It’s likely you’ll need to get rid of old carpet when you’re looking to install hardwood or laminate flooring, or simply need a new, thicker, or better-looking floor than your current one. Disposing of carpet can seem simple, but once you reel in an entire room’s worth of textiles, you may have a mountain of waste to throw out. It probably won’t fit in your bin.
The biggest problem with a carpet removal job is that it isn’t just a case of taking away a raggedy-looking top layer of once-comfy floor covering. You’ve also got to contend with underlay and gripper hooks, which can be a nightmare to dispose of easily.
Thankfully, there are a few routes for getting rid of your knackered carpets. It pays to know which one’s the best, especially if you’re conscious of what happens to it on an environmental level. Find out how to get rid of carpets with help from Divert.
Carpet Disposal
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Will a bulky waste service from the council collect my carpet?
Don’t hold your breath for the council to pick up your carpet. Many local authorities don’t class carpet as “bulky waste” like they do big, one-piece items such as sofas, fridges, or sheds. If your council will collect carpet with bulky waste, you could end up waiting ages for them to pick it up, even if they charge. Waiting lists vary between cities and boroughs – if you end up going this route, make sure you know where you stand.
When should I get rid of my old carpet?
The worst thing about carpet is that it’s impossible to guess how long it’ll last, because it depends on a few factors. Aside from the construction and quality, a lot of it hinges on foot traffic, thickness, material, padding, the number of people in your home, and any potential accidents and spillages along the way. Estimates put carpet lifecycles at between five and 15 years, but the proof’s in the way they look and the feel under your feet.
Can I dispose of carpet at the tip?
Most local tips and household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) accept carpets. The only problem is you must remove it yourself, then likely cut it up to fit in your car. If you’ve got an average-sized hatchback or saloon, you might have to make several trips to get it all across. Even then, you’re going to have to spend a while cleaning your car out, given the fluff and threads it’ll inevitably leave behind.
You should call your local council in advance to ensure you can throw away your carpet there. Remember, many of them will simply chuck it into landfill – the worst thing for the environment. If you want to do the right thing for the world around us, it’s important to consider other methods to recycle your carpet.
Could I sell or give away my old carpet for free?
Carpets are a weird one when it comes to the second-hand market. Chances are it’s only damaged in certain areas, where there’s high foot traffic. In the overall space of a major room in your house – such as your bedroom or living room – massive parts of it are probably as good as they once were, thanks to their position underneath big pieces of furniture, like beds or sofas.
As a result, people looking for smaller, decent pieces of material will happily cut up a bigger carpet and turn it into rugs, runners, or more. If you’ve got harder-wearing textiles, or you’re looking to dispose of your carpet because you’re redecorating, there’s a good chance you can find someone who’ll give it a new home.
If your carpet looks like it can find love elsewhere, take a photo and list it on Gumtree or Freecycle. Just don’t expect too much money – if any – because of the things you can find deep in second-hand carpets, like dust, skin, food, mildew, dirt, or even bed bugs. Plus, they’re taking loads of material off your hands – it’s a thankless task in most ways.
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Will a carpet fitter remove my old carpet?
When you’re getting new carpet, laminate, or wooden flooring fitted, many businesses will happily get rid of your carpet – but often at a price. Due to the sheer size of carpets, most simply charge by the square metre, and it can range from pennies to pounds. That also might not include underlay, which could be charged at the same rate.
In some cases, you could be paying as much for the fitting as the removal, especially if there are further disposal fees added to the total. It can be a convenient option for disposing of old carpet though, as it’ll be taken away for you.
Can you put carpet in a skip?
You can put carpet in a skip (as well as almost anything). However, you really shouldn’t put carpet in a skip for a few reasons. The main issue is that carpet doesn’t biodegrade, even if it uses natural fibres. Many modern carpets are treated with chemicals to make them last longer or use manmade substances. Even wool carpets use backing that may contain nylon and polyester.
Skips are probably the costliest way to dispose of carpets, and definitely the worst for the environment. Your average skip costs upwards of £200 – if you have off-street parking. In terms of the environment, they need two lorry trips for drop-off and pick-up, and then your carpet’s buried in landfill to slowly rot for hundreds of years.
Compare and contrast that to your average man and van collection service, such as the one from Divert. These take your carpet away and, in our case, we ensure your carpet is reused or disposed of responsibly, using partners who will recycle the carpet and everything they can.
Can carpet be recycled?
Carpets can be recycled into new products such as insulation, cat scratching posts, and scraps of fabrics for other uses. However, whether you can recycle old carpet depends on the materials and fibres, as some contain petroleum-based synthetic fibres that make them less recyclable. Donating or reusing old carpet first is normally easiest.
When carpets are recycled they’re taken to a specialist facility with the machinery and expertise to recycle old carpet. This involves sorting, cutting, and cleaning them, before shredding the fibres. These are then either sent to manufacturers to use in their new products or further processed at the recycling plant.
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We pride ourselves on being open and transparent.What’s the best way to get rid of a carpet?
The best way to dispose of carpet is to use a man and van service, for many good reasons:
- Man and van collection services will take your carpets from inside your home, so you don’t have to lug it outside.
- Divert will even remove old carpets by hand as part of the service, so long as the room in question has the furniture removed from on top. Just let us know when you book.
- Carpets are recycled as much as possible and diverted away from landfill. If your carpet’s still got life, there may be a way to use it in someone else’s home – if that’s not possible, we’ll send it to a specialist to ensure it’s stripped down and materials are sent to the best places for them.
- If you need to get rid of your carpet quickly – say, if you need to get laminate flooring down – we can probably arrive on the day and get it out of your way.
Get a free no obligation quote for carpet removal and disposal from your home or business with Divert today. Call 0333 444 0118 or contact us online with a few details about your old carpet, when you want it removed, and from where.
Get your waste collected
Get a quick FREE quote for carpet disposal
- Quick quote within 1 hr
- All types of carpets
- Claim your free bins
- Nationwide coverage
