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Best Trash Cans for Cars

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Let’s face it: cars can get messy…especially if you’re spending days on end driving on a road trip. Fast food bags, napkins, gas station receipts, coffee cups, and more can start piling up. But you can help corral that clutter by picking out one of the best trash cans for cars that will keep your cabin organized and clean.

A car garbage can is a great investment and definitely should be on your list of road trip essentials. But before buying a mini trash can, ask yourself some questions to make sure you get the right one.

Before you buy a car trash can ask yourself:

  • How many people are usually in your car? If you’re a solo road tripper you probably just need a small receptacle, but if you’re traveling with the whole family, you’ll want something a little bigger.
  • How much trash do you usually make? Do you just need something to collect the occasional straw wrapper and gas station receipt or do you need to collect the remnants of multiple coffee/fast food/convenient store stop waste?
  • How much does your garbage smell? Paper waste from 7-eleven straws and discarded bags of peanut M&M’s have a minimal odor. But a half-eaten Filet-O-Fish is a whole different story.
  • Who is using the vehicle trash can? If it is for the driver make sure you pick something that’s accessible even while their eyes are on the road. For back-seat passengers, something that attaches to the back of the front seat might be a better choice.

Best trash cans for cars:

Best car trash can for small messes:

Mini Car Trash Can with Lid

If you’re a solo traveler or someone who just has a small mess to contain, a cup holder trash can is the perfect solution.

A slightly bigger garbage bag for car:

Foldable Car Wastebasket

If you need a little more room to stash fast food bags and Starbucks cups, but aren’t accommodating an entire car-full of people, size up a little with a foldable trash can that hangs from your console.

Car trash cans for backseat drivers:

Car Trash Bag with Leakproof Lining

Not all backseat passengers are causing big messes, so a small auto trash bag that fastens behind the front seat might be just what you need.

Best car garbage can for larger messes:

Hanging Spill-Proof Car Trash Can

For families or lots of vehicular garbage, look for a large (2.5-3 gallon) bag that can be fastened to your glovebox or seat. Look for something spill proof and that closes up to keep mess contained and smells at bay.

A double-duty car trash bin:

Waterproof Car Trash Can with Lid and Storage Pockets

Another option for collecting garbage in your vehicle is a double-duty backseat model. A car garbage can like this has extra pockets to also keep your car organized.

Pin this post on the best trash cans for cars to save for later:

Cars can get messy...especially if you're spending days on end driving on a road trip. Fast food bags, napkins, gas station receipts, coffee cups, and more can start piling up. But you can help corral that clutter by picking out one of the best trash cans for cars that will keep your cabin organized and clean. A car garbage can is a great investment and definitely should be on your list of road trip essentials. #RoadTripEssentials #LongRoadTripEssentials #RoadTripEssentialsForCars
Cars can get messy...especially if you're spending days on end driving on a road trip. Fast food bags, napkins, gas station receipts, coffee cups, and more can start piling up. But you can help corral that clutter by picking out one of the best trash cans for cars that will keep your cabin organized and clean. A car garbage can is a great investment and definitely should be on your list of road trip essentials. #RoadTripEssentials #LongRoadTripEssentials #RoadTripEssentialsForCars

VALerie BROMANN

Founder & Head Road Tripper

Val is the founder and head road tripper at Silly America. Having grown up near Berwyn's famed car kabob, The Spindle, and a restaurant with a cow on its roof, her fascination with roadside attractions started early. Today, Val has visited hundreds roadside attractions across the United States and is constantly on the lookout for the next BIG thing!

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

BY Valerie Bromann

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.