Spent way too long researching this after one too many 6AM neighbor glares, so sharing what I found.

Most trash can "noise" people blame on cheap plastic wheels isn't actually the wheel spinning — it's the hard plastic hub hitting hard pavement every time the can tips over a crack, a pebble, or the lip of a driveway. Rubber wheels help a little, but almost every consumer trash can (Toter, Rubbermaid, Suncast, the municipal-issued ones) ships with a hard nylon or polypropylene wheel that has zero cushioning at the contact point. That's the screech/rattle you're hearing.

Three things that actually move the needle, in order of effort:

1. Smoother path — if you have a choice, roll on grass or a smooth slab instead of aggregate concrete. Not always practical.

2. Lubricate the axle — fixes squeaking, does nothing for the impact rattle.

3. Add a soft contact layer around the wheel — this is the only fix that addresses the actual physics (impact dampening), not just friction. It's why the covers we make at Whisper Wheels exist — silicone sleeves that go over the stock wheel and absorb the impact instead of transmitting it straight into the can and the ground.

If you're just trying to stop the 5AM garbage day rattle before it becomes an HOA thing, cushioning the wheel itself is the only real fix. Happy to answer questions if anyone's dealing with a specific can/wheel setup.