5 Steps to Get Started with Trash Compactors

Who likes trash? Show of hands please. Anyone? Bueller?

Nobody enjoys seeing a trash bin filled to the rim. But it happens, especially when you have a household of savages, er, teenagers. It’s all about adaptation, though, which could also mean installing a trash compactor in your household.

If you haven’t thought about one, then perhaps now is the time to!

Here are five things you need to know about trash compactors:

1. Know What to Buy

So, you’re interested in buying a trash compactor, huh? It’s about time, considering all the trash you accumulate every single day. Isn’t it a tad tedious to constantly throw out the black garbage bags?

However, it can be difficult to know what exactly to purchase, especially if it’s your first time.

What should you be on the lookout for? Let’s explore a few things:

• There are three types of compactors: free standing, under-the-counter, and convertible.
• Be sure to measure the trash compactor and the space you want to install it in.
• Many environmentally-friendly compactors are on the open market.
• It will require maintenance (see below).
• Several colours are available, including black, white, wood, and stainless steel.

It’s good to be equipped with this consumer knowledge when you’re shopping.

2. Yes, You Can Maintain Them

Every trash compactor requires maintenance. This makes sense considering how much trash your household produces, and all the bacteria that can eat away at your machine.

To prolong its lifespan, it is essential that you perform routine maintenance on your compactor.

Here is what you can and should do:

• Unplug your appliance from the wall before doing anything.
• Remove the trash bin and examine the compactor to find debris, missing objects, and other potential malfunctions.
• Grab a cleaning product, even if it is just a bottle with warm, soapy water.
• Don’t want to perform an in-depth cleaning? Grab a damp cloth and wipe down.

Of course, if you want to play it safe, then you should hire a professional repairman to complete an annual inspection of the compactor. This will ensure you can be proactive in remedying the issue before it gets out of hand.

3. Concentrate on Safety Systems

Safety first!

Every trash compactor has a series of safety features that are meant for children – we all know it is for your DIY-obsessed husband who wants to fix everything by himself.

You should employ these methods to make sure everyone is safe and secure:

• Turn on a safety lock to stop children from opening the drawer.
• Use the anti-jam system to prevent jamming.
• Look out for a removable key knob control in case it operates.
• Install tilt sensors to guarantee it doesn’t operate if unleveled.

These are all important to pay attention to.

4. How to Properly Use a Compactor

Now that you have installed a trash compactor, and sought out certain features and functions, the question becomes: How the heck do I even use this thing?

Well, believe it or not, but using a trash compactor is pretty much the same as having a waste bin. You pretty much do the exact same thing: dump trash in the compactor. However, you should be a bit conscious about liquids and glass because the former can create a mess and the ladder can also cut you.

5. Air Filters Are Essential

Trash stinks. This should be reason enough to produce as little waste as possible.

That said, if you don’t want to endure the horrific odour of trash compactors, then it is critical to routinely install air filters that can eliminate the smell. Or, if you do not have an air filter, then you can simply deodorize with baking soda on the compactor floor.

It’s also a prudent step to constantly replace the bag with a new one. It would be great if we had zero trash. Perhaps one day there will be a machine that simply eliminates it and sends the garbage into the deepest recesses of space. Until then, you may need to seek out alternatives, like trash compactors.