How to get rid of old appliances
A dead fridge in the garage, a washer that finally gave up, a dryer nobody wants and a cupboard of small kitchen appliances. Most of an old appliance is recoverable metal and electronics, and a few of them need licensed handling, so the route you choose matters.
Sort by what the appliance is, not just whether it works
Appliances split into three groups, and each one has different options. Large whitegoods, meaning fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and dryers, are mostly steel and are heavy enough that moving them is the real problem. Small appliances, from microwaves and air fryers to kettles, toasters and blenders, count as electrical waste and are handled more like electronics. Anything with refrigerant or a gas connection, which covers fridges, freezers, some dryers and gas cooktops, has an extra step before it can go anywhere.
Whether the appliance still works decides how much choice you have. A unit in working order can be donated, sold or given away. A dead one is a recycling job.
Your options for getting rid of old appliances
- Charity donation: many charities accept clean, working appliances, though some cannot take electrical goods at all because of testing requirements. Ask the organisation before you move anything.
- Resale or giveaway listings: working whitegoods sell steadily on marketplaces and local groups, and even a faulty unit often finds a buyer who repairs or parts it out.
- Retailer takeback on delivery: many appliance retailers will take the old unit away when they deliver the replacement, sometimes for a fee. Arrange it when you order, because it is harder to add later.
- Council collection: many councils run booked or scheduled hard rubbish collections that take whitegoods, and many run separate e-waste drop-off days. Check with your council for what is accepted and how to book.
- Scrap metal recycler: a washer, dryer or dishwasher is largely steel, and metal recyclers accept whitegoods. Some pay a small amount for the metal, most simply take it.
- E-waste recycler or transfer station: microwaves and small kitchen appliances belong in an e-waste stream rather than the general bin. Most transfer stations and many drop-off points accept them.
- Booked pickup service: a service like PicUp collects the appliance from the laundry, kitchen or garage on a day you choose and sends it for donation or recycling first.
Fridges, freezers and anything with refrigerant
A fridge or freezer holds refrigerant gas, and recovering it is licensed work. It is not a job to attempt at home, and the gas must not be released to the atmosphere. In practice that means a fridge should go to a facility or recycler that degasses it properly, or be handed to a service that takes it to one. The same applies to air conditioners and some heat pump dryers. Gas appliances, such as a cooktop or a gas dryer, need disconnecting by a licensed gasfitter before removal, and loose gas bottles are never carried on the PicUp platform.
Two practical points while a fridge waits to go. Empty and defrost it a day or two ahead so it is not leaking water on the floor, and keep the door secured or removed so a child cannot climb inside and become trapped. Many councils ask for exactly that before a fridge is left out for collection, so check with your council for the requirement in your area.
Small appliances and e-waste
Microwaves, air fryers, kettles, toasters, blenders and coffee machines are electrical waste, and they contain metals and circuitry worth recovering. They do not belong in a kerbside bin. Most councils and waste facilities provide an e-waste stream, sometimes as a permanent drop-off and sometimes as a collection event, so check with your council for what is on offer near you. Before you hand over anything with a memory or a connection, such as a smart appliance, reset it and remove the wi-fi details.
Donating or selling an appliance that still works
A working fridge, washer or dryer is genuinely useful to someone setting up a home, and it is worth ten minutes of effort to keep it in use. Some charities accept working whitegoods and a few will collect, while others cannot take electrical items at all, and policies differ between organisations and even between stores, so call ahead and describe the unit honestly. For a resale or giveaway listing, include the model number, the age, whether it has been serviced and clear photos of any dents or marks. Be ready for the buyer to need help getting it out, because a full size fridge or a top loader is heavier than most people expect.
Getting appliances picked up instead
If the appliance is finished, or the problem is simply getting it out of a laundry cupboard and down a flight of stairs, a booked pickup handles the whole thing. PicUp haulers carry appliances out from wherever they sit, load them, and take them on for donation or recycling before landfill is considered. Junk removal is priced on the space the load takes up in the vehicle, so one microwave is nothing like a truckload, and you can add the old bar fridge, the dead vacuum and a bag of cables to the same booking. Any single item up to three metres long and 150kg is inside the fleet envelope, which runs from utes and cargo vans to a 4 tonne pantech with a tail-lift for the heavy units.
Residential pickups run in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and the Northern Rivers in New South Wales. For large units locally, see white goods removal in Brisbane, and for televisions, computers and small electrical items see e-waste disposal in Brisbane. Hazardous material never travels on the platform, which means asbestos, paint and chemicals, gas bottles, tyres, car batteries and liquid waste.
What appliance disposal costs
Each route is priced differently, so there is no single figure. Donating or listing a working unit for free collection costs nothing but your time. Retailer takeback is sometimes included with a delivery and sometimes charged. A council collection may be covered by your rates or charged as a booking. A transfer station charges a gate fee, and appliances holding refrigerant often carry a specific handling fee on top. A scrap metal yard may take a washer at no charge. A pickup service prices on the space your items take up in the vehicle, the labour to get them out, the access at your address and any disposal fees for the item type. With PicUp a fixed quote comes back before you book, and clearing several appliances in one trip is far better value than separate runs.
How the PicUp model works
Haulers load and lift
You point, PicUp haulers carry. Heavy whitegoods come out of laundries, kitchens and garages without you shifting them.
Pay only for the space used
Pricing is based on how much room your items take up in the vehicle, so one appliance costs far less than a full load.
Donate or recycle first
Working appliances are offered to charity, metal and e-waste go to recyclers, and landfill is the last option rather than the default.
Appliance disposal FAQs
How do I get rid of an old fridge in Australia?
A fridge contains refrigerant gas that has to be recovered by a licensed person, so it needs to reach a facility or recycler that degasses it properly. The usual routes are a booked council hard rubbish collection, a drop-off at a transfer station or resource recovery centre, retailer takeback when a new fridge is delivered, or a booked pickup service that carries it out and takes it on for recycling. Empty and defrost it beforehand, and keep the door secured or removed so a child cannot become trapped inside. Check with your council for the rules and fees that apply where you live.
Can a microwave or kettle go in the kerbside bin?
No. Microwaves, kettles, toasters, air fryers and other small kitchen appliances are electrical waste and are not accepted in general kerbside rubbish. They contain metals and circuit boards that can be recovered. Most councils and waste facilities offer an e-waste drop-off or a collection event, so check with your council for the option nearest you, or add the items to a booked pickup.
Will a charity take a working washing machine or fridge?
Some will and some cannot. Many charities accept clean, working whitegoods and a few offer collection for larger items, while others do not take electrical goods at all because of the testing they would have to do before resale. Policies vary between organisations and even between individual stores, and they change, so contact the charity first, describe the model and its age honestly, and send a photo if they accept one.
Do appliance retailers remove the old unit when they deliver a new one?
Many do, either as part of the delivery or for an additional fee, and it is often the simplest option because the old unit leaves as the new one arrives. It is worth asking at the point of sale rather than after the order is placed, and confirming whether the offer covers disconnection and whether it includes recycling. If takeback is not available, a council collection, a recycler or a booked pickup covers the same job.
How much does it cost to have old appliances taken away?
It depends on the route. Donating or listing a working appliance for free collection costs nothing but your time. Retailer takeback may be included with a delivery or charged as an extra. A council collection may be covered by your rates or charged as a booking. A transfer station charges a gate fee, and items holding refrigerant often carry a separate handling fee. A pickup service prices on the space your items take up in the vehicle, the labour to carry them out, access at the address and any disposal fees. PicUp gives you a fixed quote before you book, and one trip with several appliances is far better value than repeat runs.
Ready to clear those old appliances?
Tell PicUp what needs to go and where it sits, and haulers carry it out for you, with donation and recycling handled first. You only pay for the space your items use in the vehicle.