Guide to Finding the Best Outdoor Trash Cans for Your Business
Looking For The Best Commercial Outdoor Trash Cans For The Job?
If you manage or own an outdoor facility, your reputation and revenue depend on how inviting, safe, and clean it is. You're responsible for maintaining the pathways and common spaces that get the most foot traffic. Thus, you should make it as easy as possible for guests, customers, and employees to dispose of their trash. One trash can doesn't fit all businesses, however, so it's important to weigh your options and consider your unique needs before purchasing trash cans.
Why You Should Be Picky About Outdoor Trash Cans
You probably don't spend very much time looking at trash cans, so you may not realize how many options and varieties are available. However, with so many materials, sizes, and shapes to choose from, it's important to make sure you're choosing the right trash can for your particular outdoor site.
If your visitors will stroll through any outdoor common areas or linger outside your building, chances are good that they'll eventually need to throw something away. If you sell or provide disposable products such as food, paper cups, or even receipts, it's even more important to offer a secure and hygienic place to throw it away. Otherwise, litterbugs could quickly turn your place of business into an eyesore.
How To Choose The Ideal Outdoor Trash Can for Your Business
Don’t assume that indoor garbage receptacles will work outdoors, or that any outdoor trash can will do. Outdoor trash cans are essentially purpose-built trash cans just for outdoor locations. They reduce litter, prevent litterbugs, and keep garbage away from areas where they might bother others.
There are hundreds of different features and styles available, and they all serve certain needs that may or may not apply to your outdoor site. To avoid wasting money on materials or additions that you don't need — or settling for the bare minimum, and providing insufficient trash disposal options as a result — just make sure you know exactly what to look for.
Your primary concerns should include storage capacity, style, and durability, but even these categories are full of complicated nuances that depend on your particular business or facility.
For example, most restaurants require trash cans that don't attract stains and spills, but drive-through restaurants also need attached chutes, so that drivers don't miss the trash can when they toss their wrappers and receipts on the way out. No matter what your business is, there's a trash can that can keep it clean; you just have to find the right trash can for the job.
Important Questions When Buying Outdoor Garbage Bins for Your Business
As you consider your options, ask the following questions to determine whether a trash can is right for your particular needs.
1. Where will you put your trash cans?
"Outdoors" can mean many different things, so narrow down your outdoor conditions to make sure your receptacles can handle them. The following factors are important:
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Overhead coverings — Will a roof or awning protect your trash can from outdoor conditions? Then you probably have the most leeway for the type of item you get in terms of materials and finish.
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Exposure to wind and projectiles — Will your trash can be in the middle of an open space, or can you depend on trees and buildings to block gusts of wind? If your item will experience severe inclement weather then you'll need to find a trash can with the right kind of lid to get the job done.
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Local climate — How hot, cold, humid and/or windy does it get throughout the year? You'll need to find an outdoor trash can that is tough enough to stand up to the weather in your local area, whatever that might be.
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Nearby fences — Can you depend on a security fence to keep your cans secure? If not then you'll need to get an item that is difficult to vandalize and/or move or just an item that you can secure fairly easily. Don’t forget about animal proofing either. Borth urban and rural areas may need to be concerned about rats, cats, dogs, or raccoons getting into their trash. In certain situations you may just need to purchase an item you can feel comfortable replacing periodically.
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Air quality — Will it be exposed to salty or polluted air? Humid, salty, and polluted air causes metals to corrode and rust faster than air with less salt, humidity, and pollution.
2. Who will use your outdoor trash receptacle, & how?
Everyday usage patterns determine your capacity, maintenance and hygiene needs. If your trash cans overflow too quickly and your maintenance staff can't clean them out regularly enough, they'll overflow and pollute your property with unattractive, smelly and unhygienic waste. Prevent that trashy oversight by making sure you can accommodate everyone.
Consider the number of people using the trash can:
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How much foot traffic does each outdoor space get?
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Is it a common gathering spot, or tucked away in a semi-private nook?
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Will you need multiple trash cans, or is one sufficient?
Consider the types of trash going into the trash can:
Ideal trash can capacities also depend on the type and amount of trash that these people throw away or recycle each day.
For example, if you’re buying trash cans for a mall, arena, or restaurant, paper products and food waste will require more trash can capacity, and additional hygiene concerns such as lids and custom recycling options.
3. How difficult is it to empty & maintain?
Don't forget to accommodate the employees who will be responsible for cleaning out your trash cans. Make sure it doesn't take too long to remove full liners or bags, replace them, clean the lid and other surfaces, and secure the trash can afterwards. Depending on how many employees you can hire and how much time they allocate for trash maintenance, you may need additional or bigger trash cans to prevent overflow.
4. How will you prevent damage?
Most outdoor trash cans should be weather-proof, waterproof, fireproof, and graffiti-proof. More importantly, they must be heavy or secure enough to withstand high winds and intentional vandalism. Most outdoor trash cans come with anchors or mounting options to permanently attach them to your property, and while concrete trash cans are particularly windproof, others incorporate a sand or concrete base to weigh them down.
5. Which styles are available?
Attractive and clean trash cans encourage people to dispose of their waste rather than tossing it aside or leaving it on a table or bench.
Matching Sets
Some trash cans can be supplemented with ash trays, benches, planters or recycling bins that come in the same material and finish. This gives your site a cohesive and professional look, especially if they compliment nearby architectural features.
Materials & Finishes
Commercial outdoor trash cans come in a variety of materials and finishes and can serve a number of purposes for businesses.
Plastic Outdoor Trash Cans
Plastic outdoor trash cans have become extremely popular in the last few years for their portability, color options, fade and crack durability, fire safety, and ease of emptying for grounds staff. These are particularly useful if local regulations make outdoor trash can placement difficult.
Concrete Outdoor Trash Cans
Concrete outdoor trash cans are the type of trash cans most people are probably most familiar with. They are the classic look and type of trash can that most people think of when it comes to garbage cans. While they have grown more popular in recent years with the advent of more materials and technology, this is still the dominant type of outdoor trash can many establishments, particularly commercial businesses, will look for.
Metal & Steel Outdoor Trash Cans
While these are still common in many parts of the country, the popularity of metal and steel outdoor trash cans has increased in recent years. The benefits of steel trash cans are that you are assured that they will last for a long time while remaining aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The downside is that they may need to be anchored to the ground to prevent theft as they are not as heavy as concrete trash cans.
The most common trash can materials come with the following benefits:
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Concrete Outdoor Trash Cans — Heavy, long-lasting, easily customized with different stone and finish options; reinforced with rebar.
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Plastic Outdoor Trash Cans — Less likely to crack, crease, fade or attract graffiti; more customization options.
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Stainless Steel Outdoor Trash Cans — Sophisticated and stylish; doesn't collect fingerprints, rust, or scratches.
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Galvanized Steel Outdoor Trash Cans — Suitable for industrial purposes, such as garbage pickup and oil disposal; fire-resistant; lightweight and heavy duty options available.
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Metal Armor Outdoor Trash Cans — Very long-lasting; decorative; ventilates odors without exposing contents to theft or damage; resists dents and mold.
Decorative Details
No matter which material you pick, you'll enjoy a wide range of color and size options. However, some come with additional finishing touches that really make your trash cans stand out. Metal and steel trash cans are especially versatile, because they usually have cut-outs or slats that ventilate their contents. Some of the most popular shapes include circles, stars, wavy or straight lines, and swirls.
Customization Options
Personalize your trash cans to make them especially eye-catching and increase your brand recognition. Match your official colors, add a laser-cut logo or message, or raise funds by selling advertising space on the sides. Your guests will take notice.
Outdoor Trash Bins for Your Facility
Choosing great outdoor trash cans for your facility is easy. Just keep your unique needs in mind to narrow down the fantastic selection of styles, sizes, materials. Outdoor trash cans play an important role in keeping your property safe, clean, and professional. Let Trashcans Unlimited help you choose the perfect trash solution for your property today.
Our Expert Facility Managers’ Top Picks
Here are some of our recommendations based on years of our own experience, what other customers buy for given uses, and what we have learned over the phone helping people:
Ideal Outdoor Rubbish Bins for Office Buildings
53 Gallon Concrete Push Door Dome Top Outdoor WasteContainer TF1030
36 Gallon Oakley M3601-FT Outdoor Waste Receptacle
The Best Outdoor Trash Cans For Rainy Environment
The Best Outdoor Trash Cans for Public Parks, Stadiums, and Universities
The Right Outdoor Trash Can for Restaurants and Convenience Stores.
The Optimal Outdoor Trash Cans for Residential Buildings
