Burlap is an ok cover for a while and worms will go into it and lay their cocoons, but eventually they will also eat it , like all their bedding.

So no harm to at least try?

Also see this very popular thread of long standing http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2203717/the-burlap-effect?n=59

I had not heard of burlap in years. Where does one find burlap these days? I've no need to know, just curious.

Coffee shops give away burlap bags sometimes. I bought mine at Home Depot last year for the garden. Had some leftover so I put it in the bin!

I got some coffee sacks for my experiments. Burlap is sold by the yard at garden centers for soil stabilization and other garden needs. It's also often available at regular fabric stores. But these days, with the trendiness of "rustic" decor and crafts (barn wood, mason jars, etc etc), it seems burlap is all over the place for decorative use. Apparently people decorate for weddings with yards and yards of the stuff. Burlap table runners, burlap garlands, and I don't know what all. These kids today grumble grumble get off my lawn.

I found burlap at the dollar store! But it REALLY smells like chemicals so I'm letting it soak in water in a bucket and rinsing it out a few times. Should I wash it with some kind of soap??

I found burlap at the dollar store for really cheap! And it's actually the perfect size? 😂 People are using it for crafting a lot these days. But it smells so badly of chemicals so I'm soaking and rinsing it a bunch of times in a bucket outside. Should I use some kind of natural soap to wash it???

Overall I just like to use what I have lying around, and I don't usually have burlap. Sometimes I'll just soak a few newspapers, wring them out, and then lay them atop the bins.

Eventually, the worms will compost this layer, and you just kinda make worm bin lasagna. :)