[This post was  published in August 2019 and has been updated and revised.]

Winter is a great time of year to replace old appliances. New ones can brighten up your home and increase efficiency. But getting rid of the old ones can be a challenge.

Old appliance disposal is almost never easy, especially for those units that are not on a ground floor. Not to mention that you need to know where to dispose of them in the first place!

Where Do Old Appliances Go when They Die?

Getting rid of old appliances is not always an easy task. And one of the downsides of doing this in the winter is the not-so-great weather. In fact, the only thing worse than hauling an old washing machine or refrigerator onto a truck is having to do it in the rain or cold!

But the best sales for new appliances often take place in late fall and early winter. Which is why so many people end up with old units to get rid of during that time.

Sure, you might be able to "gift" that old clothes dryer to your sister-in-law or your neighbor down the street. But odds are you may not find anyone conveniently near-by or who is able to remove it and load it themselves. 

So, the question then becomes, "What do you do with your old appliances?"

Post-New Year's Cleanouts Can Include Old Appliances

Despite the chilly weather and shorter days, winter is still a great time for new appliances. 

For example, according to an article at MoneyCrashers.com,

"The best time to buy most major appliances is during the months of September and October. During these two months, manufacturers unveil their latest models. This means that the previous year’s models must be discounted in order to make room for the new models that will hit stores in the winter."

The one exception to that trend is refrigerator sales.

It turns out that. unlike other major appliances, most refrigerator manufacturers roll out their new models in the summer. This means that last year’s models get discounted during the spring.

Which also means that by now those older models may already be unavailable. However, if you are looking for the newest model of refrigerators then this is still a good time of year to do so!

Since most home appliances are quite bulky, heavy and hard to move, simply getting them out of your house or apartment can be a huge challenge. And this is especially true for items like double-wide refrigerator/freezer units or hot tubs.

And, even if you do manage to get it out of your home and onto the driveway or sidewalk, what do you do  then? You can't leave it on the curb for the residential trash truck to pick it up for you. They won't be doing that! 

You might have an option of scheduling for a large, bulky item pick up, but you still have to get the thing out there. And if you do succeed in getting it outdoors, It's highly unlikely that you're going to get that old dryer or dishwasher into the back of your hybrid vehicle!

What if you have a truck? Or know someone with a truck that's willing to help you with it?

That's great, but even if you can manage to get it loaded so you can haul it away, where are you going to go with it? Most people tend to default to simply taking it to the "dump" but that may not be a viable option, depending on where you live.

The fact is that, today, many landfills and recycling centers do not accept old appliances. And, if they do, there is usually a substantial fee required.

On the other hand, you could take it to a specialty store that refurbishes and re-sells used appliances and that can actually be a good choice. In fact, disposing of your old appliance at a used appliance store will not only ensure that your old unit finds a new home and extended life, but you may get some cash for it. 

Which brings up the option of selling your working, but used, appliances online. 

If you've tried your local options including thrift stores and maybe even a community yard sale, offering your "gently used" kitchen or laundry room appliance online may be the way to go. 

One source offers these suggestions:

• Facebook Marketplace. This is one of the largest places to sell local items.
• Craigslist. This is another top site to list used appliances and negotiate a sale price.
• OfferUp. This app was created specifically to sell used items.
• LetGo. Similar to OfferUp, you can list specific items that you want to get rid of. 

You can use one of these apps or multiple to sell your items. While some spaces have more daily visitors than others (Facebook Marketplace is one of the most dominant) you may find a qualified buyer on another app. 

But what about your old clothes washer, dryer, or dishwasher that has up and quit working on you? How do you sell something that is no longer running and may not be worth repairing?

The good news is that almost all household appliances are made of metal - mostly steel. And steel is easily and infinitely recyclable. Which means that there is a market for scrap metal, which is what your old appliance can be thought of if it is beyond repair.

According to an article at DollarBreak,

Scrap metal shops will weigh your appliance and then offer you a payment based on the amount of metal found in it. Depending on the metal’s current price, the offers you’ll see from scrapers give you will vary. Average prices for appliances are:

• Washing machines: $18-$22
• Refrigerators: $16-$22
• Ovens: $11-$18

But keep in mind that you will still have to remove, load, and transport your old appliance yourself in many cases unless you're fortunate enough to find a taker who can pick it up from you.

Old Appliance Removal: Planning for Successful Winter Cleanup

If you plan to move your old appliances safely and efficiently, it should be done with a plan in mind. Knowing what to expect, what to avoid, and what to do first will help make the project far easier and safer.

To help you with that goal, we've created this handy used appliance disposal checklist to help you with your winter cleanup and old appliance removal efforts.

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Getting Rid of Old Appliances by Recycling

The good news is that, regardless of its condition, your old, used appliances can be reused. Old appliances that are unusable but in good condition might still be sold or donated to a charity. If they cannot be repaired or refurbished cost-effectively, then appliance recycling is a more likely option than selling or donating them.

The best thing to do with your non-working appliances is to have them professionally disassembled and the materials recycled. What you never want to do is to try dumping them someplace you shouldn't. In fact, recycling or refurbishing is always better than trying to take them to your local dump, as well.

And there is the personal health and safety aspect to removing old appliances. Winter cleaning shouldn't cause injuries and just moving and lifting a washer or dryer, for example, can be dangerously hard work.

Oh... and did we already mention that it also requires that you have a vehicle that can accommodate them?

The fact is, it's far better to have someone else take them for you! 

Many professional junk removal teams, such as Junk King, are professionally trained for these tasks and they also have the right equipment to do it quickly, safely and efficiently.

The Smart Way to Get Rid of Old Appliances

In conclusion, there are a few things to review before making a decision about disposing of your old appliance.

In addition to the actual junk hauling chore, you should think about the condition of the appliance you want to get rid of. That's because some old appliances can't be easily sold or donated. For example,

• They're no longer working
• They have broken seals, frayed cords, or that overheat or smoke
• They've been recalled by manufacturers

So, unless you can find someone willing to fix them, they have no real potential for re-use.

But, another option for unusable appliances is to call a professional junk hauling firm. A reputable company like Junk King will do all the hard work for you and dispose of your old appliances in the best way possible.

Junk King is the Best Call for Appliance Disposal

Junk King is proud to be North America’s greenest junk removal service. We pioneered recycling based junk removal in 2005 and have been going greener ever since. We sort each and every job for metals, e-waste, paper, household goods, textiles, furniture and appliances, in our recycling warehouses.

But “going green” also means we donate, re-purpose, and reuse everything from clothing, toys, baby cribs and strollers to office furniture and supplies. We run many of our trucks run on bio diesel, a domestically produced fuel made from more environmentally safe non-petroleum, renewable resources.

Junk King is committed to continuing to lead the way to help keep our planet clean, green and beautiful for the generations to come.

Ready for your old appliance removal? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

You make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865). Our professional and insured junk removal team will show up at your home or office. We call 15 to 30  minutes before we arrive on site and we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your junk takes up in our truck, with no hidden fees.