COMPOST CART CARE

Tips on Keeping Your Carts Clean

Store In a Shady Area & Keep the Lid Closed

Reduce heat exposure to your compost carts by storing them in shady areas. The less sunlight, the fewer flies.

Tie Compost Bag

Once you have filled your compost cart, tie the compostable bag together. The less scent, the fewer flies.  

Top Off with Carbons

Baking soda, paper towels, newspaper, leaves, and dirt are natural carbons that reduce acidity and scent. After you put food waste into the cart, top off with one of these. Flies love acidity, so let’s reduce it.

DIY Spray

There are a number of natural products you can use. Rub tea tree oil or neem oil around the lid of the cart. If making a spray, use 10-20 drops of oil in a spray bottle. Our favorite is diluting Dr. Bronners Sal Suds and spraying around the opening of the cart.

Hot Water

If maggots are developing and you’re looking for a quick way to get rid of them, use nearly boiling water to kill them. Maggots are the larval stage of a fly. A female fly lays eggs on your food waste, which then hatch into maggots within a day. They feed for several days before becoming dormant pupae and eventually transforming into flies. To prevent maggots, the goal is to keep flies away from your food waste.

Wash It Out

Many organizations wash their carts out as needed. After pickup day, rinse them out and let it dry upside down in the sun. If able, add soap before rinsing to break up oil and fats. Our favorite is Simple Green. Don't worry if there were maggots—it's completely normal, and rinsing it once is usually all you need to do. During the warmer months, you can repeat this process after each pickup.

Professional Can Cleaning Service

You can hire a bin cleaning company to come once, monthly, or weekly. We’ve partnered with Bin Bath for a discount on your first cleaning. Info here.

Cart Alternatives

Some of our partners, such as schools, often bring the compost carts inside for collection. If this is your organization, you may want to consider using your own containers inside and keeping ours outside.

If so, Larsen Supply Co. has cheap 23-gallon Slim Jims in green (the preferred color for composting). And you can purchase extra thick compostable bags from us. Contact for a quote.