Things You'll Need
Distilled white vinegar
Sponge
Garden hose
Utility knife
40-grit sandpaper
80-grit sandpaper
Self-adhesive fiberglass reinforcement tape
All-purpose epoxy
Paint scrapper
Plastic mixing board
Rubbermaid offers a large line of garbage cans that includes everything from small kitchen cans through large construction-site cans. They are made from durable plastic compounds that withstand sunlight and are dent and damage resistant, but under extreme conditions they may crack or develop holes that need to be patched. Patching the cracks or holes properly will make them waterproof again and will allow you to continue using them for years to come.
Step 1
Prepare a 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water solution and wipe the entire garbage can with a sponge saturated with the mixture.
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Step 2
Rinse out the can with water from a garden hose and allow it to dry in the sun for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Cut away any frayed plastic with a utility knife.
Step 4
Sand the damaged area with 40-grit sandpaper until the edges of the damaged area have an inward slant to them.
Step 5
Press self-adhesive fiberglass reinforcement tape over the hole or crack from the inside of the can.
Step 6
Mix the two epoxy tubes one-to-one with a paint scraper on a plastic mixing board. Apply epoxy to the crack or hole over the tape, from the outside of the can. Allow the epoxy to dry for one hour.
Step 7
Sand the patched area with a sheet of 80-grit sandpaper.
Tip
You can use a matching, colored plastic paint on the entire Rubbermaid can to blend the repaired area color with the can.
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