Lifting the lid to find maggots is one of the worst jobs of summer. The good news is that they are easy to prevent once you know why they appear.
Why maggots appear
Maggots are fly larvae. Flies are drawn to rotting food and meat, and they lay their eggs on it. If a fly can get to food waste in your bin, through a split bag, a gap under the lid or residue on the walls, the eggs can hatch within a day or so in warm weather.
Dealing with them now
- Wait for the bin to be emptied, so you’re dealing with an empty bin.
- Wash the bin out thoroughly, including the rim and the underside of the lid, where eggs are often laid.
- Clean around the bin area too, as larvae can crawl out onto the ground.
- Let the bin dry fully before using it again.
Don’t pour boiling water or chemicals into a drain to get rid of them. Dirty water and cleaning products should not go into surface water drains, which usually lead to local streams and rivers.
Stopping them coming back
- Bag and tie all food waste, especially meat and fish.
- Double-bag the smelliest scraps, or keep them in the freezer until collection day.
- Keep the lid shut. Don’t overfill the bin so the lid sits open.
- Keep the bin clean. Residue on the walls is enough for flies to lay eggs on.
- Use your food caddy if your council collects food waste, and keep it clean too. See keeping your food caddy clean.
A regular clean helps most
A bin that is washed and sanitised every few weeks gives flies nothing to lay eggs on. Our wheelie bin cleaning does the whole job on the kerb, with no mess left on your drive. Get a quote.
