What You Can And Can't Throw Away In Your Dumpster When Cleaning Out The Garage

Posted on: 23 April 2016

It's spring cleaning time! Now is the time to get started cleaning and organizing your garage. A roll off dumpster rental is a very useful service for this project because it makes throwing away your old junk relatively easy.

Companies that manage roll off dumpsters frequently have rules about what can and can't be thrown away in their units. Knowing which items are allowed and which items are prohibited can help you make arrangements that will enable the quick and efficient cleaning out of your garage.

What You Can Throw Away: A Brief Overview

The kinds of things you can typically throw away in a dumpster include:

  • Wooden furniture
  • Rags
  • Clothing
  • Food scraps
  • Jars
  • Light bulbs
  • Plastic containers
  • Blankets
  • Paper
  • Cans
  • Plastic and metal pipes

In other words, much of the old junk you might be storing in your garage can probably be thrown away. Holiday decorations, old documents, wooden crates, old wire, rusty bicycles and broken metal furniture can all be thrown away in your dumpster. Anything that isn't toxic, too heavy or prohibited from going in the landfill should all be able to go in your dumpster.

What You Can't Throw Away

Even though there are many things that you will be able to throw away in a dumpster when cleaning out your garage, there are still some items that cannot be thrown away. Below are some of the most common items that dumpster rental companies don't allow to be put in their roll off units:

  • Cleaning products. Cleaning products are considered a hazardous chemical and can't be thrown away in garbage dumpsters. This includes chemicals like solvents. For information about where you can take your chemicals for recycling, contact your community's sanitation department. They should be able to tell you where to take the chemicals for recycling.
  • Oil paint and latex paint. Fresh wet paint is not allowed, but some dumpster companies may allow you to throw away old paint that has dried. Contact your dumpster rental company to find out more. To dry your old paint before throwing it away, leave the paint to sit out in the sun for several days. You can also mix the paint with kitty litter to encourage it to dry more quickly. If the containers of paint are mostly full, it will probably be more efficient to find a paint recycling center.
  • Appliances containing Freon. Any appliances that contain Freon, such as a heat pump, an air conditioner or a refrigerator, are often not allowed in dumpsters. However, some rental companies will allow you to drain the Freon from the tubes and throw that appliance in the dumpster after this is completed.
  • Batteries and electronics. Batteries and electronics can contain hazardous chemicals and are not allowed in dumpsters. If you have a supply of old used batteries and electronic devices, call your local recycling center about the best ways to dispose of your old electronic devices and batteries.

For a complete list of everything that isn't allowed in your roll off dumpster, contact the rental company to ask about their rules and policies for prohibited items.

Share