The Complete Guide to Indoor Composting

Indoor composting is a convenient and eco-friendly way to reduce food waste and enrich your plants. By composting food scraps and other organic materials inside your home, you can produce nutrient-rich compost for your houseplants or garden without having to maintain an outdoor compost bin.

Why Indoor Compost?

Composting provides numerous environmental and gardening benefits. Here are some of the top reasons to start an indoor composting system:

Reduce Food Waste

Over 30% of the food produced globally is wasted each year. An indoor composter allows you to divert scraps from your kitchen like vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and eggshells into a recycling bin instead of the trash. This cuts down on methane emissions from landfills and puts your food waste to productive use.

Produce Nutrient-Rich Compost

Finished compost contains beneficial microorganisms and slow-release nutrients that are like a vitamin boost for plants. Using compost improves soil health and helps your plants grow stronger. Indoor composting produces compost for houseplants or outdoor gardening projects.

Recycle Indoors All Year

Outdoor compost bins slow down or stop working in cold weather. Indoor composting provides an active way to recycle food scraps year-round, no matter the season. Closed bins keep odors contained so you can compost kitchen waste conveniently inside.

Reduce Need for Chemical Fertilizers

The organic matter and nutrients in compost can reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. Compost improves moisture retention and soil structure for healthier plants. Utilizing compost is a natural and environmentally sustainable way to fertilize.

Small Footprint

Indoor composting requires very little space, using compact bins that fit conveniently under your sink or counter. Apartment dwellers can compost without access to a backyard. Indoor systems compost smaller amounts of waste more quickly than outdoor piles.

Indoor Composting Methods

There are a few different methods and systems for composting indoors depending on your needs and preferences. Here are some of the most popular options:

Worm Composting

Vermicomposting uses red wigglier worms to break down food waste. The worms create worm castings (poop) which is extra nutritious compost. Worm bins provide continuous, slow composting using little space. They require maintenance of moisture, bedding, and worm population. Worm compost can be harvested every few months.

Electric Composters

Electric composters are self-contained bins, typically cylindrical in shape, that plug into a wall outlet. An internal heater, fans, and other features speed decomposition, while filters prevent odors. Many models can produce finished compost in just a few hours, allowing very frequent emptying. Electric composters require more energy but compost quickly with little effort. Popular brands are Lomi, Vitamix, and Geem.

Bokashi Composting

Bokashi uses fermentation facilitated by bokashi bran (an inoculant) to pickle food waste before composting. A special Bokashi bin is layered with bran and food waste to ferment for 2-3 weeks. The fermented waste is then transferred to a regular compost pile or dug into soil to decompose. Bokashi pickles waste to control odors before composting.

Aerobic Composting

Basic aerobic composting in an open bin allows oxygen flow for natural decomposition of food scraps. A compost bin is layered with browns (carbon-rich materials like leaves or paper) and greens (nitrogen-rich food scraps) for active composting. Aerobic bins require frequent maintenance but provide a simple, zero-cost option.

Indoor Composter Buyer’s Guide

Choosing the right indoor composting system depends on your space constraints, budget, and how involved you want to be in the composting process. Here are some key factors to consider:

Composting Speed

  • Fast: Electric and solar-powered composters can produce finished compost in just 3-4 hours.
  • Moderate: Bokashi and worm composting take 2-4 weeks for partial decomposition before finished composting.
  • Slow: Simple aerobic bins can take 4-8 weeks or longer to finish composting scraps.

Capacity

  • Small: Under 1 gallon capacity for very limited food waste.
  • Medium: 1-3 gallon capacity for most single-family homes.
  • Large: 5+ gallon systems for active cooking households.

Continuous vs. Batch

  • Continuous: Worm and bokashi bins allow ongoing adding of waste.
  • Batch: Electric and aerobic bins must be emptied completely before adding more waste.

Maintenance Needs

  • High: Worm and bokashi bins require monitoring food, moisture, and populations.
  • Medium: Aerobic bins need turning or stirring.
  • Low: Electric and solar-powered composters are mostly self-sustaining.

Budget

  • Low-cost: DIY or simple containers under $50
  • Mid-range: Aerobic bins $50-$150
  • High-end: Electric and solar bins $200-$400+

Getting Started with Indoor Composting

Ready to begin composting kitchen scraps indoors? Follow these steps to start your system off right:

Select an Indoor Composter

Consider your space, budget, and lifestyle to choose an electric, worm, bokashi, or simple aerobic bin. Small countertop systems are great for apartments. For fastest composting, electric composters are very convenient.

Find the Right Spot

Place your compost bin in your kitchen or an mudroom for easy food scrap collection. Worm bins work best in basement or garage spaces. Ensure access to an outlet if using an electric composter.

Layer in Browns and Greens

Aerobic bins require alternating layers of browns (carbon) like shredded paper and greens (nitrogen) like food waste. Worm bins need bedding like coconut coir along with food.

Monitor and Maintain

Keep systems aerated and moisture balanced. Harvest finished compost and replenish bedding when needed. Troubleshoot any odors or other issues. Maintaining optimal conditions will result in healthier compost.

Use Compost On Plants

Once finished, use your rich compost to pot houseplants, fertilize gardens, or sprinkle around bushes and trees. Compost feeds soil food webs and replenishes nutrients used by plants.

Indoor Composting Tips and Tricks

These handy tips will help you succeed with contained composting:

  • Grind or shred food scraps to increase surface area for faster composting.
  • Rotate multiple compost bins to keep a continuous flow of finished compost.
  • Use charcoal air filters or activated carbon to reduce odors in indoor bins.
  • Mix in handfuls of finished outdoor compost to inoculate bins with beneficial microbes.
  • Use leachate liquid drained from indoor bins to provide a nutritious plant fertilizer.
  • Monitor internal temperatures and oxygen flow for optimal decomposition.
  • Adjust moisture regularly – compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge.
  • Chopsticks or a small rake help aerate and turn over compost piles.
  • Keep compost worms happy by feeding them a varied diet in thin layers.

Troubleshooting Indoor Compost Problems

Even well-maintained compost systems can run into issues. Here are some common indoor composting problems and solutions:

Odors

  • Add more carbon-rich browns like leaves or sawdust to balance nitrogen from food scraps.
  • Make sure compost isn’t overly wet or dry. Aim for 40-60% moisture.
  • Turn and aerate bins frequently to revitalize microbial activity.
  • Add lime or baking soda to reduce acidity and ammonia odors.

Slow Composting

  • Shred materials into smaller pieces for faster composting.
  • Monitor moisture and oxygen flow in bins.
  • Increase turning frequency and mix in new food scraps.
  • Introduce ready-made compost or compost accelerants to inoculate pile.

Fruit Flies

  • Stop adding food scraps for 1-2 weeks to break fly life cycle.
  • Cover food contributions in bins with brown materials like shredded paper immediately.
  • Make sure lids seal tightly and empty indoor bins frequently.

Mold Growth

  • Cut back on nitrogen-rich greens and increase carbon-rich browns.
  • Decrease moisture to 50% or less if mold persists.
  • Turn and aerate piles to dry out excess moisture promoting mold.

Low Worm Activity

  • Add fresh bedding like coconut coir, leaves, or shredded paper.
  • Eliminate acids like citrus peels and coffee grounds.
  • Reduce feeding to rebalance worm population and waste.

Frequently Asked Questions About Indoor Composting

How long does indoor composting take?

Electric composters can produce finished compost in 3-4 hours. Worm bins take 1-3 months. Bokashi systems require 2-3 weeks of fermenting before finished outdoor composting. Simple aerobic bins need 2-4 months for usable compost.

Does indoor composting smell bad?

Closed bins help control odors. When managed properly, indoor composting should not smell. Adding carbon, monitoring moisture, and providing airflow prevents nuisance odors.

Can you compost completely indoors?

Worm bins, bokashi, and electric composters allow full indoor composting. Aerobic bins produce partially finished compost to be completed outdoors. Bokashi also requires outdoor finishing.

What can be composted indoors?

Fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, nut shells, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, shredded paper, houseplants, hair, lint, pet fur, and more can be composted indoors. Avoid meat, oils, and dairy.

What are the best indoor compost bins?

Top-rated premade indoor bins are the Vitamix FoodCycler, Lomi, Exaco EcoCurve, Envirocycle, and OXO Good Grips. Many DIY bins work well too.

Unlock the Benefits of Indoor Composting

Composting indoors is easy and rewarding. With a small investment of time and effort, you can keep food scraps out of landfills while nourishing your houseplants and gardens. Indoor composting systems range from basic and affordable to sleek electricity-powered bins.

Choose a method matched to your space constraints, budget, and lifestyle. Proper maintenance like balancing moisture and aeration will keep your indoor compost healthy and odor-free. Take advantage of the convenience of indoor composting to reduce waste sustainably while improving your soil. With a little troubleshooting, your indoor compost will be creating black gold to help your plants thrive in no time!