Households urged to pour boiling water in wheelie bin before Thursday | UK | News
Households across the UK are being urged to pour boiling water into their wheelie bins next week to guard against a nuisance invasion of all our bins. In hot weather, bins, wheelie bins and household waste bins in general will be full of wriggling, crawling maggots. Fly larvae love indoor spaces with warm conditions and plenty of food, which a litter box more than provides.
The Met Office said hot weather this week would gradually return from Monday, with a high of 34 degrees in London on Thursday, but the north of England and Scotland should be spared the worst of the hot weather this time.
A tip shared by Mark Hall from businesswaste.co.uk suggests people should use hot water, disinfectant or bleach in their bins to remove maggot eggs before they hatch, or throw boiling water in there if you’ve left them too late to catch them before they hatch.
He said: “When household waste is not managed properly, the summer heat can turn bins into breeding grounds for maggots.
“It’s easier to prevent maggots from settling in your bins than to empty them. The simplest solution is to make sure your bins are as clean as possible before the weather gets warmer.
“Use warm water and a strong disinfectant or bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water). Scrub the inside and lid of the bin thoroughly, focusing on nooks and crannies where maggots can live and hide. Rinse thoroughly and allow the bin to dry completely before using again.”
“If it’s too late and maggots are living in your bin, pour boiling water over them. Extreme heat will kill the maggots instantly. Then discard the dead maggots and disinfect the bin with hot water and disinfectant (as described above).”
Mark added that maggots are attracted to food waste, which rots more quickly in the summer heat. Ideally, compost waste food in a compost bin, but otherwise keep food bags tightly closed so maggots can’t get inside.
Otherwise, moving the litter box to the shade can also help stop a maggot infestation.
Mark adds: “Maggots are quite common in the summer due to the heat, but there are many easy ways to prevent and eliminate them. Following just a few of these tips will be enough to prevent these pests from becoming a problem.”
The Met Office said temperatures will gradually rise again next week, with temperatures expected to reach 34C in London on Thursday, July 9, with weather maps turning red.
