Substitute for outdoor garbage can lid

[mm]

For once I was went out just an hour after my garbage was collected, and no one was out there, and yet this was the day my lid disappeared.

I've waited a week for it to return, but I don't think it knows the way.

I want to make a substitute. For a previous plstic can, I just made a lid out of T1-11, and it's pretty good when I set in the right place. I might even put little brackets on it to keep the lid in place.

I have more t1-11, but this can is thinner and it doesn't seem appropriate. So I thought of some material, the blue woven tarps, or a piece of canvas, or some other fabric, or part of my old convertible top (which I'm saving for something more important). I would sew a hem around the whole edge, with a bungy cord inside. I already have the cord. It should take about 20 minutes total, maybe less, since the sewing machine is out right now.

BUT, WHAT ABOUT MICE???? Will they go right through the fabrics I have in mind. I especially wanted to use the blue polypropylene? woven tarp material because I have scraps of that the right size. What about vinyl window screen, or aluminum window screen. Those won't suppress smells, but even the garbage rarely smells much for more than a day or two, and I have no neighbor for the next 4 months or more, and then it will be cold. But the mice have better smellers.

But will the mouse chew through aluminum screen? I could even make it two layers, plastic to keep the smell in, and window screen to keep the moouse out.

Thanks for any helpful replies.

[Jim Elbrecht]

I'm a big spender, so I'd probably pick up a new lid at the hardware store for $5 next time I was there. Or maybe pick this as a time to upgrade my trash can and relegate the old one to new duties. [carting leaves, holding water while I mix concrete, etc.]

-snip-

Probably not as they'd have to scale a slick surface 50 times as tall as they are.

That would look too classy and folks would always be stealing it on you.

It would also let the rain in which could make the can a little heavy.

Jim

[mm]

If I could buy a lid by itself, I would gladly do it, but if I bought a lid, it would come with a can and then I'd have two cans and one lid.

This one is like new.

That's a good point. This is about the only thing you've agreed with me on, but this is the most important. It is slick too, more so even than other materials used.

Maybe. I was for some reason thinking of taking it off before I took out the trash anyhow. I guess because someone took the last lid. It's against the rules but some people do it, and I could make sure there was nothing on top that would blow off, which is the reason for the rule.

I have an overhang where I keep this can, and it doesn't get wet.

[norminn]

Make and form a lid from hardware cloth. Buy some plasticized fabric, sew or glue a strap to the center of round piece of fabric for a handle. Use hot-melt glue to fasten fabric to the h.c. form, being sure to wrap bottom edge and turn it up like a hem. Use permanent marker to put yer name and address on it. If plasticized fabric is too lavish, just use some heavy cotton, canvas or old plastic tarp. You can pretty much waterproof any heavy fabric - just tack it down, brush on some primer, dry, two coats paint. (That's pretty much what Michelanglo did :o) Make a couple of spares for potential loss, or to sell at next garage sale. If you have a crafty spouse, she might want to decorate them with some cute thing, like ducks or hearts (or a very realistic rat). Add a rope tied to a brick so when the trash collector heaves the cover, it doesn't blow away :o)

[mm]

That's me!

That's not my style.

That's the kind of girl I want.

Good idea. Although it wasn't windy the day mine disappeared. The only place I can imagine that it went was down the storm drain, although I thought it was too tall for that.

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

First hit- $6.20 from your friendly Ace Hardware Store.

Jim

[DerbyDad03]

Turn the can over. No lid required.

[mike]

Forget the lid. When you set out your garbage, tape or tie off the outer liner bag.

I haven't used the lid outdoor in years. No problems yet. Nothing to lose or replace.

[DerbyDad03]

My waste hauler supplies big roller cans that the truck lifts and dumps automatically - no charge 'cuz it easier/faster for them.

The hinged lid stays permanantly attached.

Have you asked your hauler about that option?

[norminn]

clipped

We have those....hubby had to chase one down the street in a hurricane and drag it back against the wind. Very heavy.

[mm]

I can tell by looking, it's not an option. When they have that, don't they insist that everyone use it? In fact, don't they get rid of everyone except the truck driver, who doesn't have to get out of the truck. Here the county collects the garbage and they have 2 or 3 guys in addition to the driver, who walk along in my townhouse n'hood, and probably hang on to the truck when they go any distance without houses. There would be short distances like that, but no long ones I think, except to and from the garbage depot. Maybe all four can fit in the front seat?? I'll have to pay attention.

I made a point to put my garbage out close to the street, on this corner area that is right next to the road, to make it easier for them. Now everyone near me does that, so they don't have to carry the stuff from the curb the length of a car parking spot. But they still go past it and then back up to be as close as possible to 3 or 4 houses' trash.

DerbyDad, as to putting the can upside down, I tried that just now, and I have to crawl on the ground to put something inside. I'm not sure it will work.

Mike, the truth is I haven't used bags for years. They don't want us using bags, or even cans with bags but no lids, I thought because the mice would get at it in the days before it's put out. When it's out, I've noticed seagulls, I think I saw, pecking through the bags. (This is Baltimore, which is 60 miles from the sea! But there are flocks of

30 or 50 birds at a lot of big parking lots. Maybe they only come here on garbage day. )

Of course, maybe if the bags are well sealed, the mice and birds can't tell what's inside.

[mike]

No bags allowed? No wonder you have such a stink problem! You must have to hose out your cans pretty regularly!

I have birds around in the form of crows. As long is the bag is closed, they don't bother it. Mice can't jump very high (~12"). I wouldn't be suprised if garbage cans are the height they are just to keep rats from jumping in.

[mm]

I'm glad I asked and I'm glad you and Smitty posted. Because I had time today to make the lid -- I even got out the scraps, washed them with the garden hose (since I was watering a little bit of sod anyhow) and decide which scrap was the right size (the smaller one). Yesterday, I went to a surplus store and bought a box of 14 bungee cords, including some long one, and some attachments, for 10 dollars. So all I had to do was cut it out, find some blue thread, take the junk off the sewing machine, and eew. But maybe now I won't have to.

I got to tell you, it never occurred to me until I read Smitty's answer that it was possible to buy a lid without a can. Although it makes sense since lids get lost a lot more than most other things.

And even then it never occurred to me that I could google for them. I figured you had to go to the store and ask someone, probably by whispering.

Everytime I've been to the store, I see a stack of cans and a stack of lits, and I always figure there is the same number of each, and they will only sell it that way.

I've also never used the Products category of google. I didn't even know about it. It's not under More. You have to go to Even More. I didn't even know about Even More! (Because I rarely look in more. I have a shortcut, whatever, for searching google groups.)

Live and learn. Thanks.

I didn't mention that my can is rectangular, and adding that word didn't enable me to find it.

The brand is not obvious, but I'm going to go downstairs and hunt for it, and make it a seach or "Refine product results" term.

Thanks again.

[mm]

They're allowed, but we're still supposed to have lids.

We don't have a stink problem.

I throw almost nothing that is wet into it, and if I do have something that could rot, I put that only in a plastic grocery bag. The can does get dirty, but not much, and it dries.

Maybe I meant crows. I havent' noticed them lately, so I forget what they were. The parking lots definitely have seagulls.

Maybe mice aren't a problem. I live next to a stream, with a sewer following the path of the stream, and there was once a rat in the front yard. He was tough. I threw shoes at him but he didn't move. Then I had no shoes.

And I couldn't go to work without my shoes.

I missed him with the shoes, and I think I went back inside for a few minutes and when I came out, he was gone and I got my shoes. I don't think he got into the garbage. It's just that I assume the whole design is to keep out rats., maybe including the height like you say. In 1970, when I hitchhiked to Costa Rica, a friend's mother let me put all my stuff in her basement. I bought a galvanized garbage can or two, and put the clothes in them, so the mice wouldn't bother my stuff. She probably had no mice. It just occurs to me now, 40 years later, that I might have offended her. I think I gave her the can six months later.

It was a raccoon that oncce got in the garbage can, but that was more than 10 years ago, and I probablay didn't put the lid on well, just laid it on top. He was something though. I took flash pictures of him, but the flashes didn't make him move.

Rodents are tough.

[aemeijers]

Bags? Who uses bags in a garbage can? (Only halfway kidding)

As cheap as garbage cans are, OP is spending more time on this than it is worth. (IMHO, of course.) For the replacement, I suggest a wheeled square can with an attached lid. Use the old can for yard waste or something, where it doesn't matter if it is covered.

BTW, anyone ever tried to throw away a garbage can? (like a rusted out metal one, or a cracked and broken plastic one.) I found you have to mash it up and put it inside a garbage bag before they will take it.

-- aem sends...

[mike]

I tell ya... if you ever have bad curry sauce or bad sourdough starter that you need to discard, you cannot have enough bags! Wheh! Makes baby diapers mixed with vomit seem appealing by comparison.

When I need to throw away a garbage can, I just put a sign on it that say "TAKE THE TRASH CAN --thanks". They take it. Maybe their just nice. Maybe they appreciate the stink being contained inside a bag. ;)

[Colbyt]

I can attest to this being quite a chore. A take this can note even failed to work more than once.

Colbyt

[mm]

Of course. It's also a borrowed garbage can, and I'd like to be able to return the whole thing. (All my garbage cans are used up holding firewood, from the tree that fell down, after my neigbhor complained about it being stacked on my deck. So I built a firewood rack, 5 feet long, but it's full already, and I was only able to free up one garbage can. But it's cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace now, and I did a couple nights ago.)

It's a townhouse. I have no space.

Once, I had a brown plastic can that had several cracks from the bottom up 8 or 12 inches, but it still worked fine for most things. I think the garbage men just threw it away becaus they thought it was old. That's a reaons with another cracking plastic can I try to always put it out with the lid, to convince them it's still okay.

OTOH, maybe this was a fluke and most garbage men wouldn't do this.

The can in this thread is black, but really I only want brown because it matches the house and the dirt around the bushes. But sometimes it's hard to get brown and they sell those ridiculous blue ones.

MM

[Cajun]

That's what I always figured too, until I recently bought 2 Rubbermaid cans. The lids were listed separately than the cans, didn't notice until they rang them up. I was like, huh? Whoever thought they would sell cans, without lids.

[Van Chocstraw]

I put mouse traps out by the edge of the woods and catch them before they come to my house.