Rant: My apartment compost bin quit on me 3 weeks in and the smell in July was unreal

Parker Campbell · 2026-10-09T13:35:05.649652+00:00

I set up a little countertop compost bin back in June because my building in Sacramento finally got a green waste dumpster. For the first couple weeks it was fine, then I noticed fruit flies around the lid and a smell that I can only describe as rotten sweet. Turns out I was tossing in way too many coffee grounds and orange peels without enough dry stuff like paper or leaves. I dumped the whole thing on the 4th of July, scrubbed it with vinegar, and started over with a browns-first layer on the bottom. Now I keep a paper bag of shredded junk mail next to it and add a handful every time I add scraps. Two weeks in and zero flies, zero stink. Anyone got tips for keeping a small indoor bin going through a hot summer without it turning into a biohazard?

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Rant: My apartment compost bin quit on me 3 weeks in and the smell in July was unreal | Climate Action - HW Forums