Is there a place that will pick up an old washing machine for free, or small cost? r/StLouis
Fair question, and sometimes there is. A washer is mostly steel, and steel has scrap value, so a route driver already working the area can make the pickup pay for itself. Another r/StLouis poster described a local washer pickup that way — "He charges $20 which I believe is actually a tip for the driver."
Ask the retailer before you book anything
Buying a replacement? Haul-away is usually the cheapest route available, and it has to go on the delivery ticket before the order is finalized. Once the truck leaves, that option is gone.
Retailers do refuse jobs, and the refusals are predictable:
- The old unit sits in a basement rather than on the delivery floor
- Water, gas or a hardwired circuit was not disconnected by a licensed trade
- The pickup is not a like-for-like swap — a fridge coming out, a freezer going in
Refrigerant changes the route
Refrigerators, chest and upright freezers, and window air conditioning units all carry refrigerant in a sealed loop. Federal rules require that refrigerant be recovered by a certified technician before the shell is scrapped or landfilled.
Because recovery is a separate step with its own paperwork, refrigerant-bearing appliances are commonly handled and priced apart from general junk. Anyone quoting a fridge at the same rate as a dresser is either absorbing that cost quietly or skipping the step. Our page on what junk removal will not take lists materials needing a specialty route.
Scrap value is why some pickups are nearly free
A washer, dryer, range or dishwasher is largely steel with a motor or heating element in it, and metal recyclers pay by weight, so the unit offsets part of the haul. That is why a lone truck owner will take a washer for the price of lunch while a full crew job costs more.
Basement water heaters and stair carries
Water heaters are the most common basement appliance we pull, and the most common surprise on the day. A drained 40 or 50 gallon tank is a manageable two-person carry on a stair strap. An undrained tank is a different object — residual water plus a decade of sediment adds well over a hundred pounds, all of it sloshing.
What helps before we arrive
- Have the tank disconnected and drained by whoever installs the new one
- Pull the dryer vent hose and washer supply lines so nothing snags on the stairs
- Defrost a chest freezer a day ahead — meltwater on basement steps is the real hazard
What people report paying
Price opacity is the loudest complaint in this category. Real reported figures from public threads, none of them ours:
A poster on r/Calgary collected three bids for one job: "had 3 different quotes, all three companies are licensed and insured. Same job, 2 men who will be doing the work. 1) $1000+ 2) $760 3) $612 Couldn't believe the price difference." Two r/Langley posters reported volume-based outcomes — "Just paid $389 for 1/4 truck" and "They took 1/2 a truck load and only charged me $150."
Those are figures other people publicly report paying, in other markets. We quote each job individually. Our Metro East cost guide shows how volume and access move a number, and if a whole-house clear-out is behind this, the dumpster rental versus hauling comparison is the better starting point.
There are multiple junk haulers around but they are pricey. Sometimes it is worth it just to have it gone but be prepared. They will come give you a free quote but once they are there and ready to haul it's hard to say no if you really just want it gone. r/StLouis
Confirming scope and the number before a single strap comes off the truck is how we avoid that. A quote far under the market is its own warning sign — appliances that vanish cheaply tend to be dumped rather than processed.
Also serving the towns next door
Shiloh, Belleville and Fairview Heights run on the same routes as O'Fallon. Furniture in the same load? See our couch removal page, or our note on couch disposal after a donation rejection.
Questions people actually ask
Is there a place that will pick up an old washing machine for free, or small cost?
Sometimes, and it is worth chasing before you book a haul. A washer is mostly steel, so scrap value alone can cover a pickup for someone already running a route. One r/StLouis poster described a local washer pickup this way: "He charges $20 which I believe is actually a tip for the driver." That is a figure someone publicly reported paying, not our rate. We quote each job individually.
Do refrigerators and freezers get handled differently?
Yes. Refrigerators, freezers and window air conditioners contain refrigerant, which has to be recovered by a certified technician before the shell can be scrapped or landfilled. That step sits outside general junk hauling, which is why refrigerant-bearing units are commonly priced and routed on their own.
Should I ask the store delivering my new appliance to take the old one?
Ask before the order is finalized, because that is usually the cheapest route available, and it disappears once the truck has left. Retailers commonly decline units that are disconnected improperly, sitting in a basement, or not a like-for-like replacement, which is when a separate pickup makes sense.
Why do appliance removal prices differ so much between companies?
Access, disposal route and crew size all move the number. One person on r/Calgary reported: "had 3 different quotes, all three companies are licensed and insured. Same job, 2 men who will be doing the work. 1) $1000+ 2) $760 3) $612 Couldn't believe the price difference." Others report figures like "Just paid $389 for 1/4 truck" and "They took 1/2 a truck load and only charged me $150" on r/Langley. Those are what other people publicly report paying. We quote each job individually.
Can you get a water heater out of a basement?
Yes, and it is the most common basement appliance we handle. A drained 40 or 50 gallon tank is manageable for two people on a stair strap; an undrained tank is not, because leftover water plus years of sediment adds substantial dead weight.
Do you cover Shiloh, Belleville and Fairview Heights?
Yes. Shiloh, Belleville and Fairview Heights sit on the same routes as O'Fallon, along with the wider Metro East, IL corridor.
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