastic liner to close off the stench. I have a cover to the bin that locks into place. Until that bag is completely filled with garbage, I will spray it with a neutralizer. This time of year, I spray once a day.

[labman]

When out in public, I look for a trash can away from people. I make extra effort not to have to use one near a picnic table. Sometimes I have no choice but to give smokers more incentive to quit. Once on the net, I found in some places it is illegal to deposit the deposits in a third party's garbage. So far I haven't gotten in trouble for using any handy dumpster. What I really hate is having to hold a bag in the trunk of the car. It really stinks the whole car up when you come back. The dogs must find it strange for me to gather it up out of the grass and put it in the car. But then, people are very strange dogs.

[froggy7]

I use the doggy poop bags. Don't get a newspaper, or else I would be using those. And yes, Trink looks at me like I'm insane when I clean up after her. You can almost see her thinking "I went there so that the other dogs could find it, and you pick it up???"