How to Manage and Dispose of Household Paint
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In today’s video, I share how to manage and dispose of household paint.
One of the things almost every home has is multiple cans of leftover household paint, either inherited from previous homeowners or from your own paint projects.
Household paint really only has a shelf life of 2 years, and that’s if the paint cans are stored in a cool, dry location and sealed tightly.
If you have 5G buckets and 1G paint cans taking up space in your garage, here’s how you can manage your inventory
Inspect the cans of paint and decide if it’s paint that is relevant to you.
Many times, the paint is from a previous homeowner and you’ve already chosen other colors for your home so those cans of paint are no longer needed. If that’s the case, set those aside.
Pick up 1 qt metal cans from your local paint store or online.
For the cans of paint that are relevant to your existing color palette, 1 qt size cans are perfect for keeping just enough paint for touch-ups.
Once you have the cans, pour enough paint for touch-ups into the can and label them with the following info:
BRAND OF PAINT
PAINT COLOR NAME & NUMBER
PAINT SHEEN: flat, eggshell, semi-gloss, etc.
ROOM THE PAINT IS FOR, i.e. Living Room or Master Bedroom, etc.
DATE PAINT WAS MIXED. You’ll find this on the original paint can label. (remember, paint only has a shelf life of about 2 years.)
When you go to use the touch-up paint, check the date. If it’s long expired, I would avoid it and follow the next tip.
If the paint is NOT expired, but the paint has separated, you may just have to shake it to mix it up before you use it.
If the paint is has a weird texture (not smooth like paint should be), lumpy, or has a weird smell, it’s probably gone bad. It wasn’t sealed properly and has partially dried out and it’s just old. What you don’t want to do is use the paint on the walls because that smell will be on your walls and then you’re in a worse position.
Now that you’ve collected just enough for touch-ups,
3. Recycle the rest of the paint
Kelly Moore Paints has a recycling program and accepts paint as they have space available. Call your local Kelly Moore Paints retailer to check if they have room for your drop-off. They accept all paint brands, not just their own. I understand Dunn Edwards also has a paint recycling program.
Alternatively, your local waste management company has a hazardous waste disposal program which usually includes paint. Call to find out when and where they are accepting drop-offs. In my experience, and especially under current circumstances, hours are limited and their drop-off locations change frequently so avoid wasting time. check their websites for info and call beforehand to confirm.
Keep in mind for both options that they will usually only accept cans that are in good condition, meaning you must be able to read the label. If the cans have been left outside and are rusted through, they will not accept it.
4. Dispose of any leftover paint
If there is not a lot of paint left in the can, you can open up the cans and allow the paint to dry, and then it can be disposed of in your trash bin. You can also mix kitty litter into the can to dry out the paint or if there’s a significant amount, line a box with kitty litter and pour the paint into the box which can then be disposed of in the trash bin.
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