Simple way to convert trash cans into rainwater harvesting barrels

Water, the liquid that keeps all living things alive, which makes it a huge necessity for obvious reasons.

So what if you could easily collect rainwater for next to nothing?

Thanks to this awesome home hack, you can, and you’ll just need a few simple things you can get at your local hardware store.

This is truly a simple process.

Pixabay - huoadg5888
Source:

Pixabay - huoadg5888

It’s also something everyone needs to see.

If you’ve ever thought about collecting rainwater, this hack is definitely for you. The best part, it only takes a few simple steps to make it a reality.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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1 plastic garbage bin with a lid
Wire mesh
Electric drill with a 1-inch drill bit
Hot glue gun
Hose Faucet
Plumber’s tape

The steps:

First things first, you’ll need to use your 1-inch drill bit and your electric drill to drill two holes in the center of your lid.

When doing this, flip the lid onto its backside, then, put a scrap piece of wood down so you don’t accidentally drill into your table.

YouTube - Hometalk
Source:

YouTube - Hometalk

Once you’ve got your holes, take an Exacto knife and smooth out the inside edges of the hole. After you’ve done this, you can move on to applying your mesh wire.

For the next part:

You’ll need your hot glue gun and mesh wire Now, cut a square piece of mesh wire that is big enough to cover all three holes.

Use your glue gun to make squiggly lines on the top side of the trashcan lid that the mesh can adhere to.

Don’t be shy with the glue, and don’t worry about how it looks because the mesh with be hidden from plain view.

Once you’ve got your mesh wire secure, you can move on to the next step.

Time to drill for the faucet.

This hole is where your hose faucet will go, and it will be approximately two to three inches up from the very bottom of the trash can.

Here’s the tricky part:

You’ll either need to find a hose faucet that is about the same size as the 1-inch drill bit or use a different size drill bit.

The important part is making sure that the hole you drill is almost the exact same size as the faucet.

Thread it in.

Once you drill a hole at the bottom the same size as the hose faucet, you can thread it into the hole using the plumber’s tape.

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The trick to this part is using extra plumber’s tape, so you’ll want to wrap it around the threaded part of the hose faucet approximately 6 to 8 times.

Snug as a bug in a rug.

After you’ve got your plumber’s tape in place, gently twist the faucet into the hole until it tightens. You mustn’t over-tighten it, as it will ruin the threading that the tape creates.

For that last part, I would definitely watch the video at the bottom of the page for guidance.