How to Dispose of Leftover Paint in the Seattle Area

If you have ever repainted a room in your home, stained your outside deck or added a fresh coat of paint to your fence, you probably have some extra paint lying around. It seems like you never use it all, but you just don’t have anything else you can slap a coat of paint on. You haul it out to the garage and there it sits—for years. You probably know you can’t toss the half-empty can in the trash, so you just keep holding on to it. How can Seattle area residents get rid of the paint in the garage safely and legally? The folks at Greenwood Hardware have a couple of options for you to consider.

1. Donate usable paint to a local organization that uses the paint to take care of jobs in affordable housing areas. Ask around your neighborhood if anybody could use the paint. There are plenty of crafty people out there that can take a small amount of paint and create a masterpiece!
2. Consider using the paint to dress up an old wooden chair or paint the drawers of your dresser for a contrasting color. You only need a little paint to do this. You can save unused paint in your garage for future touch up jobs. Just make sure you seal it tight and keep it out of extreme temperatures.
3. Latex paint, which is a very common type, can be disposed of by adding clay-based kitty litter to the remaining paint. Mix it together to form a solid mass and allow it to dry. Place it in a garbage bag and put into the trash. You can also find a product that is labeled a paint hardener at your local hardware store that will do the same thing.
4. For oil-based paint, you will need to take your unused paint to Wastemobile or check here http://www.hazwastehelp.org/HHW/hhw.aspx for other places that accept paint. Old paint can be recycled and used as alternative fuels.

You can save yourself the trouble of dealing with the disposal of unused paint by purchasing eco-friendly paints (we have them in stock!) that are better for the environment. These paints are often made with recycled paint that would have ended up in a landfill somewhere. Head into Greenwood Hardware today to pick up what you need for your next painting project. Come on in, or contact us today.