This piece on the Family Handyman, "24 Things Your Garbage Collector Wants You to Know," has a number of things I did not know.
Yes, We Do Judge You By Your Can
Clean trash can? You're probably a neat and clean person. We look at restaurants the same way. If their garbage is a disgusting mess, what do you think their kitchen looks like? nicer. But, there are some ways of making your trash can look better.
Squirrels Are the Worst
We've clashed with rats, raccoons, and other critters, but squirrels have become the real monsters of the garbage. A squirrel can bite right through the plastic of your bin; then, when we lift the lid, it flies out of there like a bat out of Hades. There are ways of keeping squirrels and other critters out of your trash cans.
We Can Help If You Forget to Put the Trash Out
We know sometimes it can be tough to get your cans out early. If you miss the pickup, give us a call and we may be able to swing back and get it. Some towns have a "complaint truck" that does a late run to grab anything that's left.
Don't Blame Us If You Find Trash Splayed Across Your Lawn
That usually means that your roll cart was facing the wrong way. Our automated arm can still pick it up, but when we dump your garbage into the truck, some of it stacks on the underside of the open lid. Then, when we put the can down, the lid is like a catapult and it shoots trash everywhere. (Look for arrows on your cart showing which side should face the street.)
Read the rest here.
