How to Dispose of a Sofa?

You have got a new sofa, But how do you get rid of your old one? Sofas will not be taken by your weekly bin collection and in most cases they will not be allowed in a hired skip. This guide will take you through a few options for sofa disposal:

• Donate it 

• Give it away

• Sell it

• Recycle it

• Council Collection

• Retailer Take it Away

• Have it removed

No matter which option you choose, make sure to follow the proper steps for disposing of your sofa. Your old couch may not be good enough to use anymore, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be sent to the landfill or the local tip.

Donate it

One of the best options to get rid of old sofas is to donate them. You can contact your local charity shop and see if they would be interested in taking it off your hands. This way, you can ensure that someone else will benefit from your furniture and support a worthy cause. Some charities will even come and collect the old settee for free, such as the British Heart Foundation, just book online.

Best to check with your local charity shop to see if they accept sofas or furniture items, most shops will require the fire label to still be attached and it will need to be in good enough condition.

Give it away

If you would prefer to give the furniture away for free, a great option is to post on online ads. You can post an advert on local Facebook groups or marketplace or free listing websites such as Freecycle and Gumtree. Posting an ad about your furniture will allow people who are in need of furniture to contact you and, if all goes well, come and collect the furniture for free.

Sell it

If the furniture is still in a good condition, you could opt to sell it. You can place an ad for your furniture on selling sites, such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace, when you list your old sofa select "collection only" for the delivery option. Alternatively, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling online, check out furniture reselling shops in your area.

Selling will be the most cost effective was of getting rid of the unwanted sofa, you are getting cash for the piece of furniture and the buyer will have to organise and pay for collection. It can be time consuming having to take pictures and write up a description but will be worth it for the money.

Take it to your Local Recycling Centre

If your sofa is not in good condition to reuse, consider taking it to your local furniture recycling service. You will need a car or van large enough to transport the sofa to your local recycling centre. 

Always contact the centre before going to see if they accept and recycle sofas at their facility. You may be required to show id and proof of your home address at the recycling centre, for example a utility bill. If you cannot reuse it, sofa recycling is the most environmentally friendly of the disposal options.

Council Collection

If you are a householder, you can organise the local council to come and collect the old sofa. It is known as a bulky waste collection. Many councils offer this service but you will be charged and the cost can vary depending on your location.

Bear in mind the sofa collection could take a while, as it is the local council and not a removal company, so ask for estimate timings. 

Retailer Take it Away

Many retailers offer a ‘take away’ service when you buy a new sofa, which means they will collect your old sofa for free the same day they deliver the new one. Contact the sofa company before purchasing to confirm this option is available and inquire about details such as how long the service will take and if there are any conditions involved. 

Have it Removed

Finally, you could arrange for a professional collection service to take away and dispose of your old sofa for you. Search online for waste disposal services or sofa removal and ask them about their collection fees and other relevant details. A removal service will be the most convenient option with them doing all the heavy lifting.

Just Hire have partnered with a Waste Removal Service, click belwo to arrange easy collection.

Can you Put a Sofa in a Skip?

No a sofa cannot be put in a skip, this is due to new guidance from the Environment Agency as of 2022. Sofas contain POPs and therefore cannot be taken to landfill and must be disposed of in a specific way.

Summary

Getting rid of your old sofa can be overwhelming, but there are options available. Whether you choose to donate it, give it away, sell it, recycle it or have it removed - make sure to follow the proper steps for disposing of your sofa in an environmentally friendly way. Good luck!