How to correctly dispose of paint

Great for those last few touch-ups, scuffs and stains, it’s worth keeping hold of leftover paint after decorating. But when it comes to getting rid of it, liquid paint can’t be poured down the sink and isn’t usually suitable for skip hire Wigan.

Here’s how to dispose of paint properly:

Use it up

When painting and decorating, it’s easier if you use all paint up as you needn’t worry about disposing of any that’s left in the tub. If you’ve finished painting and still have paint leftover, consider adding an extra coat to the walls for a more durable finish.

Alternatively, see if there’s anything else that you could repaint to use up the last little bit, i.e. benches, sheds and fences.

Sell/return it

It’s always better to have more paint than you need to prevent you from running out before you finish. If you purchased a few tubs of paint for your project and have some leftover, try and return them to the shop if you still have the receipt.

If you’ve only broken the seal of the tub, it may be worth asking family and friends if they could make use of it to save it going to waste. You could either sell it for a reduced price or give it to them for free.

Wait for it to dry up

Before you even attempt to throw paint away, you need to make sure that it’s completely dried out. To speed up the drying process, you can mix dry powders, like sand, soil and sawdust, and keep it exposed to the air.

It’s much easier to transport dry paint to the local tip than wet paint. Dry paint won’t make a mess on your back seats and is accepted by waste treatment facilities in your local area.

Some skip hire companies accept paint that’s dried out, but before you start throwing it in a domestic skip, it’s a good idea to double-check.

Hire a skip

Tubs with paint inside them can’t be recycled. Rinsing the last paint remnants off safely will allow you to recycle them so they can be used to create new products in the future.

Clean, empty paint tins are fine to include with the rest of the waste held within a skip. And Leyland Skips happily accept paint tins that have been washed.

The team at Leyland Skips specialise in northwest skip hire and accommodate the needs of those in Wigan. They pride themselves on reliable skip hire Wigan and make sure that materials are disposed of in the safest way possible – aiming to recycle 90% of all items.

For more information about the services Leyland Skips provide, call 01772 957 509. They’ll do everything they can to help.