Blog · Waterloo
How to get rid of an old washer, dryer, stove or fridge in Waterloo Region
Once the repair-or-replace answer is replace, the old machine still has to go somewhere. In Waterloo Region there are three realistic routes, and which one works depends on the appliance and where you live.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by the Waterloo Appliance Repair team
Route 1: Region of Waterloo curbside bulky item collection
The Region of Waterloo collects bulky items once a month for eligible households on their scheduled bulky item collection day. The Region's list explicitly includes appliances such as dishwashers, dryers and stoves, with the doors taped shut. Water softeners are also accepted if they have been emptied of water and salt.
The limits are per collection:
- Single-family homes: up to three items per household
- Duplexes: up to six items per duplex
- Small buildings with three to six units: up to ten items per building
A few rules trip people up:
- Garbage tags cannot be used for bulky items.
- Do not put bags or other garbage on top of the item.
- Items with "free" or "for sale" signs on them are not collected.
The Region's list does not name refrigerators, freezers, washers, dehumidifiers or air conditioners. Before putting one of those at the curb, check the Region's Waste Whiz tool or call the Region's Service First Contact Centre at 519-575-4400. Appliances that contain refrigerant need it removed by a qualified person before the metal is recycled, which is why they are handled differently.
Route 2: drop it off at a Region waste site
The Region runs two waste management sites that accept appliances and scrap metal:
- Waterloo Waste Management Site, 925 Erb Street West, Gate 2
- Cambridge Waste Management Site, 201 Savage Drive
Appliances and scrap metal are charged by weight, with a minimum charge per load, and some appliances carry an extra per-unit fee for removing CFC refrigerant. Current fees are on the Region's drop-off page. The sites have vehicle size rules for each gate and require safety footwear in some areas, so read the visit notes before loading the truck.
Route 3: have the retailer or installer take it
Many retailers offer haul-away of the old appliance when the new one is delivered, sometimes included and sometimes as an add-on. Ask when you buy, and confirm whether they will disconnect it. Stacked laundry pairs in uptown condos and built-in dishwashers often need more than a delivery crew is prepared to do, so it is worth asking the exact question: will they unstack, disconnect and remove the old unit?
Scrap metal recyclers also take appliances, but check before bringing anything with refrigerant.
Before it leaves the house
- Disconnect it safely. Unplug electric appliances. A gas range or gas dryer must be disconnected and the gas line capped by a licensed gas technician. Do not unscrew a gas connector yourself.
- Drain it. Washers hold water in the pump and hoses; dishwashers hold some in the sump. Drain into a bucket or you will get a flood on the stairs.
- Tape the doors shut. The Region asks for this, and it matters: a child can climb into a discarded fridge, dryer or front-load washer and be trapped.
- Close the water supply. Shut the valves for the washer or dishwasher and cap them if the new machine is not going in right away.
- Clear out personal items. Check the dryer drum, washer boot and fridge drawers.
Reuse before disposal
A working appliance does not need to go to the waste site at all. If the machine still runs and you are replacing it for a renovation or an upgrade, reuse and donation options keep it in service. The Region publishes waste reduction and reuse tips, and local charities and reuse stores accept some working appliances; call ahead, because most will not take units that are older, damaged or missing parts. Only pass on a machine that works safely and has been checked against the recall list. A dryer with a lint-clogged vent path or a stove with a sparking element should not become someone else's problem.
Is it really time to get rid of it?
Many appliances that get put at the curb in Waterloo had a failed part that was not worth the owner's time to track down. A front-loader in Columbia Forest that leaves clothes wet usually has a blocked drain pump, not a dead motor. A dishwasher that stopped cleaning is often scaled up from hard water. The first visit from the appliance technician behind this site is a diagnosis, and you get a written repair-or-replace answer before any part is ordered. If the answer is replace, you know it was the right call. For typical repair ranges, see the Waterloo appliance repair cost guide.
Landlords with several units
For owners with student houses near the universities or rentals out in St. Jacobs and Elmira, the three-item curbside limit applies per household collection, so plan replacements across collection days, or use the drop-off sites for a turnover with several machines. Under rental property appliance service, the technician gives you the diagnosis in writing so you can decide unit by unit. For washers and dryers specifically, see washer and dryer repair, or book a visit.