My countertop bin stopped smelling after I added a paper layer trick

I've been composting in a 500 square foot studio in Chicago for about 8 months now, and the bin next to my sink always hit that sour note by day 3. Last week I tried something random, I started topping every new layer of scraps with a torn sheet of junk mail, not the glossy stuff, just plain printer paper. The difference was almost instant, day 5 rolled around and my kitchen still smelled like coffee, not rot. I think the paper soaks up extra moisture and keeps fruit flies from finding the surface. It took me way too long to realize my problem was airflow, not the bin itself, since I was sealing the lid too tight. I'm curious if anyone else uses cardboard or paper towels for the same effect, or if I'm just reinventing a trick everyone knew already?

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charles91928d ago

Tried the same thing with shredded cardboard from my Amazon boxes after my bin went sour every single week. The paper trick works, but I found it matters what kind of paper you use. Newspaper worked better than printer paper for me because it soaks up more moisture without getting slimy. Also stopped locking the lid down all the way and just let it sit loose on top, that alone cut the smell by half. You're not reinventing anything, but most people just never think to mess with the paper layer until they're desperate.