Think Green While You Spring Clean: Use up, Give Away or Recycle Leftover Paint to Declutter Your Space

By Lauren Scher, PaintCare’s Oregon Program Manager

Lauren Scher

The colder months are nearly behind us, the sun is shining, and temperatures are rising. It’s time to break out the cleaning supplies, snap on some rubber gloves, and get to work!

 Spring cleaning is upon us and you’re likely feeling the urge to tidy up and purge unused items. One thing you may not have considered, however, is what to do with leftover paint in your basement, garage, or attic that is taking up valuable storage space. PaintCare encourages you to think green while you clean by using up, giving away, or recycling leftover paint through the PaintCare program at any of the 188 Oregon drop-off sites.

 It is estimated that as much as 10 percent of architectural paint sold in the U.S. goes unused. Millions of containers of leftover paint are stored in basements and garages across Oregon right now, just taking up space!

 It’s especially important to add leftover paint to your clean-out list this time of year. Basements and garages are susceptible to leaks from spring rains, ice and snowmelt which can cause paint cans to become rusty from moisture. Just one more reason now is a great time to get rid of any unwanted paint.

One of the best and most environmentally friendly ways to get rid of leftover paint is to use it up. Instead of buying new paint for an upcoming home project, peruse the old paint cans in your storage space. The leftover paint from a previous DIY endeavor could be just the right shade or you can mix it with other paint to make a new color.

 If you can’t use up your leftover paint in good condition, friends, relatives, community groups, schools or artists may be interested in giving it another life. You could also post on social media channels, local Buy Nothing groups or neighborhood networking sites that you have paint available to see if you can find your paint a new home.

 If finding creative ways to repurpose leftover paint isn’t for you, and you aren’t sure where to give it away, another great solution to help you responsibly dispose of it is by taking it to one of the PaintCare drop-off sites located in your area. Visit PaintCare's Drop-Off Site Locator to find the site nearest to you.

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PaintCare, a nonprofit organization created by paint manufacturers, makes it easy and convenient to reuse and recycle leftover paint in states with paint stewardship laws. More than 98% of Oregon households on average are located within 15 miles of a PaintCare drop-off site. PaintCare sites are conveniently located mostly at paint and hardware stores, and they accept all paint brands, regardless of when or where it was purchased. Accepted items include most house paints, primers, stains, sealers, and clear top coatings (varnish and shellac).

 Your unused paint has a bigger impact than you think…

Leftover paint dropped off with PaintCare is managed according to “highest, best use,” meaning that as much as possible is reused, recycled back into paint, or put to some other beneficial use. PaintCare works with partners to transport paint from drop-off sites to processing facilities, where it is remixed into recycled-content paint, made available as-is through reuse and giveaway programs, used as fuel, or used in other applications. More than 9 million gallons of paint, stain, and varnish have been managed by PaintCare’s Oregon program since its launch in 2010.

 This year, it’s time to think green while you spring clean by managing your leftover paint responsibly. Instead of storing or throwing away unused, unwanted paint, think again… and recycle it with PaintCare. For more information about PaintCare and to find a PaintCare drop-off site near you, visit www.paintcare.org.