You washing machine has worked tirelessly at keeping your clothes clean and fresh. Now for whatever reason it is time to dispose of it. So what should you do?
Depending on your reasoning for getting rid of your washing machine, there are multiple different avenues you can take.
If your washing machine isn't broken and still functional, the most eco-friendly way of disposing of it is to have it be reused either in its current state or in parts.
How to recycle a washing machine
You can take your washing machine apart and separate it for spare parts. However, most of these parts will not be useful to you personally and may be hard to pass on. If your washing machine is broken and not repairable you will want to try and find a solution that has minimal waste.
To reduce waste, you can only really find recycling centres that will take the washing machine off of your hands and dismantle it into spare parts. Either that or you can send the washing machine off to the brand or retailer you got it from.
Send your washing machine to a retailer
Some washing machine brands will have recycling programs in place that allow you to return your used washing machine to them. They can then take it apart for spare parts; that can be used either in new washing machines or used to fix other washing machines with issues.
There are also some programs, with retailers and brands, which will accept your washing machine as a trade-in when buying a new one from them. So be on the lookout for these deals when hunting for a new washing machine as you may be able to save some money also.
This method will help reduce the overall use of landfills. However a portion of a washing machine is made from plastic, which can be hard to repurpose. Those parts may still end up in landfill. It's always best to try and preserve the life span of an appliance if possible.
Sell your washing machine
If the washing machine is not broken and still in useable condition, you could look to sell it on online on places such as:
- Facebook marketplace
- Gumtree
- Craigslist
- eBay
- Multiple local resale websites
This will increase the lifespan of the appliance keeping it away from landfills. If more appliances are reused and their lifespan lengthened, the less will need there will be to produce more, thus leading to less waste.
Donate your washing machine to a charity
There are some charity organisations that will accept washing machines. However in some cases you will have to transport the washing machine to them. These large-scale charities will use the washing machines in either rehousing programs or help the less fortunate.
You may want to call around local charity shops, to see if any of them will take a washing machine.
How to throw away a washing machine
Throwing away a washing machine in the typical sense is not possible. Fly-tipping is illegal in almost all countries and there is nowhere to simply throw a washing machine away.
The only way to get rid of your washing machine is to sell it or have it recycled.
