How to Dispose of a Washing Machine
Washing machines are fantastic pieces of utility: from cleaning your clothes to putting on endless entertainment for your resident fur babies but buying a new one is always a bit of headache as you are left with a huge chunk of metal that needs disposing of.
If you’re looking to upgrade, once you have disconnected your washing machine, you will no doubt asking one question: how do you dispose of something that big and heavy?
Washing machine disposal isn’t as daunting as it seems! While you obviously can’t put your old machine in a household bin, there are plenty of avenues for getting bulky items removed. From a tip trip to a waste removal service, we cover all of the ways you can kick your old washing machine out the door - responsibly.
Can You Put a Washing Machine in a Skip?
Yes, you can usually put a washing machine in a skip – well, at HIPPO you can! That said, you should always check the rules of your chosen skip hire company before you do so, just in case they don’t accept white goods! If you put a disallowed items into a skip, you may have to pay extra fees towards the hire.
Can You Take a Washing Machine to the Tip?
Your local tip will have a space allocated for white goods and electronics, and your washing machine will usually be accepted. That said, you’ll have to drive it over yourself!
Be careful loading something as heavy as a washing machine into your car. Get another person to help and check your tyre pressures and weight limit of your vehicle if loading with other heavy waste.
How Much Does It Cost to Dispose of a Washing Machine?
The cost of washing machine disposal is, unfortunately, simply a part of removal. If you’re redoing your kitchen, upgrading your machine, or simply getting rid of broken equipment, you’ll have to factor disposal into your budget.
You can always sell a working machine or drive a broken one straight to the tip, but it can be tricky to transport such a large and heavy appliance. There’s no cut-and-dry cost for the disposal of a washing machine, however, and the price depends on what you choose to do.
How to Get Rid of a Washing Machine Responsibly
There are plenty of ways to dispose of your old washing machine properly. While you can’t rely on the usual avenues of household disposal, that doesn’t mean that your old machine will be sitting in your kitchen until kingdom come! You have lots of options to ensure that your washer is disposed of correctly, safely and in an eco-friendly way.
Reuse it
If your washing machine is in good working order, reusing it is always an option. Whether you have a friend who needs a replacement or you’re willing to give it away to charity, it’s always worth checking out local charity shop options or Facebook groups to see if you can pass it along to someone else. The British Heart Foundation will be happy to take a working washing machine for free.
Sell it On
Listing it for sale second-hand is possible if it’s still in good working order. Sites such as Preloved and Facebook Marketplace are decent options to list your old washer, and you can always request that the buyer collects it if you don’t have the means to transport it.
Take it to the Tip
Like most appliances, you can always take your washing machine to the tip if you have a vehicle that can carry it. Don’t forget that some tips limit the amount of times you can visit to dispose of waste, so you should consider how many you have left before you decide to do this - especially if you have any renovation projects underway.
Local Council Collection Services
Your local council may collect a washing machine for a fee if you are unable to take your washing machine to the dump. The council will dispose of it responsibly by disposing of it at a local recycling centre along with other household appliances. The only thing to remember is that they will not take any other waste and not all councils offer a timeslot that suits your schedule.
Washing Machine Collection
The easiest option to dispose of your old washing machine is to hire a waste collection company to remove it for you. A HIPPOBAG or a Man and Van service can take your washing machine with minimal effort on your part, collecting it straight from your doorstep.
Washing Machine Recycling
As with most electrical appliances and white goods, the components of a washing machine contain elements and materials that can be particularly difficult to procure and create. It’s always better to recycle these back into the system.
Step 1: Your Machine is Collected
Whether you use a waste management company or take it straight to the tip, you’ll hand your washing machine over to waste transfer station and segmented for recycling.
Step 2: It’s Dismantled into Parts
Your washing machine will be stripped and broken down into separate waste streams. Items like any batteries and motors will be removed to be recycled, electromagnets are used to remove ferrous (magnetic) materials from the mix, and large parts made from metal and plastic will be segmented. Finally, other parts of the washing machine will be sorted manually by hand.
Step 3: Materials Are Sent on Their Way
Metals, plastics, and other materials are sent to other facilities, where they can be remade into other useful components. The refinement process for each material is complex and requires a unique plant with specialist equipment, but you could be in future using a product made from recycled parts of your washing machine!
What are the Benefits of Recycling your Washing Machine?
Recycling carries a myriad of benefits for both you and the environment. It’s always better to recycle waste than throw it out to landfill - and if it seems difficult or complicated, remember that the hardest part will always be done for you!
Environmental Benefits: Alongside reducing your carbon footprint, recycling your white goods lowers the pressure on mining operations to dig out new earth elements. This reduces the need for heavy mining machinery and land acquired for further mining, which leads to saving wild spaces and eco-systems across the globe.
Job Creation: Unlike mining operations, recycling facilities have more freedom over where they set up. That means that they can create local jobs wherever they’re needed, offering a fresh source of income to areas across the UK.
Economic Benefits: Reusing components can cost less than mining new ones, making it easier to create new machines, and potentially cheaper for you to buy them in future.
Next Steps…
Hopefully, you have learnt all you need to know about disposing of your washing machine. Now, all you to do is:
- Read our guide about safely disconnecting your washing machine.
- If your washing machine can be reused, decide if you want to give it away or sell it.
- If it can’t be reused, select a way to dispose of it, remembering you may need help if you do it yourself.
Finally, if you are buying a new washing machine, we also have a guide to help install it without any hiccups.
To book collection of your washing machine with HIPPO, head over to our HIPPOBAG and Man and Van service pages.