Category: Rubbish Removal

Did you know that most bacteria inside your home isn’t on the floor or inside the trash can? It’s actually your kitchen sponge. In fact, the University of Arizona found so much bacteria on kitchen sponges they could be over 200,000 times nastier than toilet seats.

Thankfully, a 2002 study has found that routine home cleaning is often sufficient to keep our living spaces clean. Combine that with good personal hygiene, regularly wash our hands, and we can protect ourselves from germs, bacteria, and illnesses. 

Home hygiene products have been designed specifically for keeping the living areas, food prep areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms comfortable and clean.

But even the cleanest homes need a good deep clean now and then. And regular cleaning is even more important after the COVID-19 pandemic. So with that in mind, here are some home hygiene information and tips for making your house even cleaner.

Kitchen

Studies have shown that the kitchen is typically one of the most problematic areas in our homes. Practically every kitchen surface is ground zero when it comes to harbouring bacteria and transferring infections, and a study in 2020 detected live coronavirus on plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours.

According to studies in 2008 and 2011  kitchens are often more heavily contaminated than bathrooms, with the highest concentrations of bacteria found in and around the sink area. Thankfully they also reported that regular cleaning with common household products significantly reduced the levels of bacteria.

That means you should wipe down all kitchen surfaces regularly, including the counter, table, stove, and microwave, disinfecting as necessary. Always wash dishes immediately after use, store all food in sealed containers, and make sure the bin lid is always closed.

Living Areas

Carpet can hold up to 8 times its own weight in dust, which is comparatively more dirt than an average city street. It is very easy for these particles of dust and dirt to be dispersed into the air, potentially causing illness if inhaled. Plus food debris in carpet is very attractive to insects, rodents, and other pests.

By far the best option for carpets is to have them steam cleaned regularly and shake out your rugs as well. Vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, wiping, and mopping are also important for keeping all your living spaces hygienic and clean. You may also be able to use an air purifier may capture any infected droplets from elsewhere in the home.

Bedrooms

According to a 2013 study, microbial dust found in beds and bedrooms may influence asthma, atopy, rhinitis, and other allergies in both children and adults. Not only do these little dust mites lay eggs and generate waste, but they also reduce air quality and cause irritation whether you’re allergic to them or not. Add in some of your hair and plenty of dead skin, and it becomes a disgusting allergen-filled combo that makes me want to change my sheets and clean my room right now.

Thankfully by regularly sweeping or vacuuming your bedroom floor helps keep them free from dust mites and other debris. And steam clean them regularly to clear out bacteria. You should also declutter the bedroom closet to reduce places for dust and mites. Start with any clothes you haven’t worn lately and bag them all for donating. While you’re at it, you may as well do a big spring clean. Take out any old electronics, broken furniture, old toys, and whatever else to the garage and arrange for, Cheapest Load Of Rubbish removal Sydney.

Bathroom

Mould and other microorganisms can multiply rapidly and thrive in moist environments like bathrooms, which can cause many health problems. Also, a 1975 study showed that both bacteria and viruses remained inside the toilet bowl after flushing, and even after continual flushing. These droplets from flushing toilets which contain both bacteria and viruses, often remain airborne long enough to settle on bathroom surfaces and cause infection. In fact, a 1990 study showed that coliform faecal matter can typically survive around 24 hours on bathroom surfaces, or even as long as 36 hours.

Thankfully, studies have shown that regular use of household cleaning products and disinfectants can be used effectively to reduce contamination. But the most important aspects of good bathroom hygiene are always closing the toilet lid before flushing and washing your hands correctly afterwards.

Dust & Declutter

The quickest and most effective method of dusting each room to go from top to bottom and left to right. Start dusting from the highest spot of each room, like the top of cabinets or shelves, and work your way from the left across the room to the right. That way you won’t accidentally knock dust anywhere you’ve already cleaned and it will also ensure you don’t miss anything. Don’t forget to dust the top of all the furniture, picture frames, televisions, knick-knacks, and all handrails.

While you’re dusting, it’s a good idea to clear out any clutter. Either find somewhere else to have it, put it into storage, or organise rubbish removal for any stuff you no longer want. Not only will clearing out visible clutter make cleaning your home easier, but seeing all that extra space and tidy surfaces can also help increase motivation levels for keeping your house clean.

Personal Items

Don’t forget to clean your personal items with disinfectant wipes as well. This is because out of 22 homes surveyed in a 2011 NSF study, staph was present on all of the following items:

• Pet toys
• Refrigerator handles
• Toothbrush holders
• Remote controls
• Video game controllers
• Pens

The NSF also found mould, yeast, and faecal, contamination present on these items:

• keyboards
• video game controllers
• remote controls
• bottom of purses
• iPods
• mobile phones
• lunch boxes
• wallets
• keys

Things To Remember

Don’t forget that you can also bring bacteria, germs, and viruses into your home on your shoes, clothes, and smartphone. This is why the most effective method of protecting our families from illnesses and viruses is good personal hygiene combined with good home hygiene practices. So regularly wipe down anywhere your fingers touch and always wash your hands, especially after going to the toilet and before eating food.

Considering the amount of cleaning that’s done in the laundry room, you’d think it would be one of the tidiest rooms in the house. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Instead, our laundry rooms seem to become a place for trash and when we’re cleaning the house, we tend to neglect it. After all, it’s always filled with dirt and grime anyway, so why bother fixing it?

The thing is, laundry rooms are also a place where germs like to hide and mould loves to grow. And if you don’t keep it clean, it’s not just going to impact the aesthetics of your home, it could also impact your health. So, it’s time to get started. Here are some of the ways you can clean it, and why you should.

How To Clean Your Laundry

Start with the washing machine.

Cleaning your washing machine isn’t just about aesthetics. Your washing machine is a haven for germs, with our underwear being the biggest carriers thanks to fecal matter and the different types of bacteria it carries. Yuck! Here’s what you need to do: start by running an empty, standard cycle on hot, but replacing the detergent with two cups of vinegar. Next, with a water and vinegar solution, scrub the inside of the machine, then run another empty cycle in hot water (no vinegar this time). This will help to clear out the hoses and pipes as well. Finally, wipe down the sides and top of the machine as well.

Onto the dryer.

After each load, you should be wiping down the screen. But that’s not enough and you’re still likely missing out on catching particles of dust and lint. You need to clean the lint trap at least once a month, even every fortnight depending how often you use the dryer. Get out the vacuum cleaner and suck up any dust that might be in the trap. Brush down the entrance to the machine, then vacuum the inside and exterior to get any leftover dust. Then wipe down the outside with a cloth.

Counters and cabinets.

The counters in the laundry tend to get very dirty – it’s where muddy clothes are placed, where your laundry detergent tends to leak, and it’s bound to see water splashes on a regular basis. All of this can lead to mildew, mould and smells, so it’s imperative that you clean it well. Same goes for the cabinet doors (and inside). Try to clean this at least once a week, using an all-purpose cleaner and wiping everything down. At the same time, clean out your cabinets and get rid of any trash. If you have any bulky items, consider a rubbish removal company to come and take them away.

Sanitise appliances.

Irons and steamers are cesspools for mould if they’re not taken care of. While you’re doing your laundry clean, give these a good clean as well. For your iron, use dishwashing liquid, vinegar, baking soda and salt – mix these together with filtered water and turn on the iron to let it get hot. This will help remove dust from the vents. With your steamer, add vinegar and put it on high heat. Once it’s hot, remove the vinegar and heat it again with filtered water alone. Wipe down your washer and dryer, and any other appliances you have in the room.

Clean the floor.

Now that you have the rest of the laundry in order, it’s time to take care of the floors. Start by removing anything that’s small enough to lift, then give it a sweep to get up any dirt, rubbish and debris. Try to get under and around the washing machine and dryer as well. After sweeping, vacuum up any leftover dust, then get out the mop. Using a floor cleaner, or simple water, mop the room, starting at the back and working your way to the front – and out the door as you go. Don’t go back in until it’s dry, then move everything back into its regular place. 

4 Benefits Of Laundry Room Organisation

Now that you have cleaned the room, it’s time to keep it maintained. If you can give it a good clean at least once a month, it will be much easier to keep it that way. There are other benefits as well, including the following: 

1.     It’ll look better. Walking into a messy room in the house can be a bit of a downer on your mood. Keeping your laundry room clean will help you to enjoy the space more, and it might even make you keener to do the laundry if you’re in a space that looks great.
2.     It increases the home’s value. If you’re trying to sell your home, you don’t want people walking into a laundry that’s filled with rubbish and dust. By keeping it nice and clean, you’ll attract more buyers and they’ll be willing to pay more. Showcase your storage space and make the room look brighter and more inviting.
3.     It makes it easier to use. Your laundry room has one main function – doing the laundry. If the room is filled with rubbish, it makes it harder to find the space to sort through your clothes before and after a wash.
4.     You can design it to clean up the rest of the house. The laundry is often hidden away and as such, it’s a great place for storage. If you can organise it so that you have more space to store other household items, it’ll free up space elsewhere.

 

What To Do With Your Trash 

While you’re cleaning up the laundry, remember to keep the 4 Rs in mind – Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.

•       Reduce the amount of waste you are creating – this could include buying your washing detergent in bulk, rather than smaller boxes or bottles; using solar hot water for your washing rather than electric, and switching to LED lights in the laundry room to save on energy.
•       Reuse your laundry bags and baskets – if you’re heading to the beach or sports and you’re expecting to come home with dirty clothes, put them in a reusable bag rather than single-use. You could also get second-hand storage cupboards to put in your laundry, rather than buying new.
•       Repurpose old furniture from inside the home to help you out in the laundry. Old bookshelves could easily turn into storage spaces for linen and detergents, and so on.
•       Recycle your plastic bottles or cardboard boxes – just be sure to clean them out before you put them into your yellow bins. And also, when your washing machine or dryer goes on the blink, take it to your local recycle centre rather than landfill. 

How Can Cheapest Load of Rubbish Removal Sydney Help?

If you have a large amount of rubbish you need to get rid of after your cleaning, or you want help to remove those old machines and appliances, Cheapest Load of Rubbish can assist you with rubbish removal Sydney. We’ll come and take a look and provide a quote for removal, taking it straight off your hands to into the best place for it – whether that’s the recycle centre, a charity if it’s still in good working order, or to landfill for your old trash. At Cheapest Load of rubbish, we manage all types of common waste and rubbish collection in Sydney, so give us a call today.

Many Aussies don’t realise it but we live in one of the most wasteful countries on the planet. That’s why we all need to stand up and be counted in Australia’s war on waste. If every single one of us decides to join the fight, and take responsibility, we can save this stunning land of ours together!

Millions of tonnes of recyclable trash end up in our landfill each and every year. So by doing your part and recycling what you can is going to be totally worth the effort. Especially considering there it’s pretty easy to recycle some of the unwanted items around your home.

Remember, the more waste that gets sent to the recycling centres, the less ends up in the ground, and the better off our sunburnt country will be. So here are 6 of the easiest household items that you should always recycle.

Aluminium

While most metals are recyclable, aluminium cans are by far the easiest household items of all to recycle. Plus you can even make money from it too, which is great for your pocket and the planet! Aluminium also preserves its 100% recyclable properties indefinitely, so it can be reclaimed and reused over and over again. The other great news is that it uses 95% less energy to recycle an aluminium can than to make a new one from scratch. Steel tins used for coffee, fruit, and Milo can also be recycled, just rinse them out first.

Glass

Like aluminium, most glass containers in your household are 100% recyclable, and can also be recycled continuously. Glass recycling is pretty environmentally friendly too, as it can be substituted for 95% of the raw materials required to make new glass products. So, be sure to recycle your glass containers and always wash them out first too. And if you need rubbish removal Sydney, talk to the pros at Cheapest Load of Rubbish today.

Plastics

The average Australian household uses an average of about 20 kilograms of PET plastic every single year. And not only are they recyclable, but making sure they get reused massively helps our environment. Unfortunately, around 80% of PET water and soda bottles still end up in landfill. So it’s time we all start turning these terrible statistics around. Oh, and those thicker plastic containers like shampoo or detergent bottles can also be recycled. Just remove and discard their plastic tops and rinse the containers clean before recycling.

Paper

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! Decomposing paper actually produces a dangerous greenhouse gas called methane which traps more heat beneath the ozone layer than carbon monoxide. Thankfully, newspaper is another one of the really easy household materials to recycle, which is really great “NEWS”. See what I did there? You might not make the news for doing it, recycling newspaper can save around 65% of the energy used to create brand new papers. And it’s not just newspapers that have a really simple recycling process, there are all kinds of paper too. From junk mail to old love letters, coupon flyers to high gloss magazines, and everything in between can also be sent to the recycle centre.

Cardboard

It’s not just paper that’s easy to recycle, every different type of cardboard in your home can be easily recycled too. One tonne of cardboard from pizza boxes or cereal boxes ending up at recycling centres can save around 25% of the energy needed to make brand new cardboard. So recycling cardboard is important to help ensure Australia is a greener and less polluted country. Oh, and you can also recycle the thin shiny stuff like the cardboard used in shoe boxes. Just be sure to break down and flatten all cardboard beforehand to save space in your recycling bin.

What About Larger Household Items

Did you know that putting your unwanted household waste on the curb is illegal? It’s true! In fact, if you get caught you can actually be fined by the council up to $4000 for dumping trash out front of your home, or anywhere for that matter. The only time you are allowed to leave household junk out the front is when the council is doing collections, but even then they have very specific rules about what they can collect. Besides, there are better options for getting rid of unwanted goods like larger household items.

If you’ve got a ute or a trailer, you could try taking any larger waste to a landfill yourself. Obviously, you’ll need to contact your local facility and check to ensure they will accept each type of debris. And you’ll probably need to ask your friends to help load it all up. But removing all those heavy pieces of junk can be exhausting, and there’s still so much cleaning to do.

The better idea is rubbish removal Sydney from Cheapest Load Of Rubbish. We can come to pick it all up for you and get it out of your life. Plus, we separate everything by all types of waste which can be recycled, and that’s great news for our country. Right? Recycling centres will accept virtually anything which can be useful to the construction industry, from faulty appliances and lighting fixtures to ripped out plumbing, and any other material waste. So instead of just throwing it all away to end up in landfill, this is a much more environmentally responsible way to dispose of all your larger junk and debris.

It’s a great feeling when a renovation project is finally finished. There’s no more noisy construction, the workers have all gone, and you’re ready to cook up a storm in your brand new kitchen. But unfortunately, post-renovation cleaning is essential. There’s always a considerable amount of construction dust, scrap waste, and other debris everywhere after any major renovation, so you’re going to have to deal with all that mess first.

While renovation contractors will always do whatever they can to reduce the amount of construction dust during renovations, it’s unfortunately inevitable. No amount of plastic tarps and taped off rooms will prevent it from finding its way throughout your home and building up over time. The construction dust always accumulates in places you’d least expect, like behind pictures, inside cupboards, on ceiling fans, over light fixtures, and even in adjacent rooms of your house. And considering construction dust can harm your respiratory system, it’s incredibly important to ensure it has been properly removed from your kitchen.

It can be pretty discouraging seeing all the mess left behind after a kitchen renovation. There are old fixtures and building debris everywhere, construction dust in every nook and cranny, massive mountains of plastic cover sheets. And what are you going to do with your old stove and kitchen sink?

Before you get too overwhelmed about it all, here is an easy to follow checklist for cleaning up after a kitchen renovation.

Cleaning Products

Before you can start the big post-renovation clean-up, make sure you have all the necessary cleaning products and tools to get the job done. Here’s a list of items you’ll typically need when cleaning up after a kitchen reno:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Mop and bucket
• Dustpan & broom
• Trash bags
• Cleaning chemicals
• Old rags
• Microfibre cloths
• Step-ladder
• Industrial rubber gloves
• Clear safety glasses
• N95 respirator mask

Construction dust isn’t the only health hazard after a renovation. Most of the chemical products used during construction give out toxic fumes which often linger for many days, such as fresh paint, lacquer, and primer. Plus, many cleaning products aren’t healthy to breathe in either. So aside from wearing a mask and any other protective equipment, you should also open all windows so the kitchen is well-ventilated before starting to clean.

Renovation Waste

Kitchen renovations typically generate a lot of leftover construction debris in all different types, shapes, and sizes. From general rubbish like cardboard containers to larger debris like chunks of plasterboard, here are just some of the things you may need to dispose of after renovating your kitchen:

• Appliances
• Plumbing
• Screws & nails
• Wood/metal cut-offs
• Insulation
• Tiles
• Concrete
• Paint cans
• Sheetrock
• Flooring
• Rubble
• Shingles
• Bricks
• Carpeting
• Plastic sheeting
• And don’t forget the kitchen sink!

Unfortunately, much of this waste isn’t the sort of thing you can just chuck in your wheelie bins. Nor should it be left on the road for the next curbside collection as the council doesn’t accept building materials and similar waste. So how are you going to get rid of all your construction debris?

If you want a stress-free approach to disposing of all your reno waste or construction debris, you need a professional service for rubbish removal Sydney. Cheapest Load of Rubbish have a large fleet of rubbish trucks ready and waiting to take away all of your junk, no matter how big or small your pile is. Two guys arrive onsite in a truck, load up all of your waste, and just like that the job is done! Plus we pride ourselves on our environmentally friendly recycling methods.

Wipe Everything

Once you’ve dealt with all the cut off waste and reno debris, it’s time to start clearing out all of that construction dust from your kitchen. While a wet cloth may seem like the most logical way to begin, dry dusting with a microfibre cloth is actually far more effective. You need to be extremely thorough, so give absolutely everything a decent dry wipe.

Wipe all hard surfaces from the ceiling to the floor, starting with the walls and the tops of kitchen cabinets, appliances, and shelves. Don’t forget to open all the cupboard doors and dust inside as you go. Then move on to all hard surfaces in the kitchen which includes cabinets, cupboards, shelves, countertops, appliances, doors, handles, and any other hardware. Don’t forget about all the fixtures in the kitchen too, such as lighting, curtains, and fans, vents, or ducts.

Vacuum Everything

Now that most of the dust has been wiped off everything and is covering the floor, it’s time to give everything a good vacuum. You should also give the walls a vacuum if you can, and don’t forget to vacuum any remaining dust inside the cupboards. Also, if any floors nearby are carpeted, you should give them a few good runs with the vacuum cleaner.

Wash Everything

Finally, once you’ve dusted and vacuumed everything, it’s time to go back and clean everything properly with cleaning products and disinfectant. Again you should be starting from the top down and finishing up by mopping the floor. Then wipe each area with a tissue on one finger to see how clean it is. If there’s any dust or dirty marks, give everything a second go over because this is where you prepare your food.

Safety First

Speaking of food preparation, all of the toxins from construction dust and other hazardous chemicals can take anywhere up to 7 days before completely settling down. As such, it’s a good idea not to use the kitchen for a week after finishing all post-renovation cleaning.

When you open your garage door and look around, are you instantly reminded of the TV show “Hoarders”? Don’t worry, you’re certainly not alone. When most households start accumulating too much clutter, their garages usually become like a magical box which hides everything to “deal with another day”. But looking at all the junk piled inside our garages, I think we know that another day never seems to happen. Something must be done about it.

Thankfully there is some good news. Simply by following the basic steps below you can declutter your garage and organise everything in no time at all. And once your garage is a clutter-free zone again, keeping everything neat and tidy is actually pretty easy! You’ll even be able to use it for things like storage, hobbies, a workshop, and maybe even *shock!* parking your car?

Get Everything Ready

Before you can start the process of decluttering your garage, you need to make sure you have everything you’re going to need. Here’s an inventory of supplies:

• Large Heavy-Duty Trash Bags
• A Decent Broom
• A Strong Vacuum Cleaner
• Any Shelving Or Hooks You Need
• Plastic Storage Boxes*

*Instead of using cardboard boxes for storage, you should seriously consider getting purpose-built storage bins. These plastic storage boxes are airtight to keep out moisture and pests, they’re much sturdier than cardboard, they’re designed to be stackable, and they can easily be labelled which makes it much easier to find things when you need them.

Depending on how much clutter there is, you should block off a whole weekend or at least one full day for decluttering and reorganizing your garage. It’s also a good idea to do a weather check the night before as heavy rain would make this job a lot more difficult.

Pull Everything Out

You need to find out what you have cluttered inside your garage, so the next step is pulling everything out of the garage space for sorting. The driveway or the backyard are both usually good places to put it all. If neither of these is possible for whatever reason, you’ll need to play a bit of Tetris by systematically moving everything around the garage while sorting, cleaning, and making room as you go.

Choose somewhere to start pulling everything out from, and work your way through from the outside while concentrating on creating floor space. This will also help you visualise the space for later when organising everything you keep.

When you’re removing things from your garage, start arranging everything in separate groups to help with sorting. The best way to do this is to put every single item into four zones as listed below:

• Keep
• Donate
• Recycle
• Rubbish

If you’re having difficulty making decisions about what to keep, try to be more practical than sentimental. A good rule of thumb for doing this is to get rid of anything in your garage which you either haven’t used in the last 12 months or haven’t found a use for at all. This will really help with speeding up the process by making decisions much easier.

Organise Everything You’re Keeping

Once everything is out and your garage is empty, it’s time to start organising your keep pile. Remember that how well everything is organised will affect how easy it will be to keep it that way. The most effective way of doing this is by developing a logical storage system based on different categories and creating specific zones for them. The zones below might help, but it will depend on what kind of stuff you have.

• Car supplies
• Sports equipment
• Tools
• Camping Gear
• Toys
• Other

Once you know what categories you have, you can start deciding how you should store it all. Make use of any vertical space by hanging things like garden tools and sports equipment on the walls. Anything that is used frequently needs to be stored close by for easy access, whereas rarely used items should be stored out of sight or on higher shelves. The most important thing here is that everything needs to have its own designated space to be stored inside your garage.

Get Rid of the Garage Junk

Now that everything in your keep pile is organised and safely stored away inside your garage, it’s time to deal with the other three piles. Start bagging or boxing up the rubbish pile, and then do the same with the donation and recycling piles. Then you have a couple of options here.

The first option is to take the donations to local charities, then take the recycling to your local centre, and then start making multiple trips taking everything else that’s leftover to the dump. All of this is exactly as much extra work as it sounds like.

The next option is also the easiest, which is to contact a professional rubbish removal company like Cheapest Load Of Rubbish to deal with everything for you. We will come to your home on the same day or whenever else suits you best, collect all three remaining piles, and then take everything where it all needs to go for you.

Just don’t go getting lazy now after all your hard work and dragging all three piles back into the garage to “deal with it later”. We already know how that ends, remember?

Final Thoughts

Once you’ve decluttered, cleaned, and organised your garage, remember to keep it that way with regular cleaning and following smart storage practices. But if it ever does become an overwhelming problem again, you now know what to do about it. And if you need rubbish removal in Sydney, you know you can count on Cheapest Load Of Rubbish.

If your baby is too big for the cot, your bookshelves are looking tired and rundown, or your dining table is stained with more than just a wood finish – it’s time for an upgrade. But an upgrade doesn’t mean it’s time to hit the tip – instead, consider giving new purpose to your old furniture and follow the latest trend called Upcycling.

What is Upcycling?

Quite simply, upcycling is the process of giving new life. It sees your old products modified, fixed up and recreated so they can live to see another day (or decade). It’s a hit with the budget-conscious who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on new furniture, and it’s also something art lovers are taking on board as it gives them a chance to be creative.

You take your unused everyday items or old materials that you’d otherwise send straight to the tip, including timber and furniture, and you turn it into treasure. Most household items can be repurposed, and that’s exactly what upcycling does. It adds value to items that would otherwise be thrown away.

The difference between upcycling and recycling is that recycling converts waste into reusable material – for example, plastic bottles are melted down to become a plastic chair. Upcycling, on the other hand, sees that plastic chair is recreated into a pot plant stand. It’s described as “reusing a material without degrading the quality or composition of the material”.

What You Need To Know Before Upcycling Furniture

Upcycling is affordable, sustainable and it can be a lot of fun if you let your creativity take over. You don’t have to be a professional carpenter, there are no interior design skills required – all you need is imagination. Here are some of the essentials you need to know before you get started:

Preparation is the key. Consider what you want to upcycle and how you’re going to do it. Plan ahead and make sure you have all the tools you need to get the job done. Clean all the furniture as much as possible before you get started and set aside some time when you can do it. If you’re going to paint it, you want to follow these steps:

1. Clean it, take the handles and knobs off, sand it down to make it smooth.
2. Use a small paint brush or foam roller to add a thin layer of primer, this helps the paint to last longer.
3. Paint it, using quality paint that matches the materials. You can get advice from your local hardware store if you’re unsure.

Use your imagination. Everything you own can have another purpose, you just have to re-imagine it. Take a good look at the items you’re preparing to throw away and see if you can visualize it somewhere else in the house or yard. See below for examples.

Get the design right. If you’re planning on upcycling a vintage table from the late 1800s, try to keep the history prevalent. It will make your new look furniture seem more authentic. Also, make sure your new design suits the style of the home in general. You don’t want to go to all this work for it to stick out like a sore thumb.

Ideas For Upcycling Furniture

Not sure where to start? Try these great ideas:

• Turn your baby’s old cot into a toddler day bed, or outdoor seating. Or you might turn it into a loft bed for a toddler
• Spin old drawers on their side, add a shelf and you now have side tables.
• Get your old chest of drawers and transform it so you can put your TV on it.
• To upcycle your dining table – shorten the legs, give it some new paint, and turn it into a coffee table.
• Upcycling could be as simple as upholstering your old worn ottoman and giving it new fabric that stands out.
• Turn old photo frames into food trays, by simply removing the glass and giving the wooden board a coat of lacquer.
• If you have an old door, why not consider turning it into a new bedhead! It’ll look classic and will only cost as much as a tin of paint.
• Are you renovating your bathroom? See if you have any old dressers around that you can turn into a vanity.
• Upcycling in the kitchen could be as simple as giving your fridge a paint makeover to add colour to the room in general.
• Turn wooden bowls into lamps and old lampshades into flower baskets.
• Old wooden crates have long been upcycled, becoming garden beds, drawers, flower pots, dog beds, even desks and toddler beds.

With a little creativity, you can really do anything with your old, unwanted furniture and other household or backyard items.

What You Can Do With Any Furniture That Can’t Be Reused Or Upcycled

If you’re not sure what to do with your old furniture, and you’re sure it can’t be upcycled or re-used, here are our top suggestions:

Take it to your local recycling centre. Give them a call first to see if they are accepting the item you’re offering, and also to check whether or not they prefer to receive it in one piece or pulled apart.

Curbside pickup. Sydney City Council offers a free kerbside pickup service, on occasion, for any of your old furniture. This includes tables and chairs, sofas, wardrobes, bookshelves, desks and drawers, bed frames and cots, as well as outdoor furniture. You can get in touch with council to book a pickup.

Hire a rubbish removal services company. Rubbish removalists, like Cheapest Load of Rubbish removal Sydney, will come to your home or property and remove any unwanted furniture (among other trash). When you get in touch with Cheapest Load of Rubbish online or by phone, you’ll receive a quote for the cost of pickup and removal. If you agree, the experts at Cheapest Load of Rubbish will come to your home at the agreed time and remove anything you don’t want, leaving no mess behind.

If you want to find out more, get in touch with Cheapest Load of Rubbish today.

Did you know that Australia is one of the most wasteful countries in the world? 10 million plastic bags a day, 1 billion coffee cups a year and 1.4 tonnes of electric waste in a decade are the rough estimates of what we are dealing with.

Even worse, this waste takes up an awful lot of land, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and contaminates waterways and oceans that ultimately kill marine life and eventually poisons humans.

Does this have to happen? No, if we all put in a little more effort and change our daily behaviours we can start to turn around the damage already caused. This is where “Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle” also known as the four R’s comes in.

Benefits of Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle

• Save natural resources for our children’s future.
• Conserve energy and land.
• Reduce pollution and greenhouse effects.
• Reduce waste toxicity and damage to health.
• Save money on manufacturing and waste treatments.
• Help those in need.

Reduce

The most efficient way to reducing waste is to not create it in the first place. Production of new products only happens when there is high demand. If we reduce the demand, we save lots of materials and energy required during production.

So ask yourself: Do I really need to buy this?

Reduce your energy use. Being mindful to switch off lights and air conditioners are one simple habit that can benefit both your bills and the environment. But more than that, have you considered switching your lightbulbs and whitegoods to energy-efficient ones?  LED light bulbs use 75% less energy than standard light bulbs!

Switch to clean energy and solar hot water. This not only reduces your bill but also reduces your environmental footprint. With Australia’s abundant sunshine, it makes sense to use solar energy to provide your hot water for free.

Reduce your food waste. Food production leads to 30% of global greenhouse emissions, yet 1 in 5 bags of food Australian’s buy goes straight into the bin! Next time at the grocery store, ask yourself if you can reduce your buy to what you absolutely need.

Recycle printing. Printing papers and not recycling them is hugely wasteful. Pulp and paper mills contribute to air, water and land pollution while making up 26% of solid waste in landfill. Printer ink is equally damaging as it can take 450 to 1000 years to decompose. The heavy metals and volatile compounds in old ink cartridges can also leak into soil and water, polluting the environment.

Reuse

Refill your own drink bottle. Single-use plastic bottles generate an enormous amount of waste. They usually end up in landfill and waterways that pollute our environment. Stainless steel and BPA-free bottles are not only environmentally friendly, but also more durable and safer for our health.

Reuse your shopping bag: Aussies use up to 4 billion plastic bags a year! Each of them lasts in the environment for 20-1000 years and poses a danger to wildlife. Wouldn’t it be better to use reusable shopping bags?

Get second-hand furniture and clothes. Do you really need to buy everything brand new? You are doing everyone a huge favour by choosing second-hand items instead. Check out local second-hand stores, you might even find a designer gem at a great price:

•       13 Best Thrift Stores and Op Shops in Sydney
•       The best op shops in Sydney

Reuse your own coffee cups. Australia produces enough coffee cups to go around the Earth 2.5 times in one year! If you use a new coffee cup every day, that’s 365 that could have been replaced with just 1. Consider reusing your coffee cups or burrow one on the go with Apps like Green Caffeen.

Reuse boxes and printer cartridges. It is very wasteful to buy new boxes or new printer cartridges every time you need to post or print something. 1 million cartridges are thrown away every day, but you don’t have to contribute to that. Refilling saves you money and reduces pollution, landfill, and resources.

Repurpose

With a bit of creativity, “junk” can turn into useful and cool stuff! Check out this blog “30 creative ways to repurpose & reuse old stuff” for some cool DIY inspiration.

1. Old ladders into bookshelves.
2. Old books into shelves.
3. Tennis rackets into mirrors.
4. Spoons into a lamp.
5. Bottle caps into tea lights.
6. Old piano into an outdoor fountain.

… and many more – Let your imagination run wild!

There are also other easy ways to repurpose that don’t even require much thinking such as using scrap paper for taking notes and empty containers for growing plants.

Recycle

Think that your “junk” is to worn out to be recycled? That is not true!

If we produce things out of raw materials all the time, we need to spend energy in extracting and processing these materials. With rubbish recycle, we can skip many of these initial processes.

Don’t throw away. Over 90% of plastics and metals in mobile phones and batteries can be reused in new products! Don’t throw away these valuable materials, you can recycle with Mobile Muster and Clean Up Australia.

Use Recycle bins properly. Recycle bins are great, but did you know that putting the wrong items in recycling bins can contaminate the whole recycling stream? When unrecyclable items arrive at recycling centres, the misplaced items can cause costly damage to the equipment. It also takes a long time for people to sort out the junk and send them to landfills. That’s why it is very important to check which items are meant for the recycling bins.

Recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans. If you have to use plastic bottles and aluminium cans, at least recycle them. Recycling just 10 plastic bottles saves enough energy to power a laptop for more than 1 day, and one ton of aluminium cans conserves the equivalent energy produced by 21 barrels of oil.

Recycle organic waste and compost at home. This reduces methane emissions from landfill and lowers your carbon footprint. Learn how you can compost at home with food, hair and fur, cotton and wool rags and many others.

Recycle clothes and furniture. Most of your old clothes, shoes and furniture can be donated to charities, second-hand shops or sold online. Remember, one person’s trash can be another person’s treasure. Check out where you can send your used items here.

Recycle electronics: Many manufacturers and retailers may have trade-in policies that can save you money and environmental impact. Importantly, illegal dumping often involves electronics, which can leak toxic heavy metals that cause major health consequences over time.

When in doubt, the team at Cheapest Load of Rubbish can help you with rubbish removal, recycle and reuse safely and quickly. Our experts take all sorts of rubbish from residential addresses, commercial businesses and even construction sites. Contact us today for a free quote and let us take care of your rubbish!

Illegal dumping is a major problem and crime that not many people know about. Its damage extends way further than most people would have imagined. The NSW government has put in place heavy penalties to curb this illegal act by funding $65 million in the Illegal Dumping Program. However, the root cause of the problem lies in our behaviours and heavy fines won’t be enough to change many people’s mindsets.

To combat illegal dumping, we need to learn about the dangers of illegal dumping and educate others on the right things to do. This way, we will create a beautiful environment for ourselves, vital wildlife and future generations.

What is illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is the unlawful disposal of any type of waste larger than litter (the type you would put in your wheelie bin) on land or water without approval. Illegal dumping of waste can vary from small bags of rubbish in a city to tonnes of waste dumped in isolated areas such as bushland.

Why is illegal dumping a problem?

Illegal dumping affects all aspects of life, and most people don’t realize it. That is the problem.

The three main consequences of illegal dumping are health and safety concerns, environmental damage and financial burdens.

Health and safety concerns

Dumping rubbish in your local neighbourhood not only looks bad but has an impact on the people that live there. Dumped rubbish can block access to pathways and driveways. This is not only inconvenient but a hazard to people using the pathways, this is especially concerning for the elderly and  those with impairments that rely on accessible paths to get around.

If illegally dumped rubbish contains toxic materials, such as chemicals, asbestos and fuel, these can seep into the ground contaminating bushland and local water sources. Overall this can have a damaging effect on humans and wildlife. Illegally placed wooden materials such as furniture and construction waste can become a fire risk if dumped illegally.

Environmental damage

Pollution from waste often ends up in rivers and eventually drifts into the ocean. This can damage environmental habitats and waterways for humans, animals and native plants.

Animals and marine creatures can also ingest this rubbish from thousands of kilometres away. Have you seen pictures of turtles trapped in plastic or heard the news that a pregnant whale died with 50 pounds of plastic inside her stomach?  A random act of illegal dumping could end up causing unnecessary tragedies like this.

Financial burdens

To keep our city tidy and people safe, millions of dollars are invested in cleaning up the mess. This is a lot of money that didn’t need to be spent this way.

Also, many materials that could be recycled or repurposed are dumped irresponsibly, not only harming the environment but also attracting others to think “This is okay, I’ll just do the same”. Things like garden waste, beverage containers, fridges, computers, and car parts are valuable resources that can be recycled.

It is estimated that more than $500,000 was spent on cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish in Sydney. Moreover, other legitimate businesses may be affected by others’ illegal waste.

What are some examples of illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is a crime that can be committed by both individuals and companies:

• Placing unwanted household items on the footpath.
• Dumping rubbish in the bush or on the side of a road.
• Businesses who are paid to correctly dispose of commercial waste but instead dump it on land or in waterways without proper approval.

What are the most common illegally dumped items?

All kinds of waste are illegally dumped, the most common waste is household junk.

• White goods (fridges, dishwashers, washing machines).
• Furniture (desks, couches, mattresses, bed frames).
• Garden waste.
• Building waste (construction and demolition materials).
• Tyres and car bodies.

Is Illegal dumping a crime?

Yes. Illegal dumping is a crime that can lead to serious consequences. Hefty penalties are in place to stop these crimes, however, the amount of rubbish illegally dumped is still increasing.

Illegal dumping Fines and Penalties

• On the spot fine: $4000 for individuals and if caught in the act by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the fine is $7500. For corporations, the amounts are $8,000 or $15,000 by EPA.
• Strict liability waste dumping offences: Maximum penalty of $250,000 for an individual and $1,000,000 for a corporation.
• Wilful disposal of waste causing actual or likely harm to the environment: Maximum penalty of $1,000,000, and or 7 years in prison for an individual. Maximum penalty of $5,000,000 for a corporation.

Where can you report illegal dumping in Sydney?

Local councils can help handle illegal dumping for junk of small items on private property, council parks and beaches. For bigger size dumping such as tonnes of waste that pose a serious threat to public health or environment, the Environmental Protection Authority will step in to investigate the crime.

You could also report illegal dumping to the local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. In case of an emergency, you should call 000 immediately.

How can you remove waste responsibly?

Now we have covered why illegal dumping is unattractive, unethical and very problematic. You can start making things right by first never doing it yourself. Do the right thing by following these easy steps:

• Take your waste to the right place – bins, recycling factories, charities or council pick up.
• Ensure that rubbish and recycling are sorted and placed in the right bin.
• For businesses, contract a waste collection company like Cheapest Load of Rubbish. You don’t need to worry about illegal dumping when the experts handle it.

How can you prevent illegal dumping?

Of course, you cannot do it alone. There are ways that you could prevent others from illegal dumping:

• Report illegal rubbish dumping.
• When someone disposes of waste on your behalf, get proof of appropriate disposal, such as tip dockets from your contractor.
• Share this article to your friends and family to help raise public awareness.

How can professional rubbish removal companies help?

If you are still in doubt whether you would accidentally be involved in illegal dumping, a professional rubbish removal company can take the stress off your shoulders. Cheapest Load of Rubbish is a leading rubbish removal company in Sydney that has over 30 years of experience.

Whether you need to get rid of household junk, commercial waste or construction junk, Cheapest Load of Rubbish can handle it. Then, sit back and relax. Your rubbish will be taken care of with health, safety, environment and cost in mind. Together, we can create a sustainable and clean environment for many future generations to enjoy!

Did you know that there are seven or more different types of rubbish? This information is useful as it will help you know what is piling up in the yard or driveway or your home or office. Knowing the different types of rubbish will affect the way you get rid of it. So in this post, we will provide you with all the information you need about different types of rubbish and help you decide how to get rid of it in the most effective way.

Different Types of Rubbish

• Medical Waste

Medical or clinical waste is produced during immunisation, treatment or diagnosis of people or animals. This waste is also generated during research activities that involve production or testing of biological materials. Medical waste, usually produced by health care centres, hospitals, vets, clinics etc, should be properly disposed of, even if it is not considered hazardous.

• Electrical Waste

Electrical waste or E-waste is generated from electric devices, such as computers, printers, computer parts, music players, telephones, TVs, vacuum cleaners, and so on. It basically includes almost any household or business items with electronic components and power supply or battery. These items may contain toxic metals like antimony oxide, brominated flame retardants, mercury, cadmium and lead, which are all hazardous for the humans and the environment.

• Recyclable Waste

These are the waste materials that can be converted into reusable items. This waste is usually found in household garbage and includes cardboard, glass, paper, metal, food and beverage containers, among many other things. These items should be squashed down so that they can easily fit into your recycling bin.

• Hazardous Waste

This type of waste is generally regulated by the government and included several dangerous pharmaceuticals, pesticides, weed killers, mercury, some paints, flammable liquids, aerosol cans, fluorescent light bulbs, solvents, and household chemicals & cleaners etc. Disposing of hazardous items in your recycling bin isn’t safe and is toxic to humans as chemicals can be reactive, corrosive, inflammable or explosive. The harmful chemicals in illegally or incorrectly disposed of hazardous waste can pollute our air, water, and also the food we consume. For example, just 1 litre of oil can make approximately 1 million litres of freshwater undrinkable.

• Demolition and Construction Waste

This waste is usually heavy and bulky and is produced during construction and renovation projects. It may include waste materials such as ceiling tiles, bricks, plumbing fixtures, roofing shingles, asphalt, wood, carpeting, concrete, and fill dirt etc. Some of the demolition and construction debris, like cement blocks and bricks, can be recovered and reused. However, mostly they are combined with concrete & asphalt and crushed to make the base for roadbeds as well as driveways. Leftover untreated wood lumber can be reused as dimensional lumber, but it is usually chipped for being used in landscaping & composting.

• Green Waste

This type of waste is composed of food and landscaping waste that naturally breaks down in short periods of time under suitable pressure and temperature conditions. Green waste includes grass, tree limbs and branches, weed clippings, waste from vegetables, bread and grains and paper products.

Types of Household Waste

If you didn’t know already household waste is divided into several different categories, then you must have been disposing of all your household waste into the bin without even considering if any of it could be recycled. However, this is not an effective way to get rid of your household rubbish. It will most certainly end up in a landfill site, which is not at all good for the environment.

Below we have listed down common types of household wastes to help you understand how to dispose of your waste in a more effective way:

• Liquid Waste

Liquid waste is usually found both in industries as well as households. This waste includes dirty water, waste detergents, organic liquids and also rainwater. You should know that liquid waste is further classified into nonpoint and point source waste. All manufactured liquid waste is categorised as point source waste whereas natural liquid waste is categorised as nonpoint source waste. The best way to get rid of liquid waste is to contact waste removal experts who can dispose of this waste properly. 

• Solid Waste

Solid waste includes a variety of materials found in your house along with industrial and commercial locations. Solid waste is usually broken down into four types:

1. Plastic waste – bags, jars, containers, bottles, and many other plastic products found in your household. Although plastic is not biodegradable, many of its types can be recycled. Plastic waste should not be mixed with regular waste, it should be separated and then placed into the recycling bin. Plastic bags and soft plastic packaging like bread bags can be dropped off at Coles or Woolworths supermarkets in the red bins located at the front of the store.
2. Paper waste – newspapers, cardboards, packaging materials, and other products. This type of waste can be easily recycled and reused. Therefore, make sure to add them to your recycling bin or take them to your local recycling centre.
3. Metals and tins – this waste can be found in various different forms throughout your house. Most metals can be easily recycled. Therefore, take these items to your local recycling centre or add to your recycling bin to dispose of this waste properly.
4. Glass and Ceramic – these materials can be easily recycled. Find bottle banks and special glass recycling bins in your locality to dispose of these waste materials correctly.

 

• Organic Waste

This is another common waste type found in households. It includes garden waste, food waste, rotten meat and manure. Over time, organic waste is converted into manure (organic fertiliser) by microorganisms. However, this doesn’t mean that you can simply dispose of them anywhere. Organic waste in landfill sites leads to methane production, so it must never be disposed of with general waste. Therefore, it’s important to get a garden bag or green skin bin to dispose of organic rubbish. You can also contact a waste removal company for proper disposal of this waste.

How Cheapest Load of Rubbish Can Help You?

Efficient and effective waste management is best achieved at the point where it is produced. If we all commit to proper disposal of waste, we can make a massive positive impact on our environment. We are here to help you dispose of all the above-mentioned types of rubbish in the most effective way. We will ensure that your rubbish is properly removed and disposed of in a responsible manner. We’re open all day from Monday to Saturday. So if you’re located in Sydney and looking for a reliable waste removal company, just give us a call and speak to our friendly representatives. Let us do it all for you!