c/apartment-composting

Finally got a worm bin that doesn't stink up my whole kitchen

Dropped $45 on a Bokashi bucket after my DIY bin went moldy and attracted fruit flies. Took about 2 weeks to get the hang of it but now I can toss in veggie scraps without worrying about smell. Anyone else have trouble keeping fruit flies away?

2 comments

karenw23•8h ago

Three years of bokashi and I'm still fighting the smell in my 1-bedroom

Started a bokashi system last year after reading it was the best for small spaces. But every time I empty the bucket into my little balcony bin, the whole place reeks for days. My neighbor in unit 4B complained last month about the ammonia smell drifting over. Anyone else dealing with this or found a way to keep it from stinking up the whole apartment?

1 comments

ruby_lane•19h ago

My opinion on bokashi bins changed after 4 months of trying one

I used to think bokashi bins were just a gimmick for people who couldn't handle regular composting. Everyone online swears by them for apartments, but I was convinced they'd just smell like rotten garbage. After 4 months of using one in my tiny kitchen, I saw the difference firsthand. The fermented scraps break down way faster than I expected, like within 2 weeks in my soil bin. I think the key is actually burying the fermented material deep enough, not just dumping it on top. Has anyone else had a rough start with bokashi before it clicked for them?

2 comments

ivan82•2d ago

Had a week where my bokashi bin went completely wrong and fermented sour instead of pickling

I opened it up Tuesday and the whole thing smelled like a brewery mixed with rotten eggs (you know, that sulfur punch), and now I'm wondering if I added too much brown sugar or just let it go too long between layers - has anyone else had the bin turn on them like that?

2 comments

sage52•3d ago

Took me 4 months to figure out why my compost bin smelled like rotten eggs

I started composting in my studio apartment back in January and by March the bin was just nasty every time I opened it. I thought I was doing everything right with layering greens and browns but it still came out stinky and wet. Finally talked to a neighbor who has been doing this for years and she asked if I was drilling enough holes in the lid. I only had 6 tiny holes and apparently you need like 20 plus some on the sides for airflow. Added a bunch more holes two weeks ago and the smell is basically gone now. Has anyone else dealt with weird airflow issues in a small space?

2 comments

camerona79•4d ago

My bokashi bin smelled like pickles not rot, I was wrong about it

I kept seeing people swear by bokashi composting in their apartments and I thought it was just another gimmick that would stink up my 400 square foot studio in Chicago. After three weeks of my regular compost bin getting fruit flies I gave it a shot, and the fermented smell is actually kind of mild and not gross at all. Has anyone else found a method they were super skeptical about that actually worked better than expected?

2 comments

james661•5d ago

Bought a $35 countertop compost pail and it totally changed my routine

I finally got tired of my smelly plastic container under the sink and dropped 35 bucks on a stainless steel countertop pail with a charcoal filter last month. Man what a difference - no more odors even when I leave scraps in there for a few days before taking them to the drop off. The lid seals tight and it actually looks decent on my counter. I was worried about fruit flies but so far so good. The only downside is it's smaller than I thought so I have to empty it every 3 days instead of once a week. Still beats running to the bin every night though. Has anyone else tried one of these metal bins or do you just stick with something free?

2 comments

kelly_coleman61•5d ago

I finally stopped tossing citrus peels after a neighbor called me out

My downstairs neighbor told me the orange peels were making her bin smell like a rotten fruit salad, so now I freeze them and add them slowly. Anyone else get feedback that changed their whole composting routine?

2 comments

andrew916•6d ago

Just realized a cardboard only system is way easier than I thought

For 2 years I was trying to compost with a fancy electric unit that kept breaking down and smelling weird. Switched to a simple 5 gallon bucket with a tight lid and only add cardboard scraps plus coffee grounds from my local shop. The cardboard soaks up moisture so there's no smell, and I just dump it at my mom's garden every 3 weeks. Anyone else skip the gadgets and keep it basic?

2 comments

dylanwilliams•6d ago

My bokashi bin filled up in 8 days flat this week

I usually get about two weeks out of mine, but I hit capacity this Monday morning. I think it's because I went wild at the farmer's market and bought a huge bag of spinach that went sad in the fridge. I layered in some extra bokashi bran and let it sit for a day before adding more. Has anyone else noticed their bin fills way faster in spring when produce is everywhere?

2 comments

faith_thomas•6d ago

My mom asked if I was running a science experiment and it made me rethink my whole worm bin setup

She saw me measuring the pH of my coffee grounds with a pool test strip last Tuesday and now I'm wondering if I'm overcomplicating apartment composting for myself, anyone else ever get called out by family and realize you might be going too hard on this hobby?

2 comments

skyler_white•7d ago

My mini compost bin exploded on a Tuesday afternoon

Last week I opened my countertop compost bin and fruit flies swarmed my whole kitchen. Turns out I had too much wet food waste and not enough browns like paper or cardboard. I had to toss the whole batch and start over from scratch. Anyone else had a bin go bad on them? How do you balance moisture in a small apartment setup?

2 comments

faithbaker•22d ago

Hit 10 pounds of finished compost from my balcony bin and it felt like a win

I started a small worm bin under my kitchen sink back in February. For two months I just added scraps and forgot about it. Last week I finally sifted out the finished stuff and weighed it on my food scale. 10.2 pounds from just coffee grounds, egg shells, and veggie peels in a 5 gallon bucket. That felt pretty good for a one bedroom apartment setup. Has anyone else tracked how much they actually produce in a small space?

2 comments

nina180•24d ago

Finally had a perfect composting week after 4 months of trial and error

I live in a 500 sq ft studio in Chicago and my worm bin has been a disaster for almost half a year with fruit flies and smell. Last Tuesday I switched to a layered system with shredded newspaper and frozen scraps and it actually worked no flies no stink. Has anyone else tried freezing scraps before adding them to their bin?

2 comments

-1

cameron763•24d ago

Wish I ignored that guy who said bokashi bran lasts forever

Bought a 5 pound bag of bokashi bran 8 months ago and started a fresh bin last week and nothing fermented, just mold everywhere because that stuff loses potency after maybe 3 months open. Has anyone else had dried-out bokashi bran fail on them or did I just get a bad batch from the start?

2 comments

abby_king22•25d ago

Finally fixed my smelly indoor compost bin after 8 weeks of guessing wrong

Honestly I thought my countertop compost bin was doomed. I kept adding food scraps but it just turned into a gross wet mess that smelled like rotten trash. Tried adding more brown materials like shredded paper but that barely helped. Then I realized I was putting too much citrus peels in there and throwing off the balance. Took me 8 whole weeks to figure out it was the orange rinds killing the whole thing. Anyone else struggle with specific foods wrecking their small bin?

2 comments

tyler614•25d ago

Finally got my bokashi bin to stop smelling so bad

I was ready to give up on composting in my 500 sq ft apartment because my bokashi bin was getting this weird sour smell after a few days. Turns out I was dumping too much citrus peel and not draining the liquid often enough. Last week I started draining it every 3 days and mixing in a handful of shredded newspaper with each layer. The smell basically vanished overnight and the compost is actually breaking down faster now. Anyone else deal with the bokashi stink problem and find a fix that worked for them?

2 comments

-1

sandralee•25d ago

Hit 500 pounds of compost from my tiny kitchen and it blew my mind

I've been collecting scraps in a 5 gallon bucket under my sink for about 2 years now. Last week I finally dumped it all at the community drop-off and the guy weighed it. 512 pounds. That's like a quarter of a car. I'm in a 600 square foot apartment in Austin. Never thought one person making coffee and chopping veggies could add up to that much. Anyone else ever tally up their total and get shocked?

2 comments

angela_dixon•25d ago

My neighbor told me my compost bin was attracting rats and I still can't let it go

This was about 6 months ago when I first started trying to compost in my apartment in Portland. I had this little countertop bin with a charcoal filter and I was so proud of myself for finally doing it. Then my downstairs neighbor, this older guy named Jerry, knocks on my door and says "You know that thing is gonna draw rats right?" He was real serious about it too. I tried to explain that I kept it sealed and emptied it every few days but he just rolled his eyes and walked off. Honestly it bothered me way more than it should have... I spent the next week second guessing everything I was putting in there. Has anyone else dealt with a neighbor who just assumes apartment composting is nasty or impossible? What do you even say to that?

2 comments

hart.ryan•29d ago

Hit 50 pounds of compost in my kitchen corner after 8 months

I started a worm bin under my sink in January and just weighed my finished castings at 52 pounds. That's a lot of banana peels and coffee grounds for a 600 square foot apartment. How much are you guys collecting in a year with your small setups?

2 comments

cameron763•1mo ago

My neighbor said my compost smelled like a dead mouse, so I changed everything

Last summer in my little Seattle apartment, I had this bucket of scraps on the balcony and thought I was doing great. Then my downstairs neighbor came up and said the smell was seeping into her window, and honestly it smelled like something had died in there. She told me to stop adding cooked food with oil and to layer in more dry browns like shredded newspaper or cardboard. Now I keep a separate bag for meat and grease (which I just toss), and I mix in a handful of shredded junk mail every time I add kitchen scraps. Has anyone else had their whole system fall apart because of a smell complaint?

2 comments

gavine41•1mo ago

My worm bin went anaerobic for 2 weeks until a neighbor showed me a fix

I overfed my red wigglers last month and the bin started smelling like rotten eggs, turns out drilling a few extra air holes and adding shredded cardboard on top saved the whole thing. Anyone else had luck fixing sour bins with just more airflow?

2 comments

gavine41•1mo ago

The Bokashi bucket thing I was dead wrong about

I spent 6 months thinking bokashi composting was just overpriced garbage since you still have to bury the pre-compost. But my apartment started getting fruit flies (even with a sealed worm bin) and a neighbor in my building let me borrow her bucket for a week. The fermentation smell is actually kinda like pickle juice (not rotting) and my kitchen scraps don't sit around getting moldy anymore. Has anyone else found a way to make bokashi work in a tiny galley kitchen without it looking ugly?

2 comments

willowroberts•1mo ago

My neighbor tried composting in a plastic grocery bag

Saw a bag of banana peels and coffee grounds just sitting on their balcony, tied shut. Took about three days before it started smelling like a garbage truck exploded. Has anyone else had to explain to people that compost needs airflow or do I just have weird neighbors?

2 comments

paul_webb45•1mo ago

Sprayed my bin with vinegar for months to keep fruit flies away, but opening the lid after feeding yesterday I saw the smell was just attracting more of them.

Turns out a thin layer of dry shredded paper on top of each new addition actually blocks them from laying eggs in the first place, has anyone else found a better cover material than paper?

2 comments