How much does trash can cleaning cost in Orange County?
Our real per-can prices, what a 2-can visit costs on each plan, and how to pick one.
How much does trash can cleaning cost? A one-time cleaning from CanCleaning.com is $99 per can, $79 per can on the quarterly plan, or $59 per can on the monthly plan, with a 2-can minimum. You pay by the can and by the visit, so your total depends on how many cans you have and how often you want them done. One caveat: a can that hasn't been cleaned in a long time may need more than one visit.
Here's the math. The smallest job we book is 2 cans, so a one-time cleaning comes to $198. Those same 2 cans cost $158 a visit on the quarterly plan and $118 a visit on the monthly plan.
This before-and-after pair is from the CanCleaning.com photo files, and the left side is the part I'd point you to. Look at the hinge block at the bottom: brown buildup crusted into a tight corner under the lid. A garden hose mostly pushes that around. Crumpled napkins, a straw, torn paper and a receipt (blurred here) still sit in the grime. The right side is what a hinge area looks like after a high-temp, high-pressure wash: dark grey plastic, hinge pins showing, bare and still wet. On our truck, Bessie, the sanitize and the deodorize come after the wash. A photo can't show you those. Your nose can.
We clean on a regular route in Huntington Beach and every other Orange County city, at the same prices. If you already know how often you want it done, compare the three plans and book.
On this page:
- What you get for $99 a can
- One-time or a plan: which costs less?
- What changes your trash can cleaning cost
- What most people get wrong
- Do it yourself, or have us do it?
- Price questions
What do you get for $99 a can?
Every plan buys the same three-step cleaning. We power wash each can with a high-temp, high-pressure washer. Next comes a sanitize, and last a deodorize. The plan only changes how often we come back.
Your service day is the day after trash pickup. By then the truck has emptied the cans, and there's no extra work on your part. If a can still has trash in it on your service day, we empty it if we can. If we can't, we reschedule. The dirty wash water gets disposed of responsibly, not left on your driveway. When your cans are done, a text message and an email tell you they're ready to wheel back in. Here's the full rundown of a residential cleaning visit.
Is a one-time cleaning or a plan cheaper?
Per visit, the monthly plan is the cheapest and the one-time cleaning costs the most. Here's how the three compare for a typical 2-can house:
| Plan | How often | Per can | 2 cans, per visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time | Once | $99 | $198 |
| Quarterly | Once every 3 months | $79 | $158 |
| Monthly | Once each month | $59 | $118 |
The one-time cleaning is charged once. The quarterly plan is charged quarterly and the monthly plan is charged monthly. Neither plan has a contract, and you can cancel either one anytime.
So the real choice isn't the price tag. It's how often your can needs cleaning, and that comes down to how much buildup it collects between visits.
Know how often you want it done? Pick the plan that matches, and we'll clean your cans the day after your trash pickup. See plans and prices.
What changes your trash can cleaning cost?
Two things change what you pay: how many cans you have and how often you want them cleaned. Nothing else does.
At checkout you choose how many cans. Every can past the first two is the same per-can price. You can add or remove cans later with a phone call. Your city doesn't change the price either. A cleaning in Irvine costs the same as one in Mission Viejo. There are no hidden fees: the per-can price on our price list is what you pay.
You won't find other companies' prices here. They change, and we can't check them for you. If you're comparing, ask every company the same two questions: what's the price per can, and how often does that price clean it?
What most people get wrong about the price
“A plan locks me in.” It doesn't. The quarterly and monthly plans are contract free, and you can cancel anytime.
“I have to start on a plan.” You don't. You can start with a one-time cleaning. After it, you can keep going on a monthly or quarterly plan, or stop there.
My take: one cleaning is a reset. The first bag of trash that goes back in starts the buildup over, and in the heat it comes back fast. If you want a clean can once, the one-time cleaning is the right buy. If you want a clean can all year, pay for the schedule and stop thinking about it.
Do it yourself, or have us do it?
If your can only needs a light cleaning and you don't mind the work, clean it yourself. The University of California's pest program gives the whole method in one line: wash the can out regularly with soap and water (UC IPM Pest Notes: Flies). That costs you some soap and part of a Saturday.
Have us do it when the can has gone a while, or when you'd rather never touch the inside of it. The truck does the job with a high-temp, high-pressure washer instead of a garden hose. You don't stand in the driveway, and a text tells you when it's done.
Price questions
Is there a minimum?
Yes. Every CanCleaning.com cleaning has a 2-can minimum, on the one-time cleaning and on both plans. The smallest one-time job is 2 cans at $99 each, or $198.
Are there any extra fees?
No. There are no hidden fees. The per-can price you see at checkout is what you pay, and there's no quote to wait for.
Do I have to sign a contract?
No. The one-time cleaning is exactly that, one cleaning. The quarterly and monthly plans have no contract, and you can cancel anytime.
Is the price the same in Huntington Beach?
Yes. Huntington Beach is on our regular route, and it pays the same prices as every other Orange County city we serve. The 2-can minimum and the 365-day money-back guarantee are the same too.
Book your cleaning
The cheapest way to clean a trash can is a hose. This is the way you stop doing it yourself.
One-time cleaning: $99 a can. Quarterly: $79 a can. Monthly: $59 a can. 2-can minimum on all three. Every cleaning carries a 365 Day, 100% Money-Back Guarantee. No questions asked: if a cleaning doesn't make you happy, you get its money back, up to 365 days after your last one.
- Go to cancleaning.com/pick-a-plan, choose one-time, quarterly or monthly, and set how many cans.
- Enter your address and your trash day, then check out.
- A CanCleaning.com representative contacts you within 1 business day with your cleaning date.
Or dial (833) 833-3455.
Garrett Storment, CanCleaning.com
P.S. Not sure which plan? Start with the one-time cleaning. The guarantee covers it the same as the plans, and afterward you can switch to quarterly or monthly, or stop.
Written by Garrett Storment, owner of CanCleaning.com. We clean residential trash cans across Orange County, California, as a one-time cleaning or on a quarterly or monthly plan. Not sure which fits your house? Call (833) 833-3455, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.