Monthly Archives: October 2011

Want to be eco-friendly but don’t want to end up with a compost bin full of rats? It really just takes a few simple steps to keep rats out of your compost bin. These easy to follow steps are all you need.

Get a Sturdy Compost Bin

You should get a sturdy compost bin that has either a screw on or clamp on lid. Make sure the bin is completely enclosed all around.

If you can afford it, get a metal compost bin. If you’d rather save money, then go with a plastic one, but place a cement slab underneath and wrap the whole bin with metallic mesh/wire.

The slab and mesh should cost you around $10 – $20 at your local hardware store. It’s necessary because rats can actually chew through plastic. The last thing you need is rats and a compost bins with holes in it.

If you do this step properly, you virtually guarantee that you won’t have a rat problem – They can’t get in!

That said, you should still follow the next few tips to be absolutely sure you don’t end up with any rats in your bin.

Never Leave Food Around the Bin

It’s common for an apple or banana peel to fall out of the compost bag as you’re dumping your compost from the house to the bin outside.

People are often just a little too lazy to pick up that one piece of trash. However, that one piece of trash may be all a rat needs to find your compost bin.

Don’t leave any food around the compost bin. This will help reduce the chances that rats find your bin in the first place.

No Meat, No Dairy, No Bones, No Cooked Foods

Meats, dairy, bones and cooked foods attract rats like nothing else. These really shouldn’t be in your compost bin in the first place anyway.

Make sure you keep these out, or you risk having a rat problem.

Put Fruits & Veggies On the Bottom

Any time you’re dumping compost, try to have the fruits and the vegetables towards the bottom of the bin.

Of course, some will still probably end up on top sometimes and that’s fine – But do your best to keep anything edible away from the top of the bin.

Keep it Moist

Any time you dump compost into the bin, use your garden hose to spray a bit of water into the compost bin.

Compost should be moist, not dry. If compost goes too long without having water added, it can actually build up heat.

Heat attracts rats, as they like to snuggle up in warm places. Wet your compost to prevent this.

Wear Gloves if You See Rats

If you suspect that you have rats in your compost bin, then wear gloves any time you’re near the bin. The last thing you need is a rat bite.

If you follow all the tips outlined in this article, you most likely won’t have a rat issue. They won’t even know your bin is there, and if they did they wouldn’t be able to get in.