Hangers are an essential item in any person’s home, as they allow you to hang your clothes efficiently inside a closet. Investing in good, high-quality wood hangers makes all the difference, too, as they will treat your clothes better, preventing damage and wrinkling.
What happens when you have one too many wooden hangers? You might have bought many hangers over the years, and it has reached the point where you have some to spare. Or, you may one day decide to get rid of all your old hangers to replace them with a set of high-quality ones. In this situation, you need to figure out whether or not you can put your wooden hangers in the recycle bin. After all, you don’t want them to end up in a landfill!
Can You Recycle Wood Hangers?
So, are wooden hangers recyclable? Unfortunately, the answer is no – you generally cannot recycle wooden hangers. That is because wooden hangers get treated with varnish. So, if you want to get rid of your old wood hangers, you will have to find an alternative way to do so.
However, if your wooden hanger has a metal handle, you might be able to disassemble the hanger and recycle the metal part at a place that will accept scrap metals.
Other Ways to Dispose of Unwanted Hangers
As you cannot recycle wooden hangers, you will have to find another way to get rid of them – one that doesn’t involve placing them in your regular trash. Here are some of the best ways to get rid of wooden hangers that don’t involve them ending up in a landfill:
Many thrift stores are often on the lookout for hanger donations, so make that the first place you look. They could use them by either selling them on or using them for hanging up the clothes they have on sale.
Do you have a friend that could use some extra hangers? If the hangers you want to get rid of are in good shape, ask around to see if anyone you know needs them. You might ask someone who would have otherwise bought a bunch!
You could even make a small amount of money by selling your old wooden hangers! Wood is often the most desirable material for hangers, after all, so if they’re in good condition, you could make some extra cash. Somewhere like Facebook marketplace is a good online space to try selling them. You can also list the hangers there for free if you want to get rid of them.
Do you have a bunch of items you no longer need? If so, host a garage sale! You could sell the hangers as part of the sale or give them to buyers alongside the old clothes you’re selling.
You can upcycle your hangers by incorporating them into a DIY project. You might just get something useful out of it. Wooden hangers can be used in many ways; turn them into a dishrack, towel hanger, or even a small table! If you need more inspiration, you can follow plenty of great tutorials online, ensuring your wooden hangers go to good use.
Many places need hangers, including schools, theater groups, and dry cleaning businesses, so get in touch with one of those to see if they could use yours. They are sure to appreciate the thought! Plus, it’s good to know that your old items can go somewhere that will get a lot of use out of them.
Are you sure you no longer want your wooden hangers? While you might not need them right now, there is a chance that there’ll come a day when you wish you still had them, so consider storing them somewhere just in case.
So, while you cannot take your wooden hangers to the recycling center or leave them in your curbside recycling bin, you have plenty of other options that don’t involve throwing them in the trash.
What About Other Types of Hangers?
You now know that you can’t recycle wooden hangers. However, what about other types of hangers, such as wire and plastic? Unfortunately, you cannot recycle plastic hangers, either. However, certain places do accept a metal wire hanger. That doesn’t mean you can throw it in your recycling box, though, as most wire hangers will get caught up in the recycling equipment. Instead, you’ll need to take it to a place that specifically accepts scrap metal.
Why You Shouldn’t Throw Hangers Away
You might wonder why you can’t just throw your old hangers away – especially if the option of recycling is so tricky. While you can’t get around throwing some items in the trash, it’s always best to avoid it, especially with bulky and reusable items like hangers. That’s because landfill waste produces methane and Co2, which damages the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. The less you contribute to that, the better.
It’s a good idea to buy only high-quality hangers and keep them with you for a lifetime. If you run a business that uses a lot of hangers, consider buying high-quality hangers wholesale to save money buying in bulk while ensuring all the hangers are of the highest quality.
In Summary
While you cannot recycle hangers, there are a lot of great recycling programs with a mission to make recycling even more straightforward, so keep a look out for recycling centers near you to see what you can and can’t recycle. Of course, if you can recycle it, that’s always the better option than throwing it in the trash!
Unfortunately, wooden hangers usually don’t fall under the category of items you can recycle. That doesn’t mean you have to throw them out, though, as they have plenty of uses beyond hanging up your favorite dress or work blouse. Whether you upcycle, sell, or give to a friend, reusing your old wooden hangers is a much better option for the earth.