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Are Japan’s strict trash collection days getting you down this summer? Are you plugging your nose and counting down the days until the next burnables collection because your garbage is rotting away in the summer heat?

If you’re like me, you hate Japanese summers for a slew of reasons, one of which being all the putrid smells that come with the increased heat and humidity of the sticky summer months. You may also often rush out the door on the morning of burnables collection day and forget to take out your bag of raw and rotting garbage, leaving you to deal with the stench until the next trash collection day rolls around.

But there is a really simple solution to this problem, as well as quick tricks for dealing with other stinky situations like funky-shoe smells and unpleasant, grimy sinks. Find out how after the jump!

 1. Keep smells at bay by storing raw garbage in the freezer

無題Image: Irasutoya, iemo

This is such a simple solution I feel silly I didn’t think to do this before. Instead of throwing fruit, vegetable, meat, or other perishable food scraps into the garbage, throw them in a sealable bag and put them in the freezer until trash day. The food won’t rot and fill your house with the putrid smell of a landfill.

2. Get rid of that stinky-feet smell by putting your shoes in the freezer

The same trick that works for raw garbage also works for that  foul-feet smell that lingers in your shoes after walking around all day. Just slip your shoes in a resealable kitchen storage bag, seal it shut, and stick it in the freezer. The odor-causing bacteria can’t survive the freezing temperatures. Admittedly, this one might work better for those of you with smaller feet!

3. Clean grimy sinks and other build-up with frozen lemons

無題2Image: iemo

After you’ve finished juicing your lemons, put them in the freezer until they’re frozen. After letting them partially thaw (a process which helps release more juice) you can then use your citrus-y leftovers to clean grime and calcium build-up in your sink, remove food bits and lingering smells from your microwave, and more. The citric acid in lemons is a great cleaning agent, plus you get a nice, lemony fresh scent when you’re done!

4. Store wet wipes in the freezer to keep them from drying out

If you buy something at a Japanese convenience store, more likely than not you’ll be given a little individual wet wipe for your hands. If you don’t use them right away and build up a little stash, you may find that they don’t always hold their moisture even though they’re still sealed, and are then no better than a normal old dry napkin. To keep your towelettes moist for future use, simply pop them in the freezer! This will not only keep them from drying out, but also makes them super-cool and extra-pleasant to use on a hot day.

What are some clever ways you beat the heat during the summer months? Share them with your fellow readers in the comments section!

Source: Naver Matome
Top/featured image via Home-Dzine