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View Full Version : When nightmares become real.....


Pumpkin
08-04-2008, 09:17 AM
Now I LOVE a horror movie but not when things from them become reality!!!


Everytime it rains the nightmare begins.....

I am a smoker (yea yea I know smoking is bad, just quit, etc etc...figured I say it b4 someone else does so u don't have to bother now...lol) I am an outdoor smoker, I do not smoke in my home. SO....lately, when I go out to smoke and it has rained or is raining, I am greeted with maggots EVERYWHERE!!!

They are crawling on my step, up my door over the window and cover about half of my driveway. Like I said right from a horror movie...EWWWWW! Now, we all know that our wonderful green boxes have a tendency to create this problem (That's why they should be picked up everyweek instead of two)but we are not as priveledged with our compost and garbage like south enders and who ever else that has their garbage . etc picked up every week. ....

BUT I am wondering is the box the only problem?. For some reason on hot days, blow flies are everywhere in my driveway right near my door, well they seem to hang around in the vicintiy that the maggots appear, and not just at the compost bucket. More are in and around the driveway than the box so I do not know if the compost box is the only problem here. Maybe the maggots are hatching into flies thus creating more....or if the darn things are laying their eggs everywhere....I dunno

All I know is I have to do something because I am literally starting to have bad nightmares, very vivid nightmares, even one where they were falling from my 8yr olds face. Nice way to wake up huh....

Anyways, does ANYONE have ANY ideas on what I can do? Anyone else having these problems? What do you do?

After it is picked up tomorrow, I am taking javex and some pinesol and giving it to it real good cuz it STINKS too. My neighbors have even come into my driveway to chat with me and made comments on the stink while standing there chatting. (How embarrassing!!!) Anyways, that is what I am gonna try and that is more to fight the odor, which will happen again by the time 2 weeks rolls around again... but I have to do it!!! Anyone know of anything I can do to fight the maggot problem???? ANYTHING!!!!???

AreWeThereYetMom
08-04-2008, 11:05 AM
Um, yah thats gross and way too many that I would care to handle either.

I had similar issue last year with maggots and ants... the guy at the FRSWC recycling helpline gave me some info from their website.
I also toss in shredded paper once in a while with the garden lime and have no problems yet this year.

How do I keep the bugs out of my cart?
By following the information listed below for properly using the cart, especially wrapping food and pet waste, rinsing the cart, and storing it in a ventilated and shaded area. If you have a large amount of meat or fish, freeze it until compost pick-up day.


If you do get bugs in your Compost Cart, you can sprinkle garden lime in your cart. The garden lime raises the pH level, creating the wrong environment for the larva to live. After collection day, rinse the cart with a solution of water and bleach (10 parts water and 1 part bleach).

Compost Cart

Crumple newspaper in the bottom of your Compost Cart to absorb any liquid and to stop small items from dropping through the bottom grate.
Tightly wrap meat, bones, fish, dairy, and pet waste in newspaper to deter flies. The newspaper will provide a natural carbon filter.
Include garden clippings, wood chips, evergreen branches, sawdust, leaves, or baking soda in your cart to act as a natural filter.
Even if the cart is not full, always put your cart out for collection on pick-up day.
Regularly rinse the cart with a garden hose.
Make sure that the air vents at the bottom of the Compost Cart are kept clear. These holes enable the compostable material to receive air. Without air, the compostable material will go 'anaerobic,' which will produce nasty odours.
Rub Vicks Vapour Rub or A535 (a muscle ointment) on the air vents on the Compost Cart to mask odours and deter animals.
Store your Compost Cart outside in a ventilated, shaded, and convenient area, away from outdoor activity if possible.

dan j
08-05-2008, 05:27 PM
The advice just given is the best. Please do not clean your compost bin with harsh chemicals. These will get carried onto the compost people may use for their food gardens.

timmy
08-24-2008, 09:30 PM
Maybe there's a body buried in your yard????
Seriously, I keep the little green bin in my freezer with a biodegradeable bag in it. The frozen tied off bags go out for collection so there is no decomposing guck in the big bin ever. Actually I compost all but the meat stuff in a small backyard compost barrel so only meat and fish waste goes in the bin. It takes a long time for a few bones to add up to anything. YMMV

inuit
08-30-2008, 06:24 PM
Maybe you could place your compost bin farther away from your doorstep. Mine is in back of the house. To kill maggots take a handful of salt and sprinkle it on and around the maggoty areas. Salt kills them and clean your bin every 2 weeks. I also agree 2 weeks is too long to have garbage hanging around near your home. Attracts rodents.

adorabull
10-07-2008, 11:39 AM
I know this thread is old, but what about the bio bags? they go in the wee green kitchen bin, thats all we use and havent had one problem yet, I even use them in the back yard for the dog doodie, and no smell if you tie them up well. you can get the actual bin liners too, like a big clear garbage bag that goes in the bin itself, but i think the small bags are the way to go. I think they are 3.99 for 15 or something?

they are located in the garbage bag isle in a small white box.

MrsBeasley
10-07-2008, 08:48 PM
I remember when the carts first came out, I used to throw everything in it loose, BIG MISTAKE!!! one day after pickup it had maggots in the bottom, so I rinsed it out off the side of the driveway. I came home from work the next day and there was flies all over the side of my house. Talk about Amityville!!!

From then, I buy the bio-bags for my kitchen waste and have never had a problem. The only things that go in the bin loose are small boxes, paper and yard waste (twigs and stuff).

christine chittick
10-12-2008, 02:46 PM
I simply refuse to use the green bins until they start picking it up every week. Last summer I used it, and had so many rats hanging around, on my deck, where my kids play etc. The last straw was when one ran by my barefoot on the deck. I was scared they would get in my house (they were there day and night) constantly. I also wouldn't let my kids play outside. One day I had literally counted 8 rats on the back lawn, and 2 on my deck!!

And Maggots were another issue, until I started using lime, thanks to my neighbors advice.

Once I stopped using this bin, the rat problem went away, and never returned. If they picked it up every Friday, then I would use it, no problem. But until then...sorry.

Although I still do get skunks and raccoons on my deck - about 1130pm every night I am visited by this huge skunk. Coons have been by a few times, but not like Mr. Skunk.

puppyluv
10-12-2008, 04:27 PM
I agree with Christine 100%! We got rid of the rats that were under the shed last year because we only were composting the lawn cuttings...and we also had to by special cans to keep the rodents, skunks & racoons out of the garbage cans!!