Taking out the garbage at the end of the night is nobody’s favourite chore, and it’s extra unpleasant when the bag is difficult to remove from the bin.

When the bin is completely full, the bin liner makes a seal, and pulling the garbage bag out of the bin causes a vacuum as there is no way for air to get in to fill the newly created space.

To overcome this physics challenge, you can simply drill an air hole in the base of the bin.

All you need to do is use a 5-10mm drill bit (depending on the size of your bin) and drill a hole in the side about 10-20mm above the base of the bin. Don’t drill the hole in the base itself, as it may cause liquids to leak out of the bin.

When you remove the bag next time, air will be sucked in through the hole to fill the space underneath the bin liner, allowing the bag to be removed quickly with minimal effort.

Take a look inside the latest issue of Handyman for more DIY tips and ideas.