How to Get Rid of Household Appliances

At this point, most of us are pretty confident when it comes to disposing of day-to-day bits of rubbish; we know what goes in the bin and what can be recycled. Larger objects, however, can be a bit trickier. “How on earth can I get rid of a fridge?”, you might be wondering. And who could blame you? Large appliances last for such a long time and we move around so often that you might only ever have to dispose of one once in a lifetime.

With this in mind, Brown Recycling is here to give you a crash course on how to get rid of large household appliances.

Before you dispose, can you repair or donate?

We know how frustrating it can be when you can’t get an appliance to work, but that doesn’t mean it needs to go straight to the tip. Before you try and dispose of your appliance, first think: can it be repaired? If there doesn’t seem to be any serious damage or the appliance isn’t too old, the chances are it can be, so call up a repair specialist and have them take a look. It could end up being a lot cheaper than buying a new one!

If your appliance is fine and all you want to do is upgrade, consider donating your appliance to someone. Even if it’s old or past its best, there will definitely be someone out there who will take it. You can either ask friends or family to see if they want it, you can list the appliance on Gumtree or Freecycle, or you can give it to a charity shop.

If your appliance is broken beyond repair and no one wants it, then maybe it’s best to simply dispose of it. If this is your plan, you have the following options:

Take it to a recycling centre

Taking your appliance to a recycling centre yourself is an idea if you have a car and the appliance is on the smaller side. Of course, you can still take a large appliance if you have the right vehicle for it, but you need to be very careful not to injure yourself. Also bear in mind that if you’re taking a fridge to be recycled, it will first need to be drained of coolants. Many recycling centres will actually do this step for you.

Council collection service

Some councils offer a bulky waste collection service, allowing you to easily dispose of large household appliances and even furniture. You can find out if this service is covered by your local council here.

Private waste removal company

If the council doesn’t offer a bulky waste removal in your area, you can always choose to hire a private waste removal company to get rid of your appliance. Bear in mind that this will cost you a great deal more though.

Retailer collection service

If you’re looking for a new appliance to replace the old one, you can always check to see if the retailer offers a collection service. Many retailers will offer a collection of an old appliance if you purchase a new one from them. It has to be the same sort of appliance though; you can’t buy a fridge and try to give them an oven!

Brown Recycling is a leading waste management company based around the Stoke-on-Trent area. From domestic skip hire to commercial waste management, we’re here to help you regulate your waste. You can sign up for a trade account and book a skip online right here on our website, but if you would rather talk to us, don’t hesitate to get in touch.