Trash Time! What To Do With Your RV Camping Garbage
Ahhh, the great outdoors. There’s nothing else like it. The fresh air, the family time, the freedom and all the fun activities… it’s the Good Life for sure. But when you’re out camping, one mistake with your garbage could shift the gears on your positive camping experience. Let’s face it. No one wants their campsite turned up by rodents, or, worse yet… no one wants to come face to face with any of the more ferocious four-legged friends of the wilderness. Storing your garbage correctly can help prevent an unexpected encounter (as well as a big campsite mess!)
THE GARBAGE MAN
How you take care of your rubbish depends on where you are camping and what sort of campground you are visiting. Campsites that are more developed will generally have garbage cans that are clearly marked and staff that empties the garbage daily. The bigger the size of the campsite, the higher the frequency of trash collection. Even if your camp choice has garbage pick-up, you’ll still want to follow these easy-to-remember rules.
- Take any camping garbage to provided bins
- Ensure the garbage container’s lid is secure after dumping your trash
- Inform the camp office or any campground staff if garbage bins are full and overflowing
- Never leave food or garbage unattended overnight
DO YOU SMELL THAT?
If you can smell it, chances are the animals in the woods around your campsite may be able to smell it, too. It’s important to remember that not only food can attract riff-raff to your RV’s spot, but other household items can, also. So, the general rule should be if it has a scent, use some common sense and keep it out of harm’s reach and stashed away properly just like your trash. If you’re leaving all your garbage and other potential attractants in your RV, make sure that your windows and doors are secured properly as some larger animals could make their way in that way. Some household items that could end up soliciting a sniffer:
- Toothpaste, shampoo and perfumed soaps
- Citronella sprays, torches and candles
- Cologne, perfume and deodorant
GARBAGE GEAR
There are all sorts of camping garbage storage products available for the prepared camper. They range from items designed to prevent attracting the animals as well as products geared towards keeping the animals out of trash containers. The following items are still helpful even if you’re spending the night at a campground that provides secured garbage cans for your use.
- Odor-absorbing bags – These bags are designed to reduce garbage odor and animals’ interest in your site. It’s important to make certain that these are unscented and that you still secure the bags properly.
- Baking soda – Yes. You read that right… baking soda. It’s easy to find and is a great odor absorber when you shake a bit of it across the top of your litter.
- Animal tubes/boxes – These containers come in a multitude of different sizes and when closed are very difficult for wildlife to open. Since they prevent any odors from escaping, campers have been known to store anything in them from garbage to food to toiletries.
Living the Good Life is about making great memories that you want to re-live. With a little bit of preparation and a lot of common sense, you can make certain that your camping trip doesn’t turn into anything like this….
