How Do I Get Rid of Old Cleaning Products? Good Question

How Do I Get Rid of Old Cleaning Products?
Good Question

Q: I would like to go greener with some of the cleaning products I use, but I still have a whole arsenal of regular products sitting around. How can I get rid of them safely without creating a bunch of waste?

Sent in by Erin

Editor: That's a great question, Erin. You obviously don't want to dump those cleaning products down the drain or just toss them in the trash. A lot of them have some pretty nasty ingredients.

We'll tell you what we do here in Berkeley: Luckily, our county's Waste Management Authority has a hazardous waste facility that is open Thurs - Sat. They accept all that stuff you've been storing under the kitchen sink: paint, pesticides, cleaners, etc.

We recommend that you contact your local waste management office and see if they have a similar program. We're guessing they do.

What does everyone else think?

Got a good question you'd like answered? Send your queries and a photo or two illustrating your question, and we'll see if the Re-nest editors or our readers can help answer your question.

>>Read more Good Questions here!

Image via Flickr member Collin Anderson

Comments (7)

I agree, try to find a haz waste program in your area. Another idea I thought of was to use them - hear me out - yes they're hazardous, but another couple of cleanings won't do that much more damage - that way your not just disposing of products and you can just add new eco friendly products as the others run out. Of course then you can just simple recycle the old bottles once their empty.

posted by nickel525 on October 17th 2008 at 7:46am
view nickel525's profile

Or another idea is to give them to friends, who use the products. that way you don't have to inhale all the fumes but you're not throwing money out the door.

posted by nickel525 on October 17th 2008 at 7:47am
view nickel525's profile

If the waste mangement program isn't a possibility, i'd say just use them until they're gone. They've already been produced, you've dealt with the smell this long, and disposal is going to be a environmental issue regardless so it is economically smarter to use them then buy/make green cleaners in bulk and reuse the bottles.

or, see about take them to a local non profit or habitat for humanity, animal shelter or the like.

posted by Enamorada on October 17th 2008 at 8:47am
view Enamorada's profile

Earth911's website has a search function to find where to recycle different products across the country.
http://earth911.org/

posted by Rachelw on October 17th 2008 at 10:19am
view Rachelw's profile

Freecycle them. I actually have a large jug of 1/2 empty "Tide with bleach" liquid laundry detergent on my front porch waiting for a freecycler to come pick it up this evening. We didn't like the smell of it, but it's still useable. Just be sure to fully disclose what you have to offer and even if it's been used, people will come and get it.

posted by oliverandrogan on September 3rd 2009 at 12:35pm
view oliverandrogan's profile

I faced the same dilemma and decided it made the most since to use them up. I wish I had thought of giving them to someone that would use them anyway but I truly am trying to turn the rest of my family into not using chemicals.

posted by alexis on September 3rd 2009 at 2:18pm
view alexis's profile

Using them up will dillute them more than pouring out or how a haz mat place will get rid of them. It's silly to waste the product anyway

posted by Sudlow Jewelry on September 3rd 2009 at 4:22pm
view Sudlow Jewelry's profile