Hot summer days can be a test for even the best of intentions when it comes to composting. Check out these tips for ways to keep your composting cart clean and pest free.

• Put your food waste in either a BPI certified compostable bag or a paper bag before placing it in your composting cart. These bags are available at local businesses, and they make composting as familiar and simple as taking out the trash.

• Place yard waste, newspaper or soiled paper and cardboard over your food waste.

• If your bin gets a little funky (nice work, you’ve probably been using it a lot), grab your hose and rinse it out.

• If you want to dump grass clippings directly in the cart, be sure to put some sort of paper or dry items in first—this will ensure your cart can be fully emptied. (Grass is sticky.)

• Take care not to overfill your compost cart.

Had a gathering and want to get the compostables out of your house ASAP? Spent the weekend catching up on yard work and have a LOT of yard waste to deal with? You can also take compostable items to the Waste Diversion Center at 140 Martin Street during open hours. Separate yard waste so you can put it in the pile to be mulched.

Got a tip to share for how you keep your composting cart clean and pest free? Share it with us in the comments below or on social media. Use the hashtags #LoCoComposts or #CompostOnTheCurb.