Things You Didn’t Know You Can Compost

Composting isn’t just for fruit and veggie scraps. There are plenty of surprising household items that can break down naturally and keep waste out of landfill.

• Pet Hair & Human Hair – Full of nitrogen, hair helps balance your compost pile.

• Nail Clippings – As long as they’re free from polish.

• Cardboard Toilet Rolls & Egg Cartons – A great source of carbon (browns) for your compost bin (most people don't put enough browns/carbon into their compost and it gets stinky, so this is a great accessible one)

• Natural Wine Corks – Chop them up for faster breakdown. (Avoid plastic-based ones!)

• Used Paper Towels & Napkins – As long as they’re not soaked in chemicals or grease.

• Coffee Grounds & Tea Bags – Tea bags must be plastic-free (many contain microplastics).

• Wooden Toothpicks & Bamboo Skewers – Break them into smaller pieces for easier decomposition.

• Old Cotton & Wool Socks – Only 100% natural fibres (no synthetics or elastane- unless the elastane is plant based, which is quite rare).

• Dead Houseplants & Cut Flowers – If they haven’t been treated with pesticides.

• Pencil Shavings & Uncoated Paper Scraps – A good source of carbon-rich material.