Why Your Compost Smells (and How to Fix It)
Healthy compost shouldn’t stink
Properly working compost smells earthy and pleasant, like forest soil. A foul, rotten, or sour smell is a sign something’s out of balance — and the good news is it’s easy to fix.
Cause 1: Too wet
Excess moisture from kitchen scraps starves the pile of air, causing a sour, rotten smell. Fix: add dry “browns” — shredded paper, dry leaves, cardboard — and mix well to soak up the dampness.
Cause 2: Too many greens
Too many wet food scraps and not enough dry material causes ammonia-like smells. Fix: balance it with more browns, and avoid dumping in large amounts of scraps at once.
Cause 3: Not enough air
Compacted compost goes anaerobic (without oxygen) and starts to stink. Fix: turn or stir the pile regularly to let air in — a tumbler makes this effortless.
Cause 4: Wrong things added
Meat, fish, dairy, and oily food rot badly and smell foul. Fix: never add these — stick to vegetable and fruit scraps, garden waste, and dry browns.
A quick reset
- Add a generous layer of dry browns.
- Mix thoroughly to aerate.
- Cover fresh scraps with soil or finished compost.
- Make sure the bin drains and breathes.
Keeping it fresh
Maintain the green-brown balance, turn it often, and keep it moist but not soggy. Do that, and your composter stays clean and odour-free.
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