According to the enviro pet waste network, in 2016, dogs in the United States produced 11.4 tons of poop. That’s a whole lot of poop! If you live in a city where there’s no accessible public disposal system in place, it means you’ll have a lot of pet owners with lots of poop waiting for garbage day. So, what can you do with the poop until garbage day arrives?
Having to deal with accumulated poop for several days comes with many unpleasant factors. The smell of accumulated poop is enough reason for any dog owner to be frustrated. Fortunately, through methods like burying poop, using diaper pails, installing septic systems, and many more, we don’t have to endure this stench till garbage day!
As a dog owner, you will have to clean up dog poop twice daily on average. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if dogs used the toilet like humans. However, since they don’t, you will have to devise a system for what to do with dog poop until garbage day. In this article, you’ll learn ten ideas for handling dog poop until garbage day.
Ten Things to Do with Dog Poop until Garbage Day
The following is a list of ten ideas for what you can do with dog poop while waiting for garbage day.
1. Use a dedicated can with a lid
A can with a lid offers the combined advantage of preventing the possibility of fluid and odor leakage. It will not allow fluids to leak out and can also block the release of unpleasant odors. Adding a liner to the can will help eliminate the need for washing every time you empty it. You can make cleanup easier by using a scoop, and a small broom.
2. Diaper Pails
Although diaper pails are generally known to be used for storing baby diapers before disposal, they can also be used for dog poop. These pails help to prevent the bad odors from baby diapers from leaking and can also work well for dog poop. They have bags fitted inside them that can block odors from leaking out once you seal each new addition. On garbage day, you can remove the dog poop and still retain your diaper pail.
3. Bury the poop
If you have a big yard, you should consider burying your dog’s poop. This is one of the easier options, but there are rules attached. You need to dig a hole that is at least 1-foot deep. You must also avoid burying poop near water sources to prevent water contamination.
4. Flushing
You can take advantage of our modern toilet and plumbing facilities by flushing down dog poop. The only challenge with this is that you need the right kind of bags because most plastic bags used for cleaning up dog poop are not flushable. However, there are specialty flushable bags that can be used which have been specifically made for this purpose. Also, ensure that you’re not flushing the stones and sticks that you might have picked with the poop.
5. Registering for a dog poop disposal service
In some areas, there’s a possibility of getting people paid to come to pick up your dog poop and help you dispose of it. This comes with added convenience as, most of the time, you can have them come to pick it up from your yard themselves. Some of these companies throw the poop away, while some of them process the poop into compost. We recommend that you go for companies that compost collected poop, as that will help reduce the environmental impact that poop disposal causes.
6. Installing a DIY septic system for your dog poop
Setting up a DIY septic system for dog poop is similar to using the toilet for flushing down dog poop. Once it is installed, you can place the poop in the cylinder and send it directly into your sewer system by washing it down using a hose. An advantage of this system is that it doesn’t require the use of bags, making it a complete green disposal method. You should, however, bear in mind that cold weather can affect how effective this system works.
7. Storing the poop in a digester bin
You can also consider using a waste digester bin for storing your dog poop if you prefer composting the waste rather than throwing it away. There are waste digester bins that are made for composting waste and do not require you to bury anything below the ground. The digester bin comes with a collection of enzymes and bacteria that can break down pet waste. When this breakdown happens, you’ll not need to worry about bad odors coming from the waste as it would have been taken care of.
8. Adding the dog poop to a wormery
Adding pet waste to an organic wormery also helps to convert the waste into fertilizer that can be used for other beneficial purposes. This operates differently from the digester bin in that it uses worms rather than bacteria and enzymes. Several wormeries are commercially available for purchase. You can also construct your wormery if you prefer to have a self-made setup.
9. The use of deodorizers
While waiting for garbage day, the odor coming from the poop in the trash can continue to increase if you do not take appropriate measures. Applying deodorizers will help block the unpleasant smells from being released. Some of the products that work well and that you can consider include DooKashi, Smelleze, Nature’s Miracle, and baking soda.
10. Compostable dog waste bags
Moving the dog poop to another trash bag on garbage day can be quite inconvenient. Compostable dog waste bags can be disposed of along with the dog poop, and you won’t need to move the poop into another bag. The bag is eco-friendly, and there’s no threat of environmental hazards from disposing of it. Tying up the bag after using it to pick up dog poop can help prevent odors from being released.
Conclusion
Largely, what to do with dog poop until garbage day depends on whether you prefer to have the waste composted or discarded. Most of the options suggested above are suited towards composting, with a few, such as flushing involving total disposal. Composting dog poop might be a better idea as it not only helps to deal with the odors but helps to break down the harmful microbes in the waste that pose risks to human health.
