Spring Cleaning The Big Stuff

Outdated and damaged patio furniture that can’t be repaired and reused can be disposed of as bulky waste in our community.  

Spring cleaning is an excellent way to shoo the winter doldrums out of your home and welcome the joy of the spring season. Maybe you’re cleaning out the closet, or giving your bathroom a deep clean this week. Or, if you’re like me, you’re probably decluttering and getting rid of things you don’t need in your home anymore. This year you may want to get rid of some larger bulk items, like furniture or appliances, which have been in storage or are about to be replaced with something new.

If the items are in good condition you could donate, sell, or swap them for something new to you. A slipcover on an old sofa or a fresh coat of paint on a coffee table is sufficient to give your furniture a boost. Moving a bookshelf to another room may make it useful again. Local thrift stores could be interested in picking up your furniture for resale. But, even after donating and upcycling you may just have to throw away large items in a bad condition that don’t quite fit in a residential trash cart.

That tall green bin with wheels just won’t cut it for throwing out an old mattress, broken trampoline, that burnt out washing machine, or even a kid-size plastic car. These items, and others, that are too big for a trash cart are called bulky waste. Bulky household items that not suitable for reuse must be disposed of properly. Even though disposing of them correctly may seem easier said than done, there are actually several practical options available for residents of Whitfield County.

Residents of the City of Dalton who have garbage pickup thru the city’s public works department may qualify for pickup at the curb of rubbish and household debris. To find out if you qualify, and when the next pickup day is in your area, call public works at 706-278-7077. Visit the City of Dalton website, www.cityofdalton-ga.gov, go to Departments, and select Public Works to read the garbage policy.

Rubbish and household debris collection is available every two weeks. Keep items indoors until the day before the pickup day. City public works also pick up yard trimmings at the curb on a similar schedule, however, these should not be mixed with bulky items since they are picked up by different crews. Be sure to leave some space between each pile.

Whitfield County residents can drop off bulky waste at one of four Convenience Centers.  Visit the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority website, www.dwswa.org, and click on Convenience Centers to find the location nearest you. Items accepted may include mattresses, bookshelves, tables, garden hoses, and furniture for indoor or outdoor use. A transportation fee of $5.00 per item is applied at three locations: Westside, M.L. King Blvd., and McGaughey Chapel Road. There are no fees for bulky waste taken directly to the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill and Convenience Center.

Bulky items like stand-alone furniture should be disposed of at the bulky waste container. However, most appliances can be dropped off at the scrap metal area for recycling. Items accepted in with scrap metal may include household items like refrigerators, washing machines, outdoor grills, basketball hoops, and trampolines. See the on-site attendant for help if you’re unsure where your big stuff should go. Receipts are also available if you pay a transportation fee.

Very small amounts of home remodeling debris, such as one window or door, can be dropped off at any convenience center as bulky waste. However, large quantities of home remodeling debris, such as doors, roofing, decks, windows, and flooring must be disposed of at the Old Dixie Hwy. location. There is a disposal fee of an average of two cents per pound. For more information and directions call­ 706-277-3389.

The Old Dixie Hwy. location also accepts electronic devices year round. Old video recorders, DVD players, laptops, and cellphones can be dropped off at no charge for recycling. There is a $10 recycling fee for CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and television sets. If you’re unsure whether or not your item can be recycled with electronics call 706-278-5001.