What size trash can for the kitchen and bathroom should be

It is impossible to imagine a kitchen or a bathroom without a trash can. However, choosing the right size of your trash can will help save space and keep your house clean.

In this article, you will learn about the sizes of bathroom and kitchen trash cans, and find a guide to choosing the right trash can for your house!

The main purpose of trash cans

Kitchen trash cans as well as the bathroom ones help to store household garbage and most importantly – to keep it away from people living in the house. However, an incorrectly selected size of trash can cause daily difficulties with garbage storage. There are a lot of different trash can sizes and it’s crucial to choose the right one.

Why trash can size is so important?

Choosing the right size for a trash can is one of the most important things to keep your house clean and tidy.

Cleanliness is the key to the health of all people living in the house, that’s why choosing the right trash can is so important.

Smaller trash cans in a house where a large number of people live, for instance, will cause an excess of garbage in the house and an unpleasant smell as a consequence and will make you throw out the trash too often. Nobody wants to throw out the trash bags three times a day!

A larger trash can in a small house will take up too much valuable space. It is also harder to rearrange and wash.

Different uses of trash cans

Kitchen trash cans

A kitchen is a place where we unpack food, cook food, eat, drink and sometimes feed guests.

Considering how much garbage is generated due to all these actions, choosing the proper size of the kitchen trash can is the most important task for a householder.

Bathroom trash cans

These trash cans are usually small because they have to fit in a small space, and not much trash is created there. But no one wants personal hygiene products and other garbage to accumulate in the bathroom, so don’t forget to choose the proper size of the trash can for your bathroom!

Kitchen trash cans and their sizes

Since there are a lot of different kitchen trash can sizes, there are a lot of factors you have to consider selecting a trash can size.

What size trash can for kitchen should be?

How many people live in the house?

A big family generates more trash and food waste than one person and needs a bigger kitchen trash can. So let’s see what trash can to choose depending on the number of people living in the house.

• For 1-2 people: 8-10 gallons
• For 3-4 people: 10-15 gallons
• For 4+ people: 15-30 gallons

How much space do you have?

A trash can should be proportionate to the size of the kitchen. The smaller the kitchen is – the smaller trash can you need.

If you prefer under-the-counter trash cans, 8-10 gallon cabinet trash cans are perfect for you. If you have floor space for a bigger trash can in your kitchen, an attractive stainless steel trash can with a 15-gallon capacity is a great choice.

How much trash do you create?

If you recycle, get an 8–10 gallon kitchen trash can. If you create a lot of food waste and throw it in with the trash, choose a trash can with a 10–15 gallons capacity.

If you throw recyclables, food, and trash in the same trash can, you better get a 20–30 gallon trash can.

Countertop trash cans

Countertop trash cans are perfect for small-sized garbage such as teabags or wrappers and they also fit perfectly on the table as they have a 2 or fewer gallons capacity.

With all these factors in mind, it is much easier to choose the right size trash can for your kitchen.

Bathroom trash cans and their sizes

The trash can in the bathroom should be small and beautiful but also practical at the same time since personal hygiene products and some paper products are thrown into it.

For 1-2 people: a 3-gallon trash can is a perfect choice. If more than three people are using the same bathroom, it is better to get a 5-gallon trash can.

You can also measure the garbage can to find out what size trash bags it requires.

How to measure a round garbage can

• Measure the diameter of the garbage can.
• To find out the width of the garbage can, divide the diameter by 3.14.
• Measure the height of the garbage can and add 3-4 inches to determine the length of bags you will need.

How to measure a square garbage can

• Measure each side of the garbage can and add measurements together.
• To find out the width of the garbage can, divide the measurements by 2.
• Measure the height of the garbage can and add 3-4 inches to determine the length of bags you will need.

Final thoughts

Since there are a lot of different trash can sizes, sometimes it feels difficult to choose the right one.

But, it turns out, knowing the capacity of each and the size of your room, you can choose the right trash can for your home in seconds!

Frequently Asked Questions