If you are shopping for your baby nursery and are debating between a diaper pail and a regular trash can, this article will help you make the best decision.

So which is between a diaper pail and a regular trash can? Well, honestly a diaper pail is best suited for diaper disposal because of the odor locking features which help keep the stink inside as compared to a regular trash can which does not have a lid.

And baby diapers will stink- especially when your baby starts eating solids. You do not want your baby nursery or house smelling like poop am sure .Read to get the cool features included in a diaper pail which make it the better option than a regular trash can.

Differences: Diaper pail vs Regular Trash Can

Odor Locking. 

Diaper pails have double lids with rubber gaskets round to seal odors inside and spring trap doors which close as soon as you drop the diaper. In contrast, regular trash cans do not have sealed lids making it easy for odor to spread out.

Ease of Use. 

Regular trash cans will require you to lift the lid to drop the diaper inside, whereas some diaper pails are hands free operations with a foot pedal which you step to open the lid and drop your diaper.

Continuous Refill Bags. 

Trash cans use regular trash bags and as soon as it starts stinking you would want to dispose it even though it is not filled up. On the other hand, a diaper pail comes with a continuous refill bag which you can cut and tie when you want to dispose diapers.

See also Do you really need a diaper pail

Material. 

Most trash cans are made of cheap plastic junk which is porous and absorbs odors whereas diaper pails are made of stainless steel which is durable and non porous.

Design. 

Diaper pails come in cool designs and colors that blend well with the decor of any baby room compared to a regular trash can which is basic.

Price.

 A diaper pail is more expensive as compared to a regular trash can but it is worth every single penny because of the high quality material used and the odor locking features included.

Can you use a trash can as a diaper pail?

You are probably wondering if you can use a regular trash can as a diaper pail. The simple answer is yes, however you will need to empty it more frequently because of the stink factor!

Nonetheless there are some trash cans which can serve well like the SimpleHuman Brushed Stainless Steel Trash Can with Plastic Lid

If you have access to an outdoor trash can, having a trash can for your nursery which you can empty at the end of the day will be convenient for you.

Consider using old grocery trash bags to tie single poop diapers or empty them immediately to avoid stinking your baby room.

See also Can you use a diaper genie for depends

Conclusion

Disposing baby diapers properly is important to keep your nursery smelling fresh and clean. When choosing between a diaper pail vs a regular trash can you must consider the features you are buying into. A diaper pail is more effective in odor control and capacity.

If you are wondering whether you can use a diaper genie which is designed to dispose baby diapers for disposing off  depends then this article is for you.

So can you use a diaper genie for depends? Simple answer is Yes,  you can use a diaper genie for depends but the effectiveness in controlling soiled adult diaper odors will be less compared to dirty baby diapers.

If you are using Depends you know how important it is for everything to be discreet beginning with the packaging where you buy it to how you dispose of it. Which will force you to refill it more often even when the bag is not full and the cost of refill bags will quickly add up.

What is the capacity of a diaper genie?

What’s more, the standard size of diaper genies is made to fit baby diapers and because adult diapers are bigger they will fill up quickly. 

In addition, normal size diaper pails accommodate about 5 adult diapers without changing the bag so it is advisable to get a bigger size to accommodate about 10-15 large size diapers.

The best option is to look for a diaper disposable system with a better odor locking system, economical refill bag, probably regular trash bags and that is easy to operate.

See also Best bags for ubbi diaper pail

Is there an adult briefs disposable container?

You are probably wondering if there is an adult brief disposable container with the perfect size and odor locking capability suitable for Depends?

Well, the simple answer is that it is available. The only one which I recommend is Janibell Akord Slim Incontinence Disposal System with odor locking system, Discreet style.

What do I like about this disposable diaper pail?

Well there are features which make this diaper pail perfect for adult diapers.

Size. 

This diaper pail is 20” H by 11” W by 9.5” D which is a good size that can hold about 10-15 soiled adult diapers which are tied tightly. Plus the height is just perfect for the elderly. The capacity is almost that of a standard kitchen trash bag at 7 gallons.

Odor Control.

It has a odor locking system that is effective in keeping odor in. First it has a spring loaded trap door which closes as soon as the  diaper passes through. Two, it has rubber gaskets in the trap door and top lids which keep the odor locked in.with rubber gaskets that keep 

Refill Bags.

It comes ready to use with a continuous refill bag which you only cut and tie when you empty your diaper pail. They are scented to help neutralize strong adult diaper odor.

What’s more you can choose to use regular kitchen trash bags and it works just fine too which makes it a very economical system to maintain.

Design. 

The design is elegant and discreet for home use and discreet. You can place it in the master bedroom or bathroom and it will seamlessly blend it without looking like an incontinence diaper pail. It is also slim and comes in a classic white color that can blend with any decor.

Hands Free. 

It is a totally hands free diaper pail, with a pedal to open the lid and drop the diaper. No bending, no touching and no twisting.

Price. 

For that quality, the price is honestly inexpensive and very affordable. What’s more you can use regular trash bags if you want to.

See also diaper pail vs regular trash can

How do you dispose of dirty depends?

• First, you need to tie the soiled diaper very tightly.
• Consider getting a diaper pail that is large enough to hold about 10-15 adult diapers and one which you can use regular trash bags with about 8 gallons capacity or more.
• If you are looking for a size which you can dispose frequently go for Dekor Hands Free Diaper Pail- Most Economical Refill System
• It can hold about 4-5 dirty diapers which is great because it is simply gross holding on to dirty diapers. 
• And the continuous refill bag which you can dispose of whenever you like,means you do not need to waste a full bag to empty a partially full bag as is the case with diaper genies

• It is very easy to use and refill. You just step on the pedal, drop your diaper and you’re done.
• When you want to empty it, you open the front access door. Cut the continuous refill bag with scissors or the sharp cutting edge availed. Then you tie it and dispose of the bag.

See also Can adults use baby shampoo

Conclusion

Although you can use a diaper genie for depends. The capacity and odor control will not be as effective compared to using a genie to handle the size of depend.

For a disposable system for Depends, I would go for Janibell  Akord Slim Incontinence Disposable System which is more efficient in locking in odor lock and the size is perfect to hold about 10-15 soiled diapers. 

If you are doing your baby shopping and are wondering whether you should get a diaper pail, this article will make your decision making much easier.

So, do you really need a diaper pail? You definitely will need to dispose of the diapers and quick because of the stink factor. The question is, do you need a  special disposable system that is exclusively made to handle diaper smell or stink?

Your baby will use diapers whether disposable or cloth diapers and you will need to handle the disposable properly because they will STINK-yeah that’s right A WHOLE LOT TOO!

What is a diaper pail?

First and foremost get to know what is so special about a diaper pail. A diaper pail is a trash can which you can put in your baby nursery which is made with special features such as odor locking system in the lid to handle the smell of dirty diapers and hands free disposable system whether disposable diapers or cloth diapers.

You are probably wondering if a diaper pail is another market gimmick to swindle parents of money. Well, let us look at these special features that are included in diaper pails to determine if it is worth the investment.

See also Diaper pail Vs Regular Trash Can

Diaper pails features

Odor Locking System.

Most diaper pails have odor locking lids such as spring loaded trap doors which lock once the diaper passes through. Two top lids with rubber gaskets to seal odors inside such as this Dekor  Classic Hands Free Diaper Pail

Hands Free Disposal. 

Most diaper pails have a simple step up pedal where you step, drop a diaper and you’re done. Which saves the mother from any bending, touching or twisting. What is not to love about that?

Diaper Capacity. 

Diaper pails come in standard sizes able to store filled diapers approximately 55 newborn diapers which a baby can go through within 7 days or so and 20 infant diapers.

Continuous Refill Bag. 

Some have a continuous refill bag which you can cut and tie up to enable you to dispose of dirty diapers whenever you like to prevent disposing of a full bag that is partially filled.

See also best bags for ubbi diaper pail

Reusable Cloth Diaper Pail Liner. 

If you are conscious of the amount of plastic released into the environment , there are reusable diaper pail liners which are Dekor  Cloth Diaper Liner with Drawstrings machine washable diaper pail liners great to use for cloth diapers such as this one

Portable Diaper Pail.

 Are you travelling around the country with your baby or going on vacation? Do not worry about disposing dirty diapers, there are portable and you can toss once they are full check this one out Munchkin Portable Disposable Diaper Pail

Child Safety Lock.

If you have older children then it is good to know they will not be able to open the diaper pail and access dirty diapers when they access the baby nursery because that is GROSS!

Material.

 Most diaper pails are made of stainless steel which locks in smell as compared to plastic which is porous. And because most trash cans are made of cheap plastic junk which absorb dirty diaper smell they will quickly stink your nursery even after you clean them

Odor Neutralizing Refill Liners.

Most refill bags which are compatible with diaper pails are scented such as Heavy Duty Diaper Pail Bags  with bamboo odor eliminator bags to mask the smell of poop diapers. 

Now you know some of the cool features included in diaper pails that make them special for baby diapers. Now consider the following points to determine whether a diaper pail is really for you.

What should you consider before buying a diaper pail?

Living Situation. 

If you live in a home with access to an outdoor trash can, you can have a regular trash can to put your diapers and empty them daily outside. However, if you live in an apartment where access to an outdoor trash can is several stairs down, having a diaper pail which can lock in odor will be convenient.

Smell Control. 

The stink factor is the elephant in the room. If you compare a regular trash can and a diaper pail – a diaper pail is designed better to lock in the odor as we have discussed above.

Nonetheless, the smell of newborn baby poop is not as much compared to when your baby begins eating solid food at 6 months.

As a tip, you can choose to empty poop diapers separately and straight to the trash can using old grocery bags.

See also Can you use diaper genie for Depends

Nursery space. 

If you have a small baby nursery or will be sharing your room with a baby. You should consider having a diaper pail especially for the first 6 months when they don’t stink as much.

You can get a cute small size to match your nursery decor and make your diaper disposable easy as you recover from labor and delivery.

Cost. 

The price of a diaper pail is definitely something to consider but it highly depends on the quality. This does not mean you can not get a cheap high quality diaper pail- it is definitely possible.

Personal preference. 

Last but not least it all comes down to personal preference. If you prefer having a diaper pail in your baby nursery rather than going to dispose of a diaper out in the trash can each time-you should  DEFINITELY get a diaper pail! You will love the convenience it will give you because motherhood is already involved and you don’t need to add more stress to it.

How do you dispose diapers without a pail?

If you still are not convinced on getting a diaper pail to dispose of your baby diapers. There are alternatives to the diaper pail you can consider which can serve as well.

• Regular trash can with lid 
• Disposable scented or unscented diaper sacks
• Wet bags 
• Dog poop pickup bags

Conclusion

There you have it future mama- deciding whether or not to get a diaper pail for your baby nursery made simple. You must put certain factors into consideration before you decide.

Such as your current trash disposable frequency, your living situation- whether its a home with an access to an outdoors trash can or an apartment, available space in your nursery, personal preference and the cost of the diaper pail.

If you put all these into consideration you can make an informed decision which is best fit for your personal situation. Because no parent wants their baby nursery smelling like poop.