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How To Stop Compost From Smelling

Stinky compost bin- how to keep compost from smelling bad

Should compost bins smell bad?

No! 

Compost bins, whether inside or out, should not smell bad. If your outside compost pile or bin is smelling bad, you need to follow some trouble shooting. Naples Compost has you covered with all the best tips and tricks to keep your compost smelling just like it should- like dirt!

RELATED POST: How to Keep Your Kitchen Compost Bin From Stinking

What should my compost smell like?

Your compost bin or pile should smell like dirt, even when it is actively decomposing food and other green matter.

That’s right, compost should smell like dirt. 

If your compost bin or pile smells sour, rotten, like ammonia, or any other strange smell that doesn’t smell like dirt, then you need to follow these tips below.

RELATED POST: Best Compost Tumbler For Backyard Composting

Why does my compost smell bad?

There are many reasons why your compost might smell bad. Here are a few of the most common reasons compost starts to smell funny:

  • Compost is too wet
  • There is too much green material
  • Compost pile is not getting enough air
  • Pile is not layered correctly
  • Oil, fat, meat or dairy were added to pile

RELATED POST: Best Electric Kitchen Composters

How to troubleshoot a stinky compost pile

Troubleshooting a stinky compost pile or bin might seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of composting, it will become second nature. Compost for a while and you’ll instinctually know what to do in order to avoid a smelly compost bin.

REASON #1 YOUR COMPOST IS STINKY- YOUR COMPOST IS TOO WET​

This is one of the easiest stinky compost problems to fix.

First, double check that you’ve put your pile or bin in the right location. If you have a compost tumbler or bin, it can be tempting to put it on the side of a house. This is a big mistake because runoff from your roof might run right into your bin, making it more of a compost tea rain barrel instead of a compost tumbler.

If you find that you need to move your bin or pile, choose a spot that gets plenty of sunshine and no extra rain runoff. This one tip alone could completely change your compost tumbler from being stinky to smelling like dirt.

Second, add more brown material to the bin or pile to start soaking up all the liquid. Turn your pile, then add a layer of brown material on top.

You may find that you have to turn your compost more and add more brown material during the rainy season.

REASON #2 YOUR COMPOST IS STINKY- YOUR COMPOST HAS TOO MUCH GREEN MATERIAL

Too much green material will definitely make your compost smell funky. 

If you compost pile smells sour, like ammonia, you do not have enough brown material in the compost.

Well made compost, that doesn’t stink, requires a ratio of 3 parts green material to 1 part brown material. The easiest way to accomplish this is to add a thick layer of brown material each time you add a layer of green material. 

Learn more about the 3:1 green (nitrogen) to brown (carbon) ratio here. 

REASON #3 YOUR COMPOST IS STINKY- YOUR COMPOST ISN'T GETTING ENOUGH OXYGEN

The major player in decomposition is oxygen. If you don’t have it, then anaerobic decomposition will occur, leaving your bin or pile smelling like rotten eggs. Yuck!

You can fix this by regularly stirring or turning your compost. Just stick a pitchfork or shovel in there to mix it up.

Avoid compacting your compost pile. Instead, gently lay down layers of green and brown matter.  A compacted pile or bin doesn’t allow for oxygen to seep in and decompose the organic matter. 

REASON #4 YOUR COMPOST IS STINKY- YOUR PILE ISN'T LAYERED CORRECTLY

This goes back to the 3:1 ratio of green to brown matter. When you add your green and brown matter to the compost pile or bin, add it in layers instead of mixing it all together. 

Put a thin layer of brown matter over your thicker layer of green matter to keep your pile from getting too stinky. The brown matter doesn’t smell bad as it decomposes, as opposed to the green matter that does get a little smelly.

REASON #5 YOUR COMPOST IS STINKY- OIL, FAT, MEAT OR DAIRY WERE ADDED

All living things will eventually decompose, however some things like oil, fat, meat, and dairy get pretty stinky as they decompose. Not only will it stink up your compost, adding meats, oils, and fats can attract animals and maggots (side note- a few maggots are actually a good thing to find in compost, but you don’t want to have an infestation).

This fix is pretty simple- keep oil, fat, meat, and dairy out of your compost. If you are dying to compost oils, fats, dairy and meat then you are a good candidate for bokashi composting. Learn more about bokashi bins here.

Troubleshoot your stinky compost by smell

compost smells like ammonia

If your compost smells like ammonia, then you have too many green materials. 

Use a 3:1 ratio of green to brown materials. Learn more about green and brown materials here. 

compost smells like rotten eggs

If your compost smells like rotten eggs, then you aren’t getting enough oxygen to your compost pile or bin. 

To troubleshoot this you need to turn your bin, mix your pile, or make sure you don’t have too much water. Compost piles should be moist, but not wet.

There are Few hard and fast rules for Composting

Any carbon based material will eventually decompose. Basically, anything that was ever alive, will eventually decompose.

However, if you want to keep your compost from getting smelly you do need to follow a few tips and tricks. To sum it up, you need to do the following regularly to make sure you don’t get stinky compost piles or bins:

  • Always keep a 3:1 ratio of green material to brown material. 
  • Keep compost bins and piles moist, but not wet.
  • Layer brown material on top each time you add green material.
  • Keep oil, fat, meat and dairy out of your compost bin.

Learn more about composting

Learn even more about composting with these helpful articles:

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How to keep compost from smelling
compost should smell like dirt
how to keep your compost from getting stinky

20 Eco-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions

Help the Earth this year with your New Year’s resolutions. Small changes can make a big difference when it comes to being eco-friendly. Why not pick an eco-friendly resolution that can help you reduce your carbon footprint and make the world a better place?

It isn’t realistic to adopt all of these lifestyle changes. Instead, pick one or two resolutions from this list.  No one is expecting you to be a perfect environmentalist, but it can’t hurt to try your best with a few of these eco-friendly resolutions.

Why do we need eco-friendly new year's resolutions?

If you’re an environmentalist or just been following along with Greta Thunberg on the news, then you know that our home is in trouble. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reported that if we don’t vastly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 then our Earth will reach a point where we can’t fix it. Scientists agree that this could result in mass extinctions, sea levels rising, and terrible storms. All of this could devastate our food supply and our homes.

Don’t get too bummed out!

Rest assured that you can make a difference.

Lifestyle changes can go a long way towards mitigating the effects of climate change. Check out these eco-friendly New Year’s resolutions that can help you reduce your carbon footprint. 

20 new year's resolutions to reduce your carbon footprint

  1. Educate yourself on the climate crisis
  2. Become vocal and take action
  3. Compost
  4. Waste less food
  5. Garden
  6. Ditch single use plastics
  7. Skip the straw
  8. Commit to at least one reusable product
  9. Use a zero waste kit
  10. Eat local
  11. Cut down on meat and dairy
  12. Bike or walk more
  13. Carpool
  14. Shop used
  15. Switch to LED bulbs
  16. Book a staycation
  17. Bring your own take-out containers
  18. Install solar panels
  19. Unplug electronics
  20. Go vegan

1. Educate yourself on the climate crisis

If you don’t understand the state of our climate, then it’s time to educate yourself!

This article from National Geographic explains it very well. 

Basically, you need to know that current pledges from world leaders to cut CO2 emissions would have our post industrial Earth warming to at least 5.4 degrees Celsius by 2100. Scientists say that we need to limit our warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to avoid potential catastrophes in our ecosystem.

To put things in perspective, we are already at an increase of 0.9 degrees Celsius. 

2. Become vocal and take action

Let your political leaders know that you are worried about the current state of our climate. 

You can’t change things by being silent. Write to your law makers and let them know that you support clean energy and efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

If you don’t know how to contact your lawmakers, go here. 

3. Compost!!!

Of course this makes the list. This is a website devoted to compost after all!

Scientists estimate that landfills produce 14-18% of methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 20% more potent than CO2.  If you reduce the waste you send to a landfill you can easily reduce your carbon footprint.

Want to learn more about how to compost? Start here: How to Compost 

4. Waste Less Food

This goes hand in hand with composting. 

Composting is a great way to reduce the food we send to a landfill, but reducing what you waste is key too. Even if you compost already, wasting less can help the environment. 

Energy is used to produce and deliver food. Delivering food to the grocery store or farmer’s market requires a lot of greenhouse gasses. When you waste food, you waste the energy it took to make the food as well as contribute to methane emissions in landfills. 

Head here to get 8 tips for decreasing your food waste. 

5. Garden

We all know that plants absorb carbon dioxide to make oxygen. Plant a few and you’ll feel like you are doing a little something to help offset your carbon emissions. 

If you have the space to plant a vegetable garden, do that too. Planting food you can eat is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint since no CO2 was used to deliver food to a store. 

If you live in an urban area, it’s even more important to garden. Cities tend to be hotter than surrounding areas because of the pavement. Planting a balcony garden is a wonderful way to mitigate this effect by cooling the area. 

6. ditch single use plastics

This is a hard one for most people. Single use plastics are all around us in the form of straws, plastic baggies, grocery bags, and drink containers. 

While it may be hard, this fact might help you change your thinking: every single piece of plastic ever made is still hanging out somewhere. Plastic doesn’t truly biodegrade. When it does break down it doesn’t go away. Plastic breaks down into micro plastics that make their way into our water ways and food.

7. Skip the straw

This is a much easier eco-friendly New Year’s resolution! If ditching all single use plastics is too much for you, start small with the straw.

Straws are one of many single use plastics that contribute to litter and pollution. Every year we use enough straws to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times! Plastic straws are among the top 5 items collected on the beach every year. Since plastic never fully breaks down these little plastic particles are ingested by fish and moved through the food chain.

8. Commit to at least one reusable product

Ditching all single use plastics is a great idea, but easier said than done. After you ditch the straw, commit to using at least one other reusable product.

You can use a reusable water bottle, coffee mug, sandwich bag, shopping bag, or all four!

Click below to shop some of our favorite reusable products.  

Shop our favorite reusable products on Amazon!

9. Use a Zero Waste Kit

What is a zero waste kit? 

It’s a collection of reusable items that you carry with you in order to reduce your garbage. Here are a few common items used in a zero waste kit:

Store everything in a reusable bag. I like to carry my smaller items in my purse and keep the larger items in the trunk of my car.

10. Eat local

Eating local food has several environmental benefits. 

The biggest benefit is that eating local reduces food miles. Imported food is shipped hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles to reach supermarket shelves. Eating local food reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, cuts our carbon emissions and our overall greenhouse gasses. 

Here are a few easy ways to eat local:

  • shop at a farmers market (but still ask if the food is local)
  • join a community supported agriculture (CSA) cooperative
  • eat seasonal food
  • freeze food at the peak of the season
  • grow your own food- bonus points if you use your own compost!

11. Cut down on meat and dairy

Livestock farming has a large environmental footprint.  It produces nearly 18% of the man made greenhouse gas emissions. 

Raising animals for food takes a lot of energy and water. In fact, half of the drinking water consumed in America goes to animals raised for food. Eighty percent of the corn and 95% of the oats grown in America are fed to animals raised for food. All of this food growth could go towards feeding more people instead of animals.

What if you aren’t down with a vegetarian or vegan diet?

There is no need to cut out meat and dairy for good. Here are a few tips to help you reduce your consumption:

  • Go meatless once a week. Meatless Monday has become a fun family trend in many households.
  • Eat a small portion of meat a day. Most dietitians recommend no more than 4 ounces of meat a day. That is about the size of your palm.
  • Switch to animal products that require less energy. For example, chicken is much more eco-friendly than steak. 

12. Bike or Walk more

Carbon emissions from cars are a big part of our problem. Why now help out by biking or walking instead. 

You’ll get a workout in as a bonus!

13. Carpool when you do drive

Are you heading to the same place as a few of your friends? 

Carpool! 

You save money on gas too. 

14. Buy used products

Shopping for used products first is a great way to help the environment.

A lot of water and chemicals go into producing new items, especially clothing. Just by buying something used instead of new you are promoting recycling and cutting down on waste. 

Donating old items is just as important as buying used ones. Don’t send your old stuff to a landfill when someone else could use it.

Better yet, buy less stuff to begin with!

15. Switch to LED bulbs

Not only do LED bulbs last longer, they use less energy and are easily recycled! 

Did you know you could recycle those bulbs?

You can contact your local recycling center or drop them off at Lowes and Home Depot. 

16. Cut back on air travel- book a staycation

 Overall, air travel only accounts for 2.5% of carbon emissions. Flying commercially is a far better travel option than driving across the country. 

That being said, it’s still something that could be done better. If you are really concerned about your carbon footprint, try flying and driving less. Book a staycation in your hometown instead!

17. Bring your own Takeout containers

 This goes hand in hand with the zero-waste kit explained earlier in this post.

If you can’t commit to an entire zero waste kit, try carrying a few reusable takeout containers with you when you dine out. This is an easy way to cut down on plastic and styrofoam consumption. Plus, your waitress will love not having to do an extra chore for you!

18. Install solar panels

Solar power systems derive clean energy from the sun allowing for less dependence of fossil fuels. Coal, natural gas and nuclear energy all require water while solar requires none at all.

An added bonus os solar panels is that you save money on electicity. If you live in a particularly sunny area you could even cut out your electricity bill all together! 

19. Unplug Electronics when not in use

All electronics drain energy when plugged into an outlet. This is called vampire energy. Not only are you wasting resources to create that energy, you are wasting money.

If you charge a lot of electronics, try plugging them all into the same power strip and turn off the power strip when not in use. 

20. go vegan

It’s been said that the single biggest thing you can do for the environment is to go vegan.

Personally, we are okay with reducing waste and composting, but since veganism is considered the best thing to do, we had to include it!

An article from Bustle in 2016 reported this fact:

According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be equivalent to taking more than half a million cars off of our roads. If everyone ate vegetarian one day a week, we’d also save 100 billion gallons of water (aka enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost four months); 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock (enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year); and 70 million gallons of gas (enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined and then some).

And that is just the effect of one day.

Read the rest of the article here. 

 

New year's resolutions for the environment can go a long way towards a better earth

These 20 eco-friendly resolutions can go a long way towards making a positive impact on our Earth. Just imagine if everyone picked only one of these resolutions?

Better yet, what if we all made an effort to do half of them? Or all of them?

We aren’t suggesting that everyone become a zero waste vegan. That’s a little much for most of us.

Instead, we hope that you pick a few of these eco-friendly habits to adopt in the new year. We can’t make the world a better place unless we do our best.

20 eco friendly New Year's resolutions

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Don’t forget to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to see more of what we love. If you like this post, you’ll love our social media accounts too! Want to know another way you can see more of what I love? Follow us on Pinterest.  We’d also love for you to pin this post to Pinterest if you liked it!

Zero Waste Gift Guide

It might seem silly to give a gift to someone who considers themselves zero waste or eco-friendly. However, even zero wasters need a few things to simplify life. 

Our Naples Compost guide to gift giving this holiday season is jam packed with ideas to help you pick out the perfect gift. Whether you want to share this list with your own family members so they know what to buy you, or get inspiration for your favorite eco friendly person, this eco-friendly gift guide is full of great ideas. 

Sustainable Gift Ideas

A true zero-waster or eco-freak would probably prefer that you don’t buy them anything for the holidays or birthdays. Or they might have a list of things that really do want or need. It’s okay to ask them!

When shopping for sustainable gifts, it’s always best to follow these tips:

  • Buy used when possible. Thrifting for presents is encouraged!
  • Look for plastic free products. Bamboo and glass are the best options, but stainless steel is a runner up.
  • When buying clothes or other fabrics, stick with 100% cotton. Rayon, polyester, and other blends have plastic which never breaks down. Cotton fabric can be composted!
  • Gift cards delivered electrically are a great option when you have no idea what to buy.

FAvorite Sustainable Gifts on Amazon

Following the tips above will ensure that your favorite Earth loving friend gets a thoughtful gift.

Let’s face it though, sometimes it’s impossible to take the time to thoughtfully thrift shop for sustainable gifts, especially during the busy holiday season. Sometimes we find ourselves frantically online shopping for people just a few days before Christmas.

 

That’s why we’ve taken the time to source Amazon for a few thoughtful, eco-friendly, and nearly zero waste gifts that will arrive in 2 days thanks to Amazon Prime.

Don’t have Amazon Prime yet? Even eco-friendly people tout the amazingness of the 2 day shipping and streaming perks.

Get a free 30 day trial by clicking here. Just in time to send a gift to your favorite eco-loving person.

For the coffee lover- SIC Travel Mug

Travel mugs are a must for any coffee or tea loving environmentalist. Gift this with a Starbucks or other coffee shop gift card for an easy, but still thoughtful, eco-friendly gift. These SIC tumblers have a double wall vacuum for extreme temperature retention.

Click here to buy now

For the Activist- Skip the straw Shirt

Stop sucking! Protest plastic with this hand lettered Skip the Straw design and is a great gift for brother, mother, sister, father, or a friend that cares about global warming, marine conservation, zero waste living, eco friendly living, and earth day.

Click here to buy now

For the shopper- Reusable Produce Bags

Reusable produce bags

These are great gifts for anyone who is starting out on their sustainable living journey. Even if your favorite eco-friendly person has been using reusable bags for years, it’s always fun to get new ones as a gift.

Click here to buy now

For the trend setter- coconut bowls

coconut bowls

Here is the best gift for all Acai/ smoothie bowl loving Instagrammers. These coconut bowls are  made from real coconuts so they are as sustainable as they are trendy. 

Click here to buy now

For the mixologist- Zero Waste Candle Kit

zero waste candle kit

This kit allows you to easily reuse your mason jar after its burn, into the cutest cocktail shaker you’ve ever seen! Sure, you could make a candle in your own mason jar, but why not support a small business making zero waste gifts?

Click here to buy now

For the newbie- Zero Waste Starter Kit

An eco friendly, zero waste eco gift set for those who love zero-waste, or need a little help getting started on their zero waste journey. This set includes Bees Wrap, an alternative to plastic wrap, metal straws, a mesh shopping bag, reusable utensils, a water bottle, and a toothbrush. All are plastic free!

Click here to buy now

For the foodie- Nummyware Plastic Free Glass Contianers

Give the gift of stylish food storage with these plastic free storage containers with bamboo lids. The lids double as a cutting board or can be used to display food. Talk about double duty!

Click here to buy now

For the family- Compost Book

compost book for kids

Set your favorite eco-friendly family on the path to a planet-friendly lifestyle with this fun guide to compost–what it is, how to make it, how to maintain it.  Includes games, stickers, and more!

Click here to buy now

Want more Amazing Shopping Guides for Composting?

These posts can help you make the right purchases for compost tumblers and electric composter.

 

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Don’t forget to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to see more of what we love. If you like this post, you’ll love our social media accounts too! Want to know another way you can see more of what we love? Follow us on Pinterest.  We’d also love for you to pin this post to Pinterest if you liked it!

How to Compost Pet Waste

Composting pet waste is a controversial issue due to the many pathogens carried in animal waste. When cat and dog waste is composted correctly it can make nutrient rich soil that works wonder for your ornamental garden and lawn.  This article outlines all the ways to compost pet waste from traditional methods to bokashi compost and septic options. 

Can you compost pet waste?

Yes! You can compost pet waste. 

It’s often said that pet waste can’t be composted because it has the potential to carry pathogens. However, when done correctly and brought to the right temperature to kill pathogens, pet waste can be composted.  

Dogs in America produce over 10 million tons of poop each year! Instead of sending it to the landfill, learn how to compost it instead!

Benefits to composting your pet waste

There are several environmental consequences with the traditional methods of pet waste disposal.

Leaving pet waste in your yard is not a safe option because dangerous organisms and parasites can enter ground water and travel to large aquifers. The same issue occurs when you bury pet waste.

Most people bag their pet’s waste and toss it in the trash where it eventually goes to a landfill. There it is buried in an air tight container where it gives out methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

Pet waste doesn’t have to go to a landfill. Done correctly, it can be recycled into dirt and kept out of a landfill.

WaTCH YOUR TEMPERATURE

All compost carries the risk of disease, which is why temperature is so important. Compost should get to a temperature between 135 and 170 degrees F for several days in order to kill all pathogens. Because pet waste may carry pathogens, it is imperative to properly heat pet waste when composting.  The composting temperature should reach a minimum of 145 degree F for 2-3 days in a row before cooling down.

Separation is key

You do not want to mix poop with food. Repeat. Do not mix poop with food. Animal waste and food waste should always go in separate compost bins or piles.

Use compost from pet waste properly

Roundworm eggs are fairly heat resistant. Even if you compost your pet waste correctly, there is a chance that the roundworm eggs will survive. It’s best to play it safe and keep all pet waste compost on your ornamental plants instead of your edible garden. 

 

How to compost dog poop

Composting dog poop is pretty simple. All you need is dog waste and sawdust.

How to compost dog poop:

  • Pick a container for composting– a pile isn’t ideal because the waste will enter the groundwater 
  • Use a 2:1 ratio of dog waste to sawdust 
  • Mix
  • Cover
  • “Cook” 6-8 weeks
  • Must reach 145 degrees for 3 days in a row to be considered safe
  • “Cure” the compost for 6 months to a year in order to make sure all pathogens are dead

Tips for composting dog poop:

  • Only compost poop from healthy dogs that are up to date on medications and vaccinations- a worming schedule is imperative 
  • Use a traditional tumbler or make your own out of a trash can. 

The USDA has a complete guide to composting dog poop. You can get all the details here.

 

How to compost CAt Poop

Composting cat poop is pretty similar to composting dog poop. The steps are the same, but there are some things you need to know.

First, traditional kitty litter can not be composted. It contains clay and many chemical additives. The first step is to switch to biodegradable litter. 

Types of Biodegradable Litters:

How to compost cat poop:

  • Switch to biodegradable litter
  • Use a 2:1 ratio of cat waste to sawdust (litter can be used instead of sawdust) 
  • Mix
  • cover
  • “cook” 6-8 weeks
  • Must reach 145 degrees for 3 days in a row to be considered safe
  • “Cure” the compost for 6 months to a year in order to make sure all pathogens are dead

Toxoplasmosis and cat poop:

Only compost waste from cats that have never hunted outside. 

Toxoplasmosis is one of the world’s most common parasites and it can be transmitted by eating raw meat and handling feces from infected cats. 

The parasite is transferred to cats when they eat infected rodents and birds. If your cat has never eaten a rodent or bird, and is on a regular vaccination schedule, then you can be sure that your compost is relatively safe. There is no point to compost from an outdoor cat unless you are completely comfortable exposing yourself to toxoplasmosis.

Bokashi composting pet waste

Bokashi composting is the Japanese method of fermenting waste to kill pathogens and then burying it. 

You can easily compost pet waste with the bokashi method.

How to compost pet waste with the bokashi method

  • Buy a bokashi system
  • Add pet waste to bin
  • Cover with bokashi bran
  • Repeat until bin is full
  • Keep covered for 2 weeks
  • Burry waste or add it to a traditional compost pile where worms can finish it

 

best electric Composter for pet waste

The bioCOMpet Home Pet Waste System is the only electric composter for pet waste that we recommend. 

It processes 5 pounds of pet waste (and biodegradable litter) a day. 

It’s a great deal anytime you can find it under $350. Check the current Amazon price here. 

Bio ComPet

Septic Systems for Pet Waste

An alternative to composting is to purchase a septic system just for pet waste.

These septic systems cost as little as $30 and when the waste is treated correctly, they are extremely eco-friendly options. The waste is dropped into the septic system, treatment fluid is added and the waste enters the ground water safely.

 Shop the most popular septic systems for pets here. 

What you need to compost pet waste?

Composting pet waste is easy with these products. 

Good Ideas Compost Tumbler

compost tumbler

A compost tumbler is important because it keeps the waste from entering the groundwater. All pathogens are confined to the tumbler.

Shop Tumblers Here
Bio ComPet

Electric Composter

Don’t want to manage the pet waste yourself? The Bio ComPet Home Composter processes up to 5 pounds of pet waste a day. 

Shop Composter Here

Biodegradable Kitty litter

In order to compost your cat poop, litter must also be biodegradable. Click the link below to shop the best biodegradable kittle litter products on the market. 

Shop Kitty Litter Here

compost thermometer

Compost much reach a temperature of 145 degrees F in order to kill all pathogens found in pet waste. A compost thermometer will help you monitor the temperature. 

Shop Compost Thermometers Here

Safety facts for composting pet waste

Composting pet waste is definitely achievable, but it comes with risks. 

The main risk is that you are knowingly putting yourself in contact with pathogens from feces.

Follow these tips to safely compost pet waste:

  • Keep your pets on a regular vaccination schedule
  • Wear gloves when handling pet waste and coming in contact with unfinished compost
  • Use a long stem thermometer to verify that compost reaches 145 degrees F for 3 days in a row
  • Cure compost (let sit) for 3 months to a year before using on plants 
  • Don’t use finished compost on edible plants

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Don’t forget to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to see more of what we love. If you like this post, you’ll love our social media accounts too! Want to know another way you can see more of what I love? Follow us on Pinterest.  We’d also love for you to pin this post to Pinterest if you liked it!