Jonathan Holmes 4 Twisting the plastic bag doesn't really hide the smell, but that plus shutting the lid is enough to keep the smell from traveling. We keep her changing table and this diaper pail in our bedroom (small apartment), and we never smell anything unless the lid is open. Good purchase for what we need. The down side is the plastic bag refills are a little pricey. But they last a good while, so it is worth it for us.