If you've opened your bin on a warm morning and found it moving, you're not alone — maggots are the #1 summer complaint we hear across Surrey and the Fraser Valley. The good news: you can fix it today, and prevent it for good.
Why maggots show up
Maggots are fly larvae. Flies lay eggs on food residue — meat scraps, pet waste, sticky organics — and in warm weather eggs hatch within 24 hours. Curbside organics bins are the perfect nursery: moist, warm, and refilled weekly.
Kill them now (10 minutes)
1) Empty the bin completely — wait for collection day if you can. 2) Pour boiling water over visible maggots; a kettle-full does it. 3) Scrub with hot water and dish soap or a 1:1 vinegar-water mix; a toilet brush reserved for bins works well. 4) Rinse and let it dry fully in the sun — dryness is the real killer. 5) Skip harsh bleach dumps: the runoff ends up in storm drains, and bleach fumes in an enclosed bin are nasty. (Everything we use at Eco Pro Wash is biodegradable for exactly this reason.)
Keep them gone
Bag food scraps in newspaper or certified-compostable bags · double-bag meat and pet waste · keep the lid fully closed (bungee it if raccoons visit) · store the bin out of direct sun · sprinkle baking soda after each collection · rinse the bin monthly — or let us do a proper deep clean, sanitize and deodorize on your collection day.
When to call a pro
If maggots keep returning, residue has baked into the bin's grooves, or the smell survives a DIY scrub, the bin needs a professional-grade clean. Our one-time cleans start at $24.99, and subscription customers never meet a maggot again — that's rather the point.