12 Surprising Non-Food Items You Can Compost

When most people think about composting, fruit peels, coffee grounds, and vegetable scraps usually come to mind. But your compost pile can handle much more than leftover food. Many everyday household items are compostable, helping you reduce landfill waste while creating nutrient-rich compost for your garden.

Before tossing something in the trash, check this list—you may be surprised by what belongs in your compost instead.

1. Paper Towels and Napkins

Used paper towels and napkins can often be composted, as long as they haven't been soaked with grease, chemicals, or cleaning products. Those used for drying hands or wiping up food spills are perfect additions.

2. Cardboard Egg Cartons

Plain cardboard egg cartons break down easily in compost. Tear them into smaller pieces first to help speed up decomposition.

3. Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls

The cardboard tubes left behind are made from untreated paper fibers and are excellent "brown" materials that help balance your compost pile.

4. Dryer Lint

If you primarily wash natural fibers like cotton, linen, or wool, your dryer lint is compostable. Avoid adding lint if your laundry contains a lot of synthetic fabrics like polyester, which release plastic microfibers.

5. Hair and Pet Fur

Human hair, pet fur, and even hair collected from hairbrushes are rich in nitrogen and decompose surprisingly well. Just make sure your pets haven't recently been treated with topical flea or tick medications.

6. Houseplant Trimmings

Dead leaves, spent flowers, and healthy houseplant clippings can all be composted. Avoid adding plants that show signs of disease or pest infestations.

7. Natural Wine Corks

Real corks made from cork oak bark are biodegradable and compostable. Cut them into smaller pieces so they break down more quickly. (Synthetic corks should go in the trash or be recycled where accepted.)

8. Wooden Toothpicks and Popsicle Sticks

Untreated wooden items eventually decompose in compost. Since they're thicker than leaves or paper, they'll take longer to break down, but they still belong in the compost—not the landfill.

9. Cotton Balls and Cotton Swabs

If they're made from 100% cotton with paper sticks (not plastic) and haven't been used with harsh chemicals, they're compostable.

10. Flowers and Holiday Decorations

Fresh flowers, dried bouquets, wreaths made from natural materials, and evergreen branches can all return nutrients to the soil after they've served their purpose.

11. Newspaper and Shredded Paper

Black-and-white newspaper and plain office paper without glossy coatings are excellent carbon-rich materials. Shredding them first helps them decompose faster.

12. Sawdust and Wood Shavings

Untreated sawdust from natural wood can be a valuable addition to compost in small amounts. Avoid pressure-treated, painted, or stained wood products, which may contain harmful chemicals.

What Should Stay Out of Your Compost?

Not everything biodegradable belongs in a backyard compost bin. Avoid adding:

• Plastic-coated paper products

• Glossy magazines

• Dryer lint made mostly from synthetic fabrics

• Chemically treated wood

• Pet waste from dogs and cats

• Diseased plants

• Cleaning wipes (even many labeled "flushable")

Composting Beyond the Kitchen

Composting isn't just about food scraps—it's about recognizing how many everyday items can have a second life instead of ending up in a landfill. By composting paper products, natural fibers, yard waste, and other compost-friendly materials, you can significantly reduce household waste while creating nutrient-rich compost for your plants.

The next time you're about to throw something away, ask yourself one simple question: Could this become compost instead? You might be surprised how often the answer is yes.