Leftovers… what do you do with them? In the case of food, it’s easy to put something in the fridge, and then reheat it for lunch another day. But what do you do with leftover paint? It is helpful, of course, to store recently used paints in case you need to do some touch-up painting. On the other hand, if paint has sat too long to be useful, or you no longer intend to use that color, what can you do? How do you dispose of old house paint?
As a New Jersey house painting company, we get asked this question a lot, and we’re happy to help!
There are many different types of paint, and they require different means of disposal. One thing that keeps it simpler, however, is that there is no difference in the procedure regarding what we use for interior house painting, and what we use for exterior. They can be disposed of in the same way.
Conversely, there is a significant difference between the correct methods of disposing of oil-based paints, versus the latex/acrylic paints that are more often used today.
Do Not Do This with Any Kind of Paints!
No matter what you do or what kind of paints you have, here are some things you should never do:
- Pour the paint down the toilet or any household drain
- Throw out liquid paint with your household trash
- Bring liquid paint to the local dump or transfer station
- Put liquid paint in a dumpster
All of these methods are illegal, irresponsible and unsafe!
Repurpose Your Old House Paint if Possible
If the paint is still usable but you no longer want it, consider donating it. Often a local school will accept paint to use in their drama or art departments. Likewise, a discount building supply store (like the Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores) will sometimes accept paint. You could also offer it for free on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, and see if you get any takers. If someone else could use your paint for their interior or exterior painting project, it’s a win-win situation!
How to Dispose of Old Latex/Acrylic House Paint
If you can’t find anyone who wants your old latex/acrylic paint, then you simply need to dry it out and then throw it away with your household trash. If the paint in the can is less than 2-3 inches deep, you can just take off the lid and wait for it to dry out and harden thoroughly. If you have more than that, you could pour in some sawdust, cat litter, or a paint hardening product to help the drying process along.
Alternatively, you can use big sheets of cardboard or newspaper and pour a thin layer of paint onto it, and let that dry. Keep repeating this process until there is no liquid paint left, and you’re done!
Again, once the paint is dry and solidified, you can throw away the paint cans (and cardboard, if you used that method) with your regular trash.
How to Dispose of Old Oil-based House Paint
Unfortunately, oil-based paints are considered hazardous waste, and they are more difficult to dispose of. This means that each state (and sometimes each county) has its own regulations regarding the disposal of this type of house paint.
Many counties have specific, scheduled times, maybe once a week or once a month, when hazardous household waste can be dropped off at a designated location. This is probably the simplest option, if it is available to you.
Call your local waste disposal company and ask them what they recommend doing with oil-based house paints. Sometimes they will accept them in the regular trash if you can dry them out first, just like with latex/acrylic house paint. If so, try mixing the paint with cat litter until it is very thick and slushy, and spreading it out to dry on cardboard or a plastic surface.
Cherry Hill Painting
Since 1968, Cherry Hill Painting has been serving the New Jersey and Philadelphia regions with premium interior and exterior house painting services. We are a customer-oriented company, dedicated to answering your questions and providing you with the best possible painting experience.
In addition to exterior and interior house painting, we also offer kitchen cabinet refinishing, wallpaper removal, and commercial painting services. Call us today for a free estimate for your next house painting project!