Can You Compost Cheese? How?

Our experienced writers spend hours deep researching, considering both scientific and experimental info to bring the insights you can trust.  

In Brief: Can You Compost Cheese?

Yes, cheese can be composted, but it must be done with caution. Cheese and other dairy items are among the things that most conventional composters advise you to avoid. The primary reason for this is that animal manure is thought to attract pests.

This ultimate guide will take you through simple steps and precautions to take care of composting cheese.

Let’s get started!!

Can You Compost Cheese?

Cheese is biodegradable; therefore, it should be composted when it’s no longer needed in the house. Cheese is a dairy product derived from cows, goats, sheep, all naturally existing animals.

As a result of being an organic product, it is biodegradable and compostable.

However, be cautious while composting cheese because it will attract pests and potentially contaminate your compost if proper precautions are not taken.

All of the underlying difficulties stated above will be eliminated if adequate care is followed when composting cheese, and you will have peace of mind as your compost cooks.

Cheese wax, for example, is biodegradable, though it takes a long time to degrade. This is why, although being biodegradable, cheese wax cannot and should not be composted.

Even though biodegradable, it can take hundreds of years to decompose completely, so it should not be composted. Because all other cheese forms are biodegradable, they can be composted in large quantities.

Furthermore, while composting, it is not good to mix dairy with dry fibrous materials, but you may help deal with the problem by adding dry leaves, straw, or shredded paper.

How To Compost Cheese With Ease?

Cheese may be composted exactly like any other organic material. Cheese decomposes faster than most organic materials, including pineapple crowns and avocado rinds.

Here’s how to safely compost cheese, step by step:

Don’t overfill the compost bin or pile – Quantity is important.

This is because adding too much cheese to the compost might cause the scent to become unbearable as the cheese decomposes. So, if you want to keep the stink down, don’t use too much cheese.

Use an electric composting system

There are sophisticated electric composters on the market to speed up the composting process.

Simply place the cheese and other kitchen and yard waste in the electric composter and let it decompose. This automated process is particularly effective since it helps to prevent the foul odor that cheese compost might emit.

Placing the cheese at the center of the pile – Add your cheese waste after layering other compostable materials up to the center of the compost bin or mound.

Bury the cheese with other compostable debris until the compost bin or pile is full.

Exposure to sun

Place the compost container or pile in a strategic location. Find a decent spot in your backyard that gets enough sun. A place that receives a sufficient amount of sunlight throughout the day.

The sun can both help and generate heat in the compost. As a result of the heat, the composting process might be accelerated.

Ventilated Spot for the pile

Choose a location for your compost bin or pile that is well-ventilated.

Place the compost container or pile in a place with enough airflow. This can assist in reducing odor by giving the compost enough air or oxygen.

Turn the compost from time to time; turn the compost

If you’re composting cheese waste in a standard compost bin or pile, turn it often.

This turning can help enhance aeration and heat in the compost, which boosts the activity of the compost’s decomposition microbes.

Is Cheese Wax Compostable?

Although cheese wax is biodegradable, it is not suitable for composting. The components will take forever to decompose completely, so if you compost cheese wax, expect to wait a couple of hundred years before it decomposes totally.

Cheese wax is made up of a mixture of paraffin, colorings, and microcrystalline, therefore it’s not a good idea to put it in your compost.

Both paraffin and microcrystalline are petroleum-based compounds, and none of them should be composted.

It is also not an option to dispose of it in a landfill because the cheese wax will be a nuisance to the environment rather than decaying. Even such products will eventually degrade.

Putting cheese wax in the compost bin is not a good idea because it will take 450 years or more to degrade.

The best thing to do with cheese wax is to reuse it rather than throwing it away in the compost bin or landfill.

Cheese wax, unlike other waxes, remains malleable and soft after it has been cured. It peels readily away from the cheese without cracking or crumbling into fragile chunks.

Can You Compost Cottage Cheese?

Yes, Cottage cheese can be composted, but it must be done with caution. Cottage cheese, like conventional cheese, may attract bugs as it degrades, and these pests will be a nuisance unless you take extra precautions.

Cottage cheese is distinguished from other cheeses in that it is a soft cheese curd product, whereas different cheeses are hard and yellowish-white in color.

Nonetheless, it will biodegrade once composted, but it will emit scents that attract bugs.

One-half of the elements for a healthy compost pile is cottage cheese and other kitchen leftovers. Brown materials, on the other hand, add carbon to the composting process.

Dry leaves, sawdust, and wood chips are just a few examples.

To assist absorb anything that might leech out of the compost bin, combine the cottage cheese with a lot of brown stuff.

A large amount of material also serves as a bulking agent, which aids in the composting process.

Also, make sure your cheese and other items are composted far away from a water source, such as a river, creek, or well. This is to avoid contamination of the leachate.

When composting cottage cheese, bury it at least 18 inches under a thick layer of already decomposed compost and dry debris to help filter the odors. Turn your compost on a regular basis to aerate it.

Finally, while touching animal food leftovers in the compost, wear gloves since they might transmit parasites and germs that can dwell outside the composting bin, on your hands, and in your home.

Limitations of Composting Cheese

Some of the reasons why some composters avoid using cheese in their compost are one or all of the following:

Unpleasant odor – When composted, cheese and other dairy products are also prone to odor generation. This is mainly due to the fact that food clumps stick together and promote anaerobic decomposition.

In a compost pile, anaerobic decomposition is undesired. This is a far slower process than aerobic breakdown. You have anaerobic conditions if your compost smells like ammonia.

High-fat content – Dairy products have high moisture and fat content, even though food waste has a high moisture content. When it comes to composting dairy products, fat is the problem.

The composting process is slowed because of the high fat and oil content. This is due to the fact that fat may form a waterproof covering on other materials.

The breakdown bacteria require air to work properly; hence the waterproof barrier is a concern.

May Attract pests – The second reason is that when cheese begins to develop a foul odor, it might attract pests such as rats.

FAQs

Can you put sour milk in compost?

No, Sour milk should not be composted if you are vermicomposting. Because most worms work in a narrow pH range, this is the case. If you’re utilizing a standard composting approach, though, you’ll need to include a lot of different decomposers, including bacteria, fungi, and millipedes. You can use your sour milk, but only in small amounts.

Can you compost cheesecloth?

Cheesecloth made of natural fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, jute, and sisal can be composted. Cheesecloth composed of synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon is non-compostable. Shred or cut the cheesecloth into smaller pieces for easier and faster composting. If the ingredients used to make the cheesecloth are organic rather than synthetic, they can be added to the compost.

Can you compost vegan cheese?

Yes, Vegan cheese can be composted; however, it is not suggested. Animal by-products such as milk, cream, eggs, and whey make most cheeses. These items should not be composted since they will attract bugs and rats. Vegetable oils are likewise not suggested because they quickly turn rancid and disintegrate.

Can you compost blue cheese?

Yes, Blue cheese, like other dairy products, can be composted, although it’s not suggested. Blue cheese has a strong and disagreeable aroma. If you want to make sure your compost doesn’t stink too terrible, add some brown material layers to assist absorb the odor.

Final Words

I hope this guide helped you know everything about composting cheese of different kinds and the best conditions for better decomposition.

If you have any queries regarding composting cheese, please write them down in the comments. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any other tips to add to our guide to make it even more informative!

Do share this with your friends and family to help them out too!