My bokashi bin smelled like death until my upstairs neighbor fixed it

I was ready to toss my whole bokashi system after 3 weeks of rotten egg fumes in my 1 bedroom in Portland. My upstairs neighbor heard me complaining in the hallway and said I was drowning the scraps in too much liquid. She told me to drain the spigot every 2 days and add dry cardboard between layers. I ignored her advice for another week until my girlfriend threatened to move out. Now I drain it religiously and the smell is basically like pickles instead of garbage. That simple fix saved my whole composting setup and my relationship. Has anyone else dealt with bokashi liquid going bad or am I just bad at this?

2 comments

2 Comments

paul_webb451mo ago

The draining tip honestly surprised me because I used to think bokashi was supposed to stay wet to work, but your neighbor was exactly right. Letting that liquid sit is what turns it into something that smells like a dead animal. Once I started draining mine on a schedule the whole process got way easier and less smelly.

henry1011mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah "smells like a dead animal" is pretty spot on for what happens when you let that liquid fester. I had one batch get so bad I had to open the bucket outside and hold my breath while pouring it out. Learned that lesson quick. @paul_webb45 you said it right about draining on a schedule, I do mine every 3 days now and it keeps things manageable. The liquid itself is great for plants too, just gotta catch it before it turns into biohazard.