What to Take Out of Your House Before It Goes in the Bin

Think about how many times you've filled a bin bag. A broken toaster, a bent coat hanger, a handful of old keys, a dead kettle, a few bottle tops. Most people don't give it a second thought. We tie the bag, take it out and walk away.

But a lot of what's in that bag is metal, and metal is one of the most recyclable materials there is. It can be recycled and remelted over and over without losing its basic properties. Some of it is also worth money. That's why the bin is one of the worst places for it, and a quick look before you throw things out can save you money and keep valuable resources from going to waste.

This cheat sheet walks you through your home, room by room, so you know what to pull out before it hits the bin. Save it, print it or screenshot it. The next time you're cleaning out a cupboard, you'll know exactly what to look for, and Divine Metal Recycling will take care of the rest.

How to Use This Cheat Sheet

The idea is simple. When you're clearing a room, keep one box, bucket or bag labelled "metal". As you go, put any metal items in it instead of the bin. When it's full, bring it to Divine Metal Recycling. That's all there is to it.

You don't need to be an expert to spot metal. A few simple tests cover most cases. If an item is heavy, cold to the touch and hard, it's likely metal. If a fridge magnet sticks to it, it's steel or iron. If it doesn't stick, it may be aluminium, copper, brass or stainless steel. And if you don't know, put it in the box and ask the team when you get there.

Safety Note Before We Begin

Wear gloves when handling rusty, sharp or dirty items. Don't cut, burn or break open anything that is under pressure, has liquid in it or contains electrical components. If you're unsure whether something is safe to bring, ask first.

The Kitchen: Your Biggest Source of Metal

The kitchen often has the most metal in the house, and it's easy to overlook.

What to Pull Out

Start with the obvious. Many old pots, pans and baking trays are made of steel, aluminium or stainless steel. Even if your frying pan is old and the coating is cracked, it's still metal. Cutlery is usually stainless steel, even if it's mismatched or bent. The same goes for colanders, graters, tin openers, cake tins and metal utensils.

Then check the appliances. Small appliances like toasters, kettles, sandwich presses and mixers contain plastic and electrical parts as well as a variety of metals. Larger appliances like stoves, ovens and range hoods contain a lot of steel and other metals. Fridges and freezers are mostly steel but may contain refrigerant, so only trained people should handle them. Don't bring one in without asking first.

Don't overlook the small stuff. Aluminium foil, foil trays, drink cans, food tins, jar lids and bottle caps are all recyclable metals. Give them a quick rinse, gather them in a bag, and take them along when it's full.

Quick List: Kitchen

In the kitchen, look for pots, pans and baking trays, cutlery and metal utensils, and kettles, toasters and other small appliances. Also collect stoves, ovens and range hoods, along with cans, tins, foil and lids. Check first before bringing in a fridge.

The Bathroom and Laundry: Hidden Metal

These rooms are full of metal fixtures, and renovations make them even more likely to end up in the skip.

What to Pull Out

When replacing taps, showerheads or towel rails, keep the old ones. Brass is one of the more valuable household metals, and taps and fittings are often made of it. Towel rails, shower rails, toilet roll holders and mirror frames are usually steel, stainless steel or aluminium.

In the laundry, washing machines and dryers are mostly steel and can go to a recycler as long as they don't contain water or other fluids. You can also save metal laundry baskets, clothes airers, clothesline poles and old ironing boards. Ironing boards and clothes airers are generally steel or aluminium.

Don't forget to look under the sink. Old pipes, copper tubing and metal fittings are sometimes left behind after plumbing jobs. Copper is worth looking out for, as it's worth more than most other metals in the house.

Quick List: Bathroom and Laundry

In the bathroom and laundry, look for brass taps, showerheads and fittings, as well as towel rails and other metal rails. Washing machines and dryers, clothes airers, clothesline parts and ironing boards are all worth collecting too, along with any offcuts of copper or other pipe.

Bedrooms and Living Areas: Furniture, Frames and Fixtures

Metal is common in indoor spaces, usually in furniture and decor.

What to Pull Out

Start with furniture. Bed frames, bunk bed frames, filing cabinets, shelving units and chair frames are often steel. If part of an item is metal, such as the legs of a table or the frame of a sofa bed, it may be separated and recycled. Old curtain rods, coat hangers, metal picture frames and clothes racks are also worth collecting.

Next, check lights and electrical items. Metal is found in lamps, light fittings, fans and electrical components. Old computers, laptops and similar equipment contain a variety of metals and materials and should only be handled by trained people. Before dropping off electronics, ask Divine Metal Recycling what they can and can't recycle.

Loose change isn't part of this guide, but a drawer full of old keys, nuts, bolts, screws and hinges can add up to something. Collect them in a jar and bring them along.

Quick List: Living Areas

In the living areas, look for metal bed frames, shelves and filing cabinets, and table and chair frames. Curtain rods, hangers and picture frames count too, as do lamps, fans and light fittings, and any old keys, screws, nuts and bolts you can collect in jars.

The Garage and Shed: The Heavy Hitters

If these are your biggest rooms, they probably hold the biggest concentration of everyday metal. These spaces tend to store the larger, heavier items.

What to Pull Out

Start with tools. Most old spanners, hammers, shovels, rakes and broken power tools are steel and contain other metals in their motors. You may also find a lawnmower or whipper snipper, but drain any fuel safely before moving them.

Next, check leftover building and project materials. Steel offcuts, aluminium sheeting, old guttering, roofing, fence panels and metal posts can often be recycled. Old copper pipe and electrical wire are especially good to keep. Bicycles, exercise equipment, wheelbarrows, ladders and outdoor furniture frames are also common finds.

Car parts and old batteries are a separate case. Fluids, acid and weight mean they need extra care. If you can, call Divine Metal Recycling in advance to find out how to drop them off safely.

Quick List: Garage and Shed

In the garage and shed, look for damaged hand tools and power tools, lawnmowers (with the fuel drained) and garden tools. Steel, aluminium and copper offcuts are worth keeping, along with ladders, bicycles and exercise equipment. Check first before bringing in car parts and batteries.

The Outdoors: The Forgotten Yard

There's often more metal in the garden and yard than people expect, and it can sit there for years.

Check for old barbecues. They're mostly steel and can usually be recycled once cleaned and with the gas bottle removed. Metal garden furniture, hanging pot stands, trellises, garden stakes, letterboxes, gates and fencing are all worth a look. Old sheds, carports and pergolas can be mostly steel or aluminium, and if a structure is being taken down, the frame and sheeting can be recycled.

Pool areas also have metal, including ladders, fences and old equipment. If in doubt, ask before you touch anything.

The Tricky Ones: Call Before You Bring

Some household items have value to recyclers but need special handling. They're still worth keeping out of the bin, but please check first.

Gas bottles, including barbecue gas bottles and small camping canisters, are under pressure and should never be cut or punctured. Fire extinguishers are the same. Fridges, freezers and air conditioners can contain refrigerant gas. Car batteries and other batteries contain materials that must be handled with care. Never empty anything that has held fuel, oil or chemicals onto the ground, and don't take it apart at home.

For each of these, a quick call or message to Divine Metal Recycling will tell you whether it can be accepted and how to prepare it. A few minutes on the phone can save you a trip.

Not Sure It's Metal? Try These Quick Tests

When an item is staring at you and you can't decide, these basic tests help.

The magnet test is the easiest. If a magnet sticks, there's steel or iron in it. If it doesn't, the metal is probably aluminium, copper, brass or some stainless steels.

The weight test can help too. Aluminium is very light for a metal. Steel feels heavier, and brass and copper feel dense and solid.

The colour test works well for non-magnetic metals. Copper is reddish-orange, brass is yellow-gold and aluminium is dull silver. Stainless steel is shiny and doesn't rust.

None of these tests is foolproof. If you're unsure about what you can bring, Divine Metal Recycling can identify and sort it for you.

Making It a Habit

The best thing about this cheat sheet is that it works long after the first clean-out. Keep a labelled box in the laundry or garage. Put any metal that comes out of the house in the box. When it's full, take it to the recycler, perhaps every few months.

This little habit has real advantages. It prevents clutter, keeps valuable material out of landfill and can put a few dollars in your pocket. It also makes big clear-outs easier, since you'll already have a head start.

There's a bigger benefit too. Recycling metal means less raw material needs to be mined and processed, which saves energy and reduces waste. It's one of the easiest things a household can do for the environment, and it takes only a few seconds a day.

Your One-Page Summary

Here's the quick version of the whole cheat sheet. Before you throw something out, check whether it contains metal. If it does, put it in the metal box. In the kitchen, think pots, pans, cutlery, appliances and cans. In the bathroom and laundry, think taps, rails and machines. In the living areas, look for frames, shelves and fittings. In the garage and shed, look for tools, offcuts and equipment. In the yard, check fencing, barbecues and furniture. Call first for anything under pressure, with fluid in it, or electrical.

Ready to Put Your Household Metal to Use?

Now you know where to look and what to look for. Next time you're about to tie up a bin bag or send a load of old junk to the kerb, check for metal. Sorting takes minutes, keeps valuable material out of the bin, and leaves your home tidier and your wallet a bit fuller.

When your box is full, bring it to Divine Metal Recycling. The team will sort it, weigh it and tell you what it's worth. Use this cheat sheet to make every clean-out count.

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