Residential Service
Appliance Removal & Recycling
Overview
What appliance removal covers
Major appliances are dense, sharp-edged and almost entirely steel, which makes them both difficult to move and genuinely valuable to recycle. A washer or a range is largely recoverable metal, and scrap processors take them readily — which is why appliances rarely need to go to a landfill at all.
The difficulty is getting them out. A full-size washer runs around 200 pounds, a double-oven range more, and both usually sit in a tight laundry room, a basement or a kitchen alcove with a doorway barely wider than the unit. Add a flight of basement stairs and it becomes a two-person job with proper equipment.
Junk Koala removes the appliance from where it stands and routes it to a metal recycler. Note the important boundary: crews disconnect and remove, but they are not licensed plumbers, electricians or gas fitters. Water, gas and hardwired electrical connections need to be shut off and disconnected before the appointment.
Who this is for
- Homeowners replacing a washer, dryer, range or dishwasher with no haul-away included
- Anyone with a dead appliance sitting in a garage or basement
- Households finishing a kitchen or laundry renovation
- Landlords and property managers turning over units
- Sellers clearing a basement full of retired appliances before listing
- Anyone who cannot get a 200-pound unit up a set of basement stairs
What's included
Appliances we take
Laundry and kitchen
- Washing machines and dryers
- Dishwashers
- Ranges, ovens and cooktops
- Over-the-range microwaves
- Range hoods and vent systems
- Trash compactors and garbage disposals
Larger and utility
- Water heaters
- Freezers and chest freezers
- Refrigerators and wine coolers
- Window and portable air conditioners
- Dehumidifiers
- Furnaces and boiler units already disconnected
Our approach
How Junk Koala handles appliances
Appliance dollies and stair equipment
Crews arrive with the equipment that makes this safe: appliance dollies with strapping, stair-climbing technique and enough people to control the weight on a descent.
Floor and doorway protection
Steel corners on a tile or hardwood floor cause real damage. Crews protect the route rather than dragging a unit across a finished surface.
Refrigerant units handled to EPA rules
Anything containing refrigerant — refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers — goes to a facility that recovers the refrigerant under EPA requirements before the shell is scrapped.
Metal goes to a recycler
Non-refrigerant appliances are almost entirely recoverable steel and are routed to scrap processing rather than a transfer station.
Cost & preparation
What moves the price, and how to get ready
What affects the price
- The number of appliances and how much truck space they take
- Refrigerant-containing units, which carry a separate recovery and disposal fee
- Location in the building — basement and second-floor removals are more labor than a garage
- Whether the unit is already disconnected and pulled out from the wall
- Doorway and stair constraints that require extra crew or partial disassembly
- Local scrap and disposal rates, which vary by market
How to prepare
- Shut off and disconnect water, gas and hardwired electrical connections before the appointment — crews are not licensed to do this, and it is the most common reason a job cannot be completed on arrival.
- Drain washing machines and disconnect the supply and drain hoses so the unit does not leak through the house on the way out.
- Empty freezers and refrigerators completely, and defrost them the day before.
- Pull the appliance a few inches from the wall if you can do so safely, so the crew can see the connections.
- Mention basement stairs, exterior steps or a narrow laundry door when you book.
FAQ
Appliance Removal questions
Will you disconnect the appliance for me?
Crews can unplug a standard cord-and-plug appliance and cap a disconnected hose, but they do not perform plumbing, gas or hardwired electrical work — that requires a licensed trade. Water, gas and hardwired connections need to be professionally disconnected before the crew arrives.
Are appliances recycled?
Yes, in most cases. Major appliances are predominantly steel and go to metal recyclers. Units containing refrigerant go to facilities that recover it under EPA rules before the metal is processed.
Can you get a washer out of a basement?
Yes. Basement removals are routine — that is what the appliance dollies and stair straps are for. Tell the crew the stair configuration when you book, particularly if there is a turn or a bulkhead exit.
Do you take water heaters?
Yes, once the unit is disconnected from the water and the gas or electrical supply and has been drained. A full 50-gallon tank weighs several hundred pounds more than an empty one, so draining it in advance matters.
My appliance still works. Can it be donated?
Sometimes. Some donation partners accept working major appliances, but many will not because they cannot verify or warranty them. If a local partner accepts it, the crew routes it there; otherwise it goes to metal recycling.
Related
Other services people book with this
Refrigerator Removal
Refrigerators and freezers removed and sent for certified refrigerant recovery.
View serviceResidential Junk Removal
Single items through whole-home cleanouts, handled by a local crew that does the carrying.
View serviceGarage Cleanouts
Get the garage back — sorted, cleared and swept in a single visit.
View serviceMoving Cleanouts
Clear what the movers left behind, before the closing or the final inspection.
View service
Guides on this
Get started
Need appliance removal?
Book a pickup or send us the details and we'll come back with a price.
