How to Dispose of a Lawn Mower – 6 Great Options
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Ed Malaker
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Whether you’re riding or pushing it, a lawnmower is a great tool that helps keep your lawn in good condition. However, even the highest quality machine will reach the end of its lifespan, or you might simply feel that it’s time to move up and get a new one. If you need to get rid of yours but aren’t sure what to do, keep reading as we provide you with a list of tips and tricks to dispose of your lawnmower safely.
The 6 Great Ways to Dispose of a Lawnmower
1. Give It Away
If your lawnmower is operating properly and you are just looking to get a better model, one of the best things that you can do with your old one is to give it away to someone who needs it. You may have a friend who needs a lawnmower or has one that doesn’t work too well, and this can be a great opportunity to help them out.
2. Donate It
If you don’t have any friends or relatives who need your old lawnmower, another great option is to donate the lawnmower to charity. Many churches, cemeteries, and other organizations don’t make much money and will be happy to accept a donation of a working lawnmower. These organizations may also know someone in need who can make better use of it, and you might even be able to use it as a tax deduction at the end of the year.
3. Sell It
If you are looking to make a small profit, there are several resources at your disposal that can help make it possible. For example, you can use an online marketplace like Craigslist or eBay to make the sale. You can also try the local paper or use the Facebook marketplace. If you have other things to sell besides the lawnmower or have friends who do, you can get everyone together and have a yard sale.
4. Sell the Parts
If you are mechanically inclined and know how to strip the mower of its parts, you can then put them up for sale. You can stand to make a bit of money even from a unit that no longer operates because a few of the parts will still function correctly, and someone might need the things that you have to get their own machine running again. You can use the same options for selling the entire unit to sell your lawnmower piece by piece.
5. Recycle as Scrap Metal
If you can’t think of anyone to give or donate the mower to and can’t be bothered selling or parting it out, you can take it to your local scrap metal yard to sell it as scrap. Most mowers have quite a bit of metal on them that will fetch a few bucks. You will need to remove all non-metal parts and put what’s left on a scale in the facility to see how much you will get paid.
6. Call a Junk Service
If none of the other options on this list appeal to you, the best option is to call your local garbage company or junk service to learn how much it will cost for removal. This is the only option that will cost you money, and it can get expensive depending on where you live, especially if the company needs to travel a long distance to reach your destination.
Things to Do Before Disposing of a Lawn Mower
- If you intend to sell or give it away, it can be a good idea to clean it up to help make it look better, especially if it’s old.
- If you are giving away or selling your mower, it can be a nice gesture to ensure that the oil is full and the spark plug is good, so the new owner will have an easier time getting it started.
- If you are putting it up for sale, take excellent photographs of the mower or parts so the customer can see what you are offering.
- Another ideal thing to do when putting items up for sale is to give accurate descriptions of your products, so there are no post-sale problems.
- When making a sale in person, always ensure that you are in a public place. Bring someone with you to improve safety.
- Removing all fluids from the machine is essential if you are recycling your mower or calling a junk service. We recommend doing this at least 24 hours before you get rid of it to allow any gasoline to evaporate.
- Once you remove the fluids from your machine, you will need to dispose of them properly to avoid contaminating the environment or breaking any laws. Your local recycling center will usually accept these fluids and get rid of them properly.
Summary
If your mower doesn’t work anymore, you will need to strip it down and sell it for parts, recycle it, or call someone to take it away. Bigger units might have parts that will bring in enough money to make the work worth it, but smaller push mowers might not. You will need to take inventory of your parts and look up what other people are charging to see if it’s worth it. The local scrap yard might also give you an estimate on recycling it before you do the work of removing non-metal parts. If it still works, donating it is the best option because it can help someone else.
Featured Image Credit: Roman Zaiets, Shutterstock
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