Over time, many dumpsters develop a thick, smelly black goo on the bottom of their interior. If you own a restaurant, you carry even a bigger risk of developing this gross slime on the bottom of your dumpster, simply because of all the food and liquid you are likely throwing out.

Want to get rid of the black slime and the gross odors once and for all? Then, take a look at these essential tips:

1. Use heavy-duty garbage bags with flat or star seals.

The garbage bags you use have a direct impact on the slime that builds up in your dumpster. The slime is a mixture of food and liquids. It congeals together and sticks to the bottom and sides of the dumpster, and in some cases, depending on what's in the slime, you may even find mold growing on it.

If you want to get rid of the slime, you need to eliminate the food and drinks that get into your dumpster. Heavy duty bags are critical to this process. They feature rip-resistant material, reducing the chances that the bags will rip from being too full and leak their contents into the dumpster. Ideally, you want to choose bags made with linear low density polyethylene because they stretch and resist rips.

In addition, when choosing garbage bags, pay attention to the way the plastic is sealed at the base of each bag. To prevent leaks, you want to avoid bags with gusset seals and instead opt for flat or star seals. Flat seals are like the closed edge of a pillow case -- two pieces are sealed together with a straight seam. Also called x-seals, star seals, in contrast, gather all the plastic at the base of the bag in a single spot, and the bag is sealed at that point. The gathers create a star-like shape.

2. Scrape plates into a slop sink with a garbage disposal.

In addition to using better bags, also reduce the amount of food you throw into the trash. Instead of having your staff scrape leftovers into the garbage can, have them scrape plates into a slop sink. This sink should have a garbage disposal so that you can run all the food down it without clogging your pipes.

Alternatively, you may use other approaches to reduce the amount of food you throw out. For example, you could reduce portion sizes or start composting scraps for a local farmer.

3. Mask smells to deter pests.

As a restaurant owner, you are going to end up throwing away some food scraps, regardless of how many steps you take to reduce food waste. Even if it's just small remnants, the odors from this food tend to draw in pests such as raccoons and rats. Unfortunately, these critters can easily rip through most heavy-duty garbage bags. As a result, food and liquid will spill out of the bags, and ultimately, that will lead to more goo and slime on the bottom of your dumpster.

To prevent this, sprinkle deodorizer in your dumpster. Dumpster deodorizer has special bacteria in it that breaks down the grease and food in your dumpster so that it doesn't emit odors. In addition, you may want to use garbage bags that have odor fighting elements such as Microban in them.

Keep in mind that deodorizer is one of the most effective ways to deter pests from dumpsters, but you should take additional steps such as locking the lid of your dumpster as well if possible.

If you want to eliminate the black slime from your dumpster permanently, contact a company that provides dumpster service, like Tri-State Disposal. They can provide you with more tips and ideas.