Originally published at: I have perfected the way to fit a trash bag into a step can. Allow me to share it with you | Boing Boing
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Hmmm. The pics aren’t showing up for me. It’s also doing that thing where, from the main site if I click on “comments” it just reloads the post. Wonder if they’re related?
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So… you read the directions that came with the trash bin? 
Here’s a pro tip (I worked as a janitor for about 6 months, so you know I’m an expert); put extra new bags in the bottom of the bin under the liner bag, especially for remote ones like the garage and laundry room. 
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Unlikely. The comments link back to post is a known intermittent problem driving various people nuts, here and at Discourse.
I’m not seeing the images either.
@orenwolf Any chance the images can be provided? The post makes little sense without them. Unable to @Andrew_Yi or @BB_Contributor
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Looks like the image URLs were ganked from Gmail, whose image URLs eventually expire (and may require authentication to view?). Gotta upload them into Wordpress and replace those hrefs.
(I see this happening a lot, and not just on boingboing – like, at my work. Weird.)
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Images not loading but all the extremely annoying embedded ads and even more extremely annoying overlayed ads are all loading fine, of course. (Also COMMENT link is broken and just reloads the page)
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The comment’s link isn’t even right in the original article, as there it is:
https://boingboing.net/2022/07/10/i-have-perfected-the-way-to-fit-a-trash-bag-into-a-step-can-allow-me-to-share-it-with-you.html
But it should be:
https://bbs.boingboing.net/t/i-have-perfected-the-way-to-fit-a-trash-bag-into-a-step-can-allow-me-to-share-it-with-you/225246/4
The site is working correctly, but for whatever reason the link is borked, maybe the article author is using a broken template or just not creating the embedded link correctly? 
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It is a recurrent intermittent problem that was rife a long while back (it plagued Xeni’s later posts) then went away for a while and came back again more recently. I always wondered if it was something to do with a particular workflow/set of tools but what do I know.
More recently, it suddenly started again with ‘BB contributors’ - but ones whose long-standing presence had been fine before now. And even more recently it has hit some of the owners/editors.
You may have identified the faulty / correct URLs but the issue is why it is happening when the author/editor is using the same tools as usual and presumably posting the right link but somehow it does not get published correctly. I’m sure if they knew why, it would be fixed.
@orenwolf Is this the issue with images?
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No images for me either.
I find it’s easy enough to open the bag outside the can; insert into can; then blow down into the bag to shape it to the sides. Done.
Interesting. I’ve worked as cleaning staff one way or another many times over the years. The way I do it is what I’ve always seen other janitors and cleaning staff do especially in hotels and restaurants, but maybe it’s a regional thing?
- Stage 2 or 3 bags in the bottom of the bin, so you’re always ready to replace them as you take out the old one. This has the downside of getting them wet if there’s a leak, but that rarely happens most places.
- Remove the old bag. Tie it outside of the bin (or it will get too bulky to pull out).
- Take one of the replacements and open the mouth then “flap” it like a blanket, capturing air inside.
- Squeeze out enough air so you have only a rough sphere the width of the bin.
- Push that down to the bottom, then arrange the mouth overlapping on all sides at the top.
- Replace the lid to hold the bag in place.
Which reminds me. I need to take out the kitchen trash.
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(Full discloure: It’s probably not literally “uploading them into Wordpress” since I’m guessing the images are typically served off of a CDN, but I imagine the publishers know what the equivalent actual workflow is.)
My technique:
- Borrow a couch cushion/pillow that approximately fits the container.
- Stuff cushion/pillow into trash bag.
- (Optional) Repeat 3-5 times with additional trash bags.
- Stuff now (multi) wrapped cushion/pillow into trash/step can.
- Retrieve cushion/pillow from can.
- (Optional) Dress or tie off bag to hold into place.
- Return cushion/pillow to rightful place/owner.
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I think this post wins the prize for “Most Broken Post 2022”
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Maybe the ad server can include some drive-by malware ads as a kind of cherry on top.
(/s, not trying to disparage the occasionally ornery ad servers that keep BB running, but it would sure add to the brokenness of this post.)
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Ok - so the pics are here now, and … that’s it?
BTW my bin has no such hole.
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This looks like a perfect way to deal with a bag that is too big for your container, with a container designed for too big bags.
I use containers designed so that a standard kitchen bag will fit perfectly tight around the rim.
This does remind me that I have been meaning to drill holes near the bottom of my single layer container, to make it easier to press the air out.
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I’ve been replacing bags in trash cans for over 30 years in our business.
Open, shake, squeeze air like a balloon, tie a knot to get a tight fit and stick in can.
As far as leaving them in the bottom, if I’m supplying the bags, nope, they disappear
We have a Simple Human step on can in our RV if we buy their over priced bags there is no need to do anything fancy, they are an exact tight fit.
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Nice to have that silent lid in the middle of the night, though.
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We use oversized bags, so I use the bin hole (ours has rubber teeth) to tighten up the bag and keep edges tidy.
It was touched on above, but another great tip is to drill a hole in the liner bin side about 2" up from the bottom to eliminate the suction when pulling it out (don’t drill the bottom, since leaks will be messier).
If you don’t want to drill, just shove your hand down the outside of the bag within the bin until you feel the bag desuckify.
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I think in the ten years I’ve been at this place and being the person who empties the trash bins the most, (i.e. daily), I think I’ve had at most three leaky bags? I don’t keep bags in the bottom of the kitchen one, but I sure do keep a couple in the bottom of the step can in the bathroom.
I never got the hang of the “tie around the lip of the bag to keep it from flopping inside the can” trick, but then, the trash bags I do have generally fit the cans they go to. (I also use the Simple Human bags with the small step cans in the bathroom- one’s an actual S.H. can, the other is a Wal-Mart knock off that happens to take the same size bags.)
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