How to get rid of a broken lawn mower?

There are plenty of ways to get rid of a broken lawn mower. Although this task may be inconvenient for some, it’s something that’s naturally bound to happen. As a lawn owner, you’ll definitely face this situation sooner or later as you go on in your mowing routine. Whether your lawn mower just got broken or you’re planning for an upgrade, like buy a new one or hire a professional mower, this guide has got you covered.

Before disposing your broken lawn mower, here are some questions you may want to think through:

How big is the damage? Can your mower still be fixed? Is the wreckage really that big for you to get rid of it fast? Are you willing to go through the stress of having it repaired at the nearest manufacturing center or repair shop? If it can’t be fixed, then it’s time to dispose it. But if the damage is minimal and it can still work, you may re-consider disposing it.

Do you want to throw away all of it? How much of it are you willing to get rid of? Lawn mowers are composed of various metals and parts that can be sold as scrap items for extra cash. Moreover, you may need to save some parts of it for some do-it-yourself projects or other things.

Are you disposing it the proper way? Mowers are too big to be thrown in bins. You can’t leave them either on the curbside due to safety concerns. Getting rid of mowers can be quite a responsibility as you also have to think of the environmental impact of improper mower disposal. Moreover, if you own a gas-powered rotary mower, you may want to drain the residual oil to properly get rid of it.

If you’ve finally decided to dispose your broken lawn mower as soon as possible, then, it’s time to learn the different ways to get rid of it.

How to dispose of a lawn mower

One of the things you should consider when disposing a lawn mower is to do it based on your preference. This way, you won’t be stressing over it if you cannot commit to the level of difficulty your chosen disposal choice has. Go for a way that’ll give you minimal stress and one that suits your budget, time, location, and energy.

However, take note of some important points before deciding for a disposal option for your old mower: Some areas or states may have special rules for disposing old mowers due to environmental concerns. You may want to contact your local waste manager to ask for possible disposal options. Also, never put your old lawn mower on the curb as you’ll get fined for doing so. Putting your broken mower on the road poses safety concerns for drivers in your neighborhood.

If your lawn mower uses gasoline, you should drain it first before throwing it. Oil residues and dangerous fuel are bad for lawn mower disposal. Keeping the oil creates leakage that may seep through catch basins and water systems of waste disposal centers. You don’t want to bring chemicals or pollutants into the environment. Other option is to look for a professional to do the oil draining instead of doing it by yourself.

Below are various disposal options for owners of broken lawn mowers:

Have it picked up by a waste hauler

If your location or area allows you to manage your lawn mower disposal by having it picked up by someone, then, this is the easiest way you can do. Having someone to pick up your old mower is the most time-efficient way to get rid of it, especially if you’re busy and if you have the resources or budget to do so.

Recycling a lawn mower

Recycling your broken lawn mower is an option for eco-friendly owners and for people who have a lot of time. In some locations, pick-up service providers who takes away large items for recycling are available. Should you decide to recycle your broken mower, make sure to request the pick-up in advance. Otherwise, if there’s no hauling provider in your place, you may use a car to make the transfer. Prepare for any necessary fee or payment when you drop off your broken mower to a recycling center. You may also take it to a professional to drain any gasoline or oil residue before being recycled, if it’s a gas-powered mower.

Selling your mower as scrap

If you’d like to earn a few bucks as you get rid of your broken lawn mower, then selling it as scrap is the answer. It’s a good choice for lawn mower owners who love to tinker on their home appliances and have lots of time to do it.

Some lawn mowers have bigger engines, steel or aluminum deck, various cutting sizes and configurations. With this, you may want to exert more effort to tear your mower in pieces to check on the parts yourself. The engine can also be sold apart from its steel or aluminum parts. For aluminum decks, you may earn more by cleaning the engine and selling the cleaned aluminum deck.

If you value your time and lack some patience on tinkering items, then, you may still sell the whole mower but for a lower price. If you sell your whole lawn mower, you will probably be paid for only the aluminum.

Who buys old lawn mowers

A scrap metal buyer is the person who buys old lawn mowers. If you want to sell your mower as scrap, grab your phone directory or browse the internet to look for scrap metal buyers in your area. Then, get paid in exchange of your broken mower’s metal components. The steel or aluminum segments of your old mower are beneficial to scrap metal buyers.

As previously mentioned, you can earn more from selling scrap from your broken lawn mower if you can dismantle it and separate its metal pieces. Some metals in the lawnmower are ferrous, which means they are iron-based and magnetic. Other metals are non-ferrous, which means they do not contain iron and they’re not magnetic. Because of this, prices of each type of metal varies, depending on whether they’re ferrous or not.

Should you decide to dismantle it yourself and be able to put away the different metals apart, you can make the most out of selling it. You may search and learn how to dismantle lawn mowers online through video blogs or step-by-step guides. If you think you’d need help in dismantling your mower, don’t hesitate to call for professional help.

How much can you get for scrapping a lawn mower?

Scrap metal buyers buy lawn mower pieces by the pound at the scrap yard. Although push lawn mowers usually weigh between 50-90 pounds and riding lawn mowers are between 350-600 pounds, the scrap value buyers look for is based on the metal composition of your lawn mower parts.

Since lawn mowers are made up of steel and aluminum parts, it’ll help you to get familiar with the average scrap price of each type of metal. The average scrap price of steel these days is around $60 per ton while aluminum is at $0.06 per pound. Push mowers made from steel can be sold between $1.50-$2.70 based on the weight. Push mowers made with aluminum deck is priced between $3.30-5.40, depending also on the weight. If you’re selling a riding lawn mower, it can be priced between $10.50-$18.

Does Home Depot recycle old lawn mowers?

Home Depot doesn’t recycle old lawn mowers but they do collect batteries, paint, computers, eye glasses, cell phones, leaves and lawn clippings, food scraps and household cleaners for recycling purposes.

Broken lawn mowers can be taken to a recycling center or a house waste center. Petrol or gas-powered lawn mowers should be emptied from gas or oil content before recycling. Push lawn mowers made from metal parts should be void of plastic parts before being recycled. Electric lawn mowers, classified under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) should be turned to house waste recycling centers, along with other electrical items.

Wrapping It Up

Getting rid of a broken lawn mower can be a little worrisome and challenging, especially if you’re quite new to lawn mowing. Doing it right not only allows you to help save the environment but also makes you a responsible lawn owner. Always remember to consider your time, energy, location, budget and preference when disposing broken lawn mowers. This way, you’ll save a great deal of effort in doing so.