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Trash bag & can liner sizing, without the guesswork
Half of all liner complaints are really sizing problems: bags that slip into the can, split on the first bottle, or waste six inches of plastic on overhang. Here’s how to read liner sizes, pick the right thickness, and match the bag to the can.
How liner sizes work
A liner size like 33×39 means the bag is 33 inches around the opening (laid flat, that’s the width) and 39 inches tall. Two quick formulas match a bag to any can:
Width: half the can’s circumference, plus an inch of slack.
Height: the can’s height, plus half its diameter (that’s what covers the bottom), plus 3–4 inches to fold over the rim.
If the bag keeps slipping down inside the can, it’s too short. If you’re tying off a foot of empty plastic every pull, it’s too tall — you’re paying for plastic you throw away empty.
Common cans, common sizes
| Container | Typical liner size |
|---|---|
| Small office / desk-side basket (7–10 gal) | 24×24 |
| Tall kitchen can (13 gal) | 24×31 |
| 23-gallon slim can (the narrow ones in hallways and kitchens) | 28×45 |
| 32–33 gallon round can | 33×39 |
| 44–45 gallon round can | 40×46 |
| 55–60 gallon drum or toter | 38×58 |
Low-density vs. high-density: the real difference
Low-density (LLDPE) is the stretchy, tear-resistant plastic. It’s measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). Choose it wherever the trash has edges or weight: kitchens, shop floors, grounds, anything with glass, cans, or wet waste.
High-density (HDPE) is the thin, crinkly plastic, measured in microns. It carries surprising weight for its cost, but one poke from a pen or a broken cup and it zippers open. Use it for paper-and-cups waste: offices, restrooms, exam rooms.
| Waste type | Pick | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Office paper, restroom towels, light dry trash | High-density | 6–10 micron |
| Breakroom / mixed general trash | High-density 12–16 micron, or low-density 0.7–0.9 mil | |
| Kitchen, bar, wet or sharp-edged waste | Low-density | 1.2–1.7 mil |
| Shop, grounds, demolition-adjacent debris | Low-density | 2.0 mil and up |
Buying it by the case
Liners are the single most re-ordered janitorial item there is — nothing else in the closet turns over faster. Case-buying does two things: the per-bag price drops hard, and you standardize sizes so the wrong bag stops getting stuffed into the wrong can. Our can liner department shows the per-bag math on every case, so you can compare a 6-micron high-density against a 1.5-mil low-density in actual cents per pull.
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