can you compost hair?
Yes — hair is a slow-release nitrogen source; scatter it in thin layers so it doesn't mat into a water-shedding pad.
breaks down in 4–12 months scattered thin; clumps take far longer
C:N ≈ 10:1
which bins can take it?
- hot pile yes
- cold pile yes
- worm bin caution
- bokashi no
- tumbler yes
- curbside caution
- worm bin: A sprinkle mixed into bedding is fine; thick mats tangle worms and wick moisture out of the bin.
- curbside: Accepted by some food-scrap programs and banned by others — hair is a classic check-the-list item.
why?
Hair is nearly pure keratin, a nitrogen-dense protein that gives it a C:N ratio around 10:1 — on par with many manures. The bottleneck is structure, not chemistry: keratin's cross-linked strands shed water and resist microbial enzymes, so a solid clump can sit in a pile for a year while the same hair scattered thin breaks down within a season.
how to prep it
- Cut long strands into short lengths so they don't rope around your fork
- Scatter in layers no thicker than a dusting
- Dampen it — dry hair repels water
watch out for
- Salon-scale batches of permed or dyed hair are worth skipping; the amounts from home haircuts are too small to matter.
often confused with
- Pet Hair — Same keratin, same rules — but fur from flea-treated pets carries pesticide residue worth keeping out.
quick answers
Does hair in compost attract rats or other pests?
No — hair carries no food odor and no calories, so nothing digs for it. Gardeners have long scattered it around beds as a deer repellent too, though testing rates that effect weak and short-lived once it rains.
Can I compost hair from my hairbrush every day?
Yes, though daily pinches add up slower than you'd think — a year of brushing amounts to a few ounces. Toss it in with kitchen scraps and it vanishes without special handling.