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Are you preparing to move house and need to get rid of old appliances? Or, do you just need to get rid of clutter and make space in your home? No matter what your reasons are for discarding household appliances, some appliances just can’t be tossed in the garbage.
While most of us know we can toss our empty bottles and cans in the blue recycling bins, throwing out old appliances requires some sorting because many such items, like microwaves, are produced with hazardous materials such as mercury. If you just put them in the garbage, they could harm the environment.
At Junk Works, we offer appliance removal services in Toronto and the GTA, and want to help you get organized when disposing them without any mishaps. So, here are 5 ways to safely discard your household appliances.
1. Donate appliances to second-hand stores
If the appliances are still working, donating them to charity stores is the first option. Many people can’t afford brand new appliances. Thus, by donating them to your local charity, they can purchase appliances they may never be able to afford at full price.
How to prepare appliances for donating to charity:
- Contact the Salvation Army and Goodwill in your city to find out where your closest donation centre is located.
- Contact your local Value Village to learn which appliances they accept.
- Contact local homeless shelters and churches to see if they are in need of appliances.
- Clean and sanitize the appliances you want to donate before taking them to any donation centres or local charities.
Things you should avoid when donating appliances to charity:
- Do not donate appliances they cannot accept.
- Do not donate appliances that are missing attachments or are only working partially.
- Do not show up and drop off appliances without checking with them first.
2. Recycle your appliances
If you’re an eco-friendly person, do something good for the environment and recycle your old appliances. Recycling them benefits the environment by reducing hazardous waste.
How to prepare appliances for recycling:
- Contact one of Toronto’s Drop-Off Depots or your city’s recycling centre to learn their specific recycling guidelines.
- Book an appointment and make sure you are aware of any fees you might have to pay before dropping off your appliances.
- Clean and sanitize the appliances beforehand.
Things you should avoid when recycling your appliances:
- Avoid dropping appliances that recycling centres do not accept or you might get fined.
- If you are dropping off big appliances, be sure your car or truck has a full gas tank, as you might have to do multiple trips.
- After dropping off your items, do not leave a mess of scrap materials such as ropes and moving blankets. Clean up or you might get fined.
3. Sell your appliances online
If you would like to make some pocket money, selling your working appliances is a good route. The investment to post an advertisement is minimal and you’d be surprised at how many people are willing to work with you on a price you are both satisfied with.
How to sell your appliances:
- Create an ad on these online classified services: Kijiji, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.
- In the ad, include the exact model make, brand, size dimensions, and spec details. Be sure to take clear photos of the item and from different angles, so potential buyers get a good look.
- When buyers message you, answer their questions honestly about the condition and age of the appliance they are inquiring about.
Things you should avoid when selling your appliances:
- Do not change the price after potential buyers inquire about the advertised item.
- Do not forget to take accurate photos of what the current appliance looks like. Avoid using photos from the brand’s website.
- Avoid haggling with potential buyers. If someone is willing to buy it at that price, so be it.
4. Dump your appliances curbside
If you live in a house in a residential area, dumping your appliances curbside might work if your city picks up large items on garbage day such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators. If you live in an apartment building, throwing out your appliances curbside might not work due to the inability to haul big items down the elevator.
How to prepare your appliances for curbside collection:
- Contact your city hall’s garbage collection unit and check if they pick up appliances curbside.
- If your city’s garbage collection does offer curbside pickup, go with the heaviest items over the small appliances.
- Be prepared to pay curbside pickup fees for large appliances.
Things you should avoid when preparing your appliances for curbside collection:
- Clean and sanitize the appliances the night before the scheduled curbside pickup.
- Confirm with your city’s garbage pickup 24 hours before the scheduled date to ensure they are coming.
- Do not place appliances such as laptops, televisions, and computers that are made with hazardous materials on the curbside, as cars could hit them and they could explode.
5. Call a junk removal service
If you have a few large and heavy appliances or electronics that you would like to dispose of, hiring a garbage bin rental might be the best option.
How to prepare your appliances for junk removal service:
- Contact a local junk removal service and request a quote about the specific appliances you would like picked up.
- Be prepared to pay a deposit, and schedule a date and time they can come to take the items.
- 24 hours prior to your scheduled pickup day, contact the junk removal service and confirm their arrival for the next day.
Things you should avoid when hiring a junk removal service:
- Do not add extra appliances for the junk removal service to take on. Whatever is on their order form are the only items they should take when they arrive.
- Clear the porch, hallways, and walk paths for easy access to moving the appliances.
- When the junk removal service people arrive, direct them to the appliances that they need to remove. Do not try to help them pick up the appliances. They have special equipment that will take care of that.
To learn more about our appliance removal services in Toronto and the GTA, call Junk Works at 1-888-888-Junk or contact us here.
