Kitchen Composting

Reader Contribution by Vicki Mattern
article image
by Adobe Stock/Nina

How can I keep kitchen scraps indoors for a few days without odor or fruit flies developing?

You don’t need a fancy compost pail with a filter to keep your kitchen compost odor- and fly-free. One easy option for kitchen composting is to put food waste into a large, sealable plastic bag. To save space and speed decomposition, you can chop up the larger pieces of waste before adding them to the bag. Keep the bagged scraps refrigerated until you’re ready to add them to your outdoor compost pile.

Another option is a 5-gallon plastic bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Line the bottom with a few sheets of newspaper, then fill a separate container with carbonaceous materials, such as sawdust, leaves, shredded newspaper or garden soil. Keep both containers in the garage or just outside your back door. Dump food waste in the large plastic bucket, then top it with a thin layer of the carbonaceous material, which will control odors and fruit flies and will balance the high-nitrogen materials. Stir occasionally, keeping the bucket tightly closed the rest of the time. When the container is full, add the contents to your outdoor compost pile.

You could also consider vermicomposting (worm composting), which you can do indoors. Read more about it in How to Set Up a Simple, Homemade Vermicomposting Bin.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368