Can I Compost Vacuum Cleaner Contents

Can I Compost Vacuum Cleaner Contents

Can I Compost the Contents from a Vacuum Cleaner?

In theory yes, but the practicality very much depends on what has been vacuumed up and in reality that can be a real mixed bag in the average home with a lot of non-organic material which will not breakdown.

Vacuumed Organic Materials

Whilst the contents of a vacuum cleaner bag can contain material such as human & pet hairs, skin flakes and natural materials which will compost, some of these can take a long time to breakdown; hair for example is composed of mostly protein (keratin), like feathers which are resistant to degradation.

Non-Organic Vacuumed Materials

Vacuum cleaners will collect a whole manner of non-organic material such as synthetic fibres in man-made carpets, plastics and other everyday debris creating a partially non-compostable mix. There is also a consideration of the dusty contents, these fine particles may block aeration in the HOTBIN. So, although some of the materials you may vacuum up can be composted the practicalities tell a different story so we suggest leaving the contents of your vacuum cleaner out of the HOTBIN.

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