A neglected, dirty trash chute presents a serious fire hazard due to interior accumulations of grime, sludge and grease. When building owners fail to maintain a clean, properly functioning trash chute, the risk of fire can be further heightened by broken or sticking chute doors, clogged vents and increased temperatures within the chute.

Why Fires Occur in a Dirty Trash Chute

Garbage bags tossed into trash chutes can easily rip open and spill the contents of last night’s greasy cheeseburgers-and-fried-potatoes supper all over the inside of the chute. Imagine if only half of the bags thrown down your building’s chute were to tear open? That’s still a lot of grease and gooey food debris sticking to the chute’s doors and interior walls–day after day after day.

All it would take to start a fire in a grease-covered, dirt-caked garbage chute would be for someone to throw a hot match or just-cooked pan of burnt food into the chute. With conditions ripe for a spontaneous combustion event combined with malfunctioning chute doors that are supposed to prevent air from entering the chute, the added force of a wind tunnel effect would send flames shooting up and down your building in seconds.

What You Should Know About Trash Chute Cleaning

Trash chutes should be cleaned at least three times a year or more, depending on the number of people using the chute. Also, if you have never cleaned a trash chute, be aware that it may be one of the dirtiest jobs on the planet–something even Mike Rowe may think twice about doing!

With hundreds of pounds of waste, unknown toxins, food debris swarming with bacteria and insects clinging to the sides of the chute, you should wear a hazmat suit and face protection before climbing into the chute. Moreover, only cleaning solutions containing industrial strength enzymes and antibacterial chemicals will effectively sanitize trash chutes. It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it, right?

Make Trash Chute Cleaning a Cinch

Believe it or not, there are people who love cleaning trash chutes! Let the New York/New Jersey trash chute cleaning professionals at Assured Environments take over your trash chute cleaning duties and help you streamline your building operations so that your tenants remain safe from fire risks and your building stays fresh, clean and healthy.