Best Ways to Get Rid of a Refrigerator


April 21, 2022

It’s a big moment when you get a new refrigerator with all of the new features and energy efficiency. Everything is installed, and your kitchen feels like it’s brand new! But now it’s time to deal with a dreaded task, how to get rid of a refrigerator now that you have a replacement.

What do you do with the old refrigerator? Can you stick it out on the curb in hopes that the garbage service will pick it up? Do you recycle your old fridge? Let’s take a look at some of the options for the proper disposal of your refrigerator. 

Ask a Local Appliance or Scrap Dealer

Even if your refrigerator seems old and barely working, it may be of value to someone in the industry. Reach out to local shops that sell household appliances. They may offer the service of picking up a refrigerator and freezer. 

Another option for disposal services is finding a scrap dealer. When it comes to refrigerator recycling, you probably have no idea how much good metal is inside a refrigerator. Contact your local scrap dealer, who may pick up the fridge free of charge and make sure it gets safely disposed of. 

Once you find someone who has a need for the appliance, you don’t have to worry about dumping it in a landfill. Recycling is always the best option for how to get rid of a refrigerator. 

Donate to Charity

When researching how to get rid of a refrigerator, it is important to differentiate whether you have a working refrigerator or not. If your fridge is in working condition, donating a free refrigerator to a local charity could help someone in need. 

Another refrigerator disposal option could be to list the item for free on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. People check those sites each day to find used large appliances for sale. Listing the item for free is ideal when wondering how to get rid of a refrigerator. Somebody will snatch that up in no time. And when you list it as free, most people will bring their own truck and people to load it away. 

List It For Sale

If you need to learn how to get rid of a refrigerator because you bought a new house and are replacing a fridge that was already there, you may be in a position to sell a refrigerator that is in tip-top condition. Or perhaps you got all new appliances to match each other. In that case, your existing refrigerator could earn you some extra money to pay for your upgrades. 

You can list the refrigerator online as a way to get rid of your refrigerator. Look up a reasonable price for a used fridge, and if you do not get much interest in the first few days, you can ask people to make you an offer. Then, choose the best offer and ask the buyer to arrange pickup. 

Reach Out to a Nearby Recycling Center

Call your local recycling center to ask if they take refrigerators. Many recycling facilities are cautious about tossing large appliances into a landfill. Therefore, they offer a recycling program to refurbish the refrigerators or break them up to recycle them for scrap metal. 

Recycling centers are a solid solution to get rid of a refrigerator. Then you do not have to think about your refrigerator going to waste. In addition, you may have other appliances and large items to donate to a recycling center. 

Be aware of some standard rules of recycling centers. For example, some will not take any appliances with freon. Be sure to look up the website of your local recycling center to see if they have any regulations before thinking you’ve found the solution for how to get rid of a refrigerator. 

Other items that are restricted may include: 

  • Paint cans
  • Cleaning chemicals
  • TVs
  • Water softeners
  • Commercial oil
  • Tires
  • Styrofoam
  • Pizza boxes
  • Plastic bags

You’ll find that most recycling centers take the following items: 

  • Metals, aluminum, tin: Most recycling centers will take scrap metal, but they will not pay you for it. Do not expect to make money off of donating your metals to a recycling center. Find a local scrap metal dealer if you are looking for money in exchange for your metal. 
  • Propane and helium tanks: Do you have any propane tanks sitting around? They can be reused and refilled for later use. Donate the propane tanks to the recycling center to make the best use of the tanks. 
  • Motor oil and gasoline: When you change the oil, what do you do with the used oil? You can send the oil to the recycling center to be reused. Since it’s not safe to dispose of these toxic substances in other ways, the recycling center can be your solution. 
  • Microwaves, stoves, and dishwashers: Large appliances can be dropped off at the recycling center to be refurbished or reused for parts. 
  • Cans with food removed: All cans that have the food washed from them can be recycled at the recycling center. 

When you are doing a full cleanout of the house, it is challenging to sort and decide which load to take to recycling and which load to take to the dump. Let a junk removal company take care of any donation needs that you have. 

Call A New Jersey Junk Removal Company

What effort does it take to call a junk removal company and solve your problem of how to get rid of a refrigerator? In no time, a trusted junk removal company will come and take your refrigerator off your hands. 

Our Junk-A-Haulics team is able to take care of any large appliances you have in your home. Let our team stop by for same-day pickup instead of letting your basement or garage turn into a furniture junkyard. 

Forget about calling around to recycling centers, paying dump fees, or renting a dumpster when you have a junk removal company on speed dial. Other items that we can take include: 

  • TVs 
  • Mattresses
  • Pianos
  • Armoires
  • Washers/Dryers
  • Sheds

We want to help you with your refrigerator removal needs. When your old refrigerator starts collecting dust in the garage, you do not want years to go by before taking action. All it takes is one call to Junk-A-Haulics, and the fridge is gone. Make it happen today! 

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