Garage cleanouts

Most garages hold two kinds of stuff: things a truck can take, and a shelf of liquids and batteries that legally can't go in any trash bin. Sorting those apart before pickup day is the whole trick. Here's how a cleanout runs, which California rules apply, and where each kind of garage item ends up.

What's included, step by step

1. Photos and a price. Stand at the open garage door and take two or three wide shots, then one of the rafters, loft or cabinets. Text them with your ZIP. You get a price back by text.
2. Mark what stays. Tape, a tarp, or one corner of the driveway works. The crew only loads what you've told them to.
3. Carry-out and loading. Shelving comes down, workbenches get unbolted if they aren't built into the wall, and the heavy things (freezers, treadmills, gym weights) go out on a dolly.
4. Flag the special items. Usable pieces are set aside for donation where a charity is likely to want them, and anything with its own rules, like a freezer or a stack of tires, is called out before it's loaded.
5. Sweep-up. The floor gets swept after the final load.

California and LA rules that apply

A garage is where most household hazardous waste lives, and California makes it illegal to put hazardous waste in the garbage, down a storm drain or on the ground.^[1] That covers more than people expect:

S.A.F.E. stands for Solvents, Automotive, Flammables and Electronics, and City of LA residents drop off at no charge.^[6] The Valley's two centers are at 11025 Randall Street in Sun Valley and 10241 N. Balboa Boulevard in Northridge, each open weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.^[7],[8] Any LA County resident can use them.^[7] You can bring 15 gallons or 125 pounds a visit,^[6] and staff unload while you stay in the car, so pack containers upright in the trunk with the lids tight.^[6]

Two more garage regulars need care. An old fridge or freezer holds refrigerant that only a state-certified appliance recycler, or an EPA-certified technician, may remove.^[10] Sharps from a medicine cabinet or a pet's care can't go in any bin or roll-off container.^[11]

What affects the price

No two garages cost the same to clear, and a few things drive most of the difference:

• Volume. How much of the truck the load fills is the main factor. A half-full single garage and a floor-to-rafter two-car garage are very different jobs.
• Weight. River rock, pavers, tile, old weight sets and bags of concrete are heavy for their size. Landfills charge by the ton, and Sunshine Canyon in Sylmar bills every load at least a one-ton minimum,^[12] so dense material costs more to dispose of than bulky, light material.
• Items with their own handling. Appliances with refrigerant and tires don't go in with regular trash.
• Access. A detached garage at the back of a long driveway, a loft, or a door that won't lift all add carry time.
• What you've pulled out first. The more you've sorted out yourself, the less there is to load.

Free city options vs. paying a hauler

If you have time and a strong back, the free programs handle a lot of a garage. In the City of LA, LASAN collects bulky items at the curb on trash day with no limit for the homes it serves, as long as you book at least one business day ahead.^[13] It takes furniture, carpet that's rolled and tied, big wood pieces and electronics, but not auto parts, used oil, paint or concrete and bricks.^[13] LASAN also takes garage fridges, freezers and water heaters at no charge, with the doors removed.^[14] On certain Saturdays, its East Valley and West Valley yards hold free bulky-item drop-off days.^[13]

The catch is the labor. You haul it all to the curb, list every item when you book (crews only take what's on the work order),^[14] and make separate trips for tires and hazardous waste. Burbank charges a per-item fee for appliances, mattresses, tires and lawnmowers,^[15] and Pasadena gives only two free pickups a year.^[16] The city guides spell out each program: Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.

A hauler makes more sense when the garage is packed, you want the car back inside this week, or the heavy stuff is more than you want to lift.

Text photos for a priceor call (909) 566-3090

Where it goes afterward

Garage contents split into a few streams. Working tools, bikes and furniture can often be donated; Goodwill Southern California, for example, takes anything with a plug or a battery in any condition, but wants other goods clean and sellable.^[17],[18] Scrap metal yards in Sun Valley take large appliances, but not propane tanks, oil, fuel or antifreeze.^[19] Refrigerators and freezers go to an appliance recycler so the refrigerant is recovered first.^[20] Paint, batteries and chemicals go to S.A.F.E. Centers or PaintCare. What's left, like broken particleboard shelving, old boxes and worn-out gear, is regular waste.

For a full donation list by area, see where to donate in the San Fernando Valley.

Related guides and areas

• Plan it room by room: the garage cleanout planner
• The liquids shelf: how to get rid of paint and chemicals and how to get rid of tires
• Gym gear and playsets: exercise equipment and pools, playsets and trampolines
• Doing it yourself: dumpster rental vs. junk removal
• Area pages: North Hollywood, Burbank, Sun Valley, Van Nuys and Pasadena
• Also useful: storage unit cleanouts and dumpster rental