Finally dispose of old paint cans without the hassle

Paint can pickup typically starts around $67. Your final price depends on the number of cans, their size, and the pickup type you choose. In-home pickup, where your Loaders carry cans out from a garage, basement, or storage area, is priced differently than curbside. Your upfront total is calculated at booking, so you know the cost before anyone shows up.

Scheduling a pickup is the easiest option, since your Loaders handle the disposal for you from wherever the cans are sitting. If you'd rather handle it yourself, some communities run household hazardous waste programs or periodic collection events, and certain retailers partner with paint-specific recycling programs like PaintCare in states where it operates. Availability varies a lot by location and many programs only run on specific dates, which is why a pickup service ends up being simpler for most people.

No. Cans don't need to be empty or dried out, but they do need to be sealed and not actively leaking. Your Loaders can pick up partial or full cans as long as the lid is secure and the container is intact. Open or leaking cans can't be safely handled for transport and won't be accepted.

Mixing in an absorbent material like cat litter, sawdust, or a commercial paint hardener will solidify latex paint over a day or two, at which point most areas allow the dried can to go out with regular trash rather than requiring special disposal. Oil-based paint doesn't dry the same way and generally needs to go through a hazardous waste program regardless, since it doesn't fully cure like latex does.

No. Pouring liquid paint down a drain or into the ground is illegal in most areas because it can contaminate groundwater and disrupt wastewater treatment systems, and throwing liquid paint in regular trash risks leaks in a garbage truck or landfill. Paint needs to either be dried out first, for latex, or handled through a hazardous waste program, for oil-based, before it can go with regular disposal.

Latex paint is water-based and can be dried out and thrown away as solid waste in most areas once it's no longer liquid. Oil-based paint contains solvents that don't evaporate the same way and is generally classified as household hazardous waste regardless of whether it's still liquid, meaning it typically needs a dedicated hazardous waste drop-off rather than regular trash.

Yes. Both latex and oil-based paint cans are accepted, including interior and exterior paint, primer, and stain cans left over from past projects. Acceptance of certain related products can vary, so if you have something outside standard household paint cans, it's worth noting at booking.

It depends on your location. Aerosol and spray paint cans are pressurized, and acceptance varies depending on where you are and what local disposal options exist. If you have spray paint cans, check at booking to confirm whether they qualify in your area.

Aerosol cans are pressurized and can rupture or explode if compacted or exposed to heat, which is why some state and local regulations classify them as hazardous waste requiring separate handling from liquid paint in a can. Regulations vary enough by state that what's accepted with standard paint pickup in one area may need a separate hazardous waste drop-off in another.

Paint cans are routed to responsible disposal or recycling options where those are available locally. The specific outcome depends on the paint type, can condition, and what facilities exist in your area. A specific disposal method can't be guaranteed, but the goal is to keep paint out of the general landfill when local options allow.

Unopened or barely used cans in good condition, especially common colors, are sometimes accepted by community reuse programs, habitat restore locations, or theater and school groups that use paint for sets and props. Paint that's been opened for years, has a skin or separation issue, or is a very small leftover amount usually isn't worth trying to donate and is more practical to dispose of directly.