Category: Rubbish Removal

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!

Introduction

End of lease cleaning is probably the most important cleaning you’ll ever do. It’s important because, as part of your lease agreement, your landlord requires that you return the property in the same or better condition as when you found it. When you do that, you’ll make your landlord happy…and a happy landlord will return your bond.

With all this riding on your end of lease cleanout, the task may seem intimidating, especially when your hard-earned cash is on the line. But with some planning and our comprehensive checklists, you can do it efficiently, put a smile on the landlord’s face, and get your bond back.

 

What exactly is an end of lease clean?

You could say it’s spring cleaning on steroids. An end of lease clean is the process you go through when your tenancy concludes, and it’s far more detailed than the occasional clean you’d give your rented home (or rented office/commercial premises) while you were occupying the property. The final result must meet the terms of your lease agreement so that the vacant property can be offered in good condition to a prospective new tenant.

 

Planning ahead

Take a Boy Scout approach to your cleanout: Be Prepared! By planning ahead, step by step, you can transform a daunting cleanout into a series of easily manageable tasks. This schedule shows how to put such a plan into action:

 

• One month before your end of lease

Book professional services that need to be completed before you vacate. For example, your lease will almost certainly state that carpets need to be professionally cleaned. To satisfy this requirement, book a carpet cleaner to come in the day before you hand back the keys.

Other services might include pest control, lawn mowing, or gardening. Go through your lease agreement to check what’s required and, as they say in the classics, lock ‘em in.

You may also want to consider using a rubbish removal service to quickly remove any unwanted junk. This is a great way to save time and effectively clear out any waste that can be challenging to move or throw out. The best part of this solution is that the rubbish is removed from your home within a few hours.

While you’re in thinking ahead mode, cancel utilities like power, gas, and internet.

 

• Seven days before your end of lease

Clean the exterior of the property

A week out, and your end of lease clean should head outdoors. Tidy the exterior of your rental property by removing rubbish e.g. cigarette butts, bottle tops, toys, dead leaves.

Hose and sweep exterior walls to remove dirt and cobwebs.

Replace dead plants and weed the garden. Trim untidy trees and shrubs, mow the lawns (edging the lawn borders will make the area look extra neat) and apply weed killer if required.

Scrub your driveway (or commercial carpark) with warm, soapy water. You might need to invest in oil and grease remover from the hardware store to remove residual oil spill or tyre marks.

That oil remover will come in handy if there are similar stains on the garage floor. While you’re in there, sweep the floor, remove cobwebs and spray the interior and exterior with insect spray.

 

Clean inside your rental property

Remove and wash light fittings. To avoid water spots, dry them properly before you put them back. Check all light globes are working, replace those that aren’t.

Wipe air conditioners, ceiling fans and smoke alarms.

Clean exhaust fans in the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. They collect a lot of dust, which will be noticed by your property manager or landlord. It’s imperative you remove and clean them.

Venetian blinds also attract dust, and each slat should be wiped clean.

Check curtains for dirt and marks. Check if curtains can be washed or drycleaned. If not, a vacuum cleaner might remove dirt and dust.

The final task today is to check the ceiling for fly or inspect spots. Sponge clean the ceiling with a mild detergent in warm water. Test clean a small section to check paint doesn’t come off.

 

• Three days before your end of lease

Three days out, and you’re feeling on track. That’s because you’ve already done a lot of cleaning and booked the professional services you require. Planning ahead is good!

At this point, it’s time to clean interior and exterior windows. For a landlord-pleasing result, consult our specific cleaning tips in the next section of this guide.

It’s not just the glass you should pay attention to. Remove cobwebs from the window frames. Clean dirt from window tracks by carefully running a screwdriver along them, before vacuuming with a narrow nozzle. For a final wipe clean, use a damp cloth.

If you have fly screens, use a vacuum cleaner to remove loose dirt and dust. For stubborn dirt, place a screwdriver under the screen, gently lift up and slide to the left or right, before removing. This will let you hose down the fly screen.

 

• Two days before your end of lease

This is a milestone. It’s your final day of cleaning. There’s still a bit to do but the finishing line is within sight.

Living areas, bedrooms and corridors

Vacuum inside wardrobes and cupboards, and wash with warm, soapy water. Keep doors open afterwards to speed up the drying process.

Remove any hooks, posters or sticky tape you put up during your tenancy, with no tell-tale marks left behind. Remove cobwebs and wipe painted walls with sugar soap or mild detergent. Don’t overlook light switches – wipe off grime and fingerprints.

Kitchen

The biggest job is cleaning your oven and cooktop, including removable parts like the range hood, stovetop, and knobs. The oven glass probably hasn’t been washed too often during your tenancy, so do it now. Check the oven’s instruction manual for removal and cleaning directions.

Benchtops need to be wiped down, and cupboards washed inside and out. Wipe down walls, particularly around cooking areas.

Laundry areas

Calcium or rust build-up in the laundry sink and cupboards can be removed with a crème cleanser and sponge. Wipe all tap fittings and wall tiles and scrub stubborn marks off the floor with the cleanser.

Bathroom

Don’t clean the bathroom too early. As it’s the most used room in the house, leave this job towards the end of the day.

Vacuum the bathroom floor to remove hair and loose objects. This will make it easier to mop later.

Wet down your shower then clean using a crème cleanser and sponge. Concentrate on corners, door frame, and the top of the walls. These areas are often neglected during your usual cleaning routine, and soap scum, mould and rust stains can accumulate.

Remove mould from tiles, grout, ceiling and walls. For tough mould, dip an old toothbrush into bleach and scrub.

Unclog the drain, before rinsing the shower with water.

Clean your toilet like its never been cleaned before. This includes fittings, cistern, behind your toilet, wall tiles and the pipes. Scrub the bowl with an antibacterial toilet cleaner.

Floors

You’re nearly there. The last thing to do today is clean the floors. Vacuum the entire house so it’s ready for the carpet cleaner tomorrow. Sweep and mop hard floors.

 

• One day before your end of lease

Thanks to your forward planning a month ago, your carpet cleaner will turn up today. Keep a copy of the invoice as proof that the job has been done by a professional.

Finally, one last walk-through. Use this guide as a checklist, as well as your lease agreement, and tick things off room by room. Be fussy! You want to minimise the chances of tenancy disputes and maximise the chances of getting your bond back.

End of Lease Cleaning Checklists and Tips

Now you know what to do, and when to do it, here’s some more detailed advice on how you should do it.

• Before you start cleaning, go through each room and write down what you’ll need e.g. oven cleaner for the kitchen, crème cleanser for the bathroom, etc. Keep everything together so you don’t waste time hunting down stray cleaning products.
• Be methodical when cleaning so you don’t miss a thing. e.g. clean from left to right, or from back to front.
• Do the dry cleaning first, like dusting, vacuuming and sweeping, then wipe surfaces with a damp cloth, or mop floors.
• Don’t forget about the mess left by your pets. This might include fleas so fumigate the property if required.
• Print off the following checklists and tick each task off during your final walkthrough.

 

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist and Tips: Exterior

• Clear letterbox and compost bin.
• Check outdoor lighting is clean and in working order.
• Sweep garage floor and driveway. Remove dirt or oil marks.
• Hose down the garage door. Check the door opener is working.
• Remove all rubbish, wash out household bins.
• Clean exterior windows. Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water and use a sponge to remove dirt build-up. Finally, squeegee the window with firm pressure. After each stroke, dry your squeegee. To avoid lines, make sure each stroke slightly overlaps the last.
• Mow lawns, tidy, weed and water the garden, replace dead plants.

 

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist and Tips: Interior

• Empty, vacuum and wipe wardrobes, cupboards, and drawers.
• Check all light globes are working, clean fittings and switches.
• Wipe window ledges, architraves, skirting boards, picture rails and doors.
• Clean interior windows. Use the same method as exterior windows but with less water on your sponge. Place a towel under the window.
• Wipe down the air conditioner unit. Clean vents, and wash and dry the filter.
• Clean the top of ceiling fan blades.
• Clean Venetian and Vertical blinds slat by slat.
• Wash or dry-clean curtains and re-hang.
• Wipe door hardware and surrounds.
• Eliminate traces of cigarette odour, clean nicotine stains off walls and ceilings.
• Clean any furniture provided by the landlord, ensure it’s in its original position.

 

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist and Tips: Kitchen

• Clean oven walls, racks and grill, and leave cleaned trays inside. For an alternative to harsh chemical-based cleaners, try this simple formula. Mix half a cup of baking soda with three tablespoons of water. Adjust this ratio until you have a smooth paste. Spread the paste on oven walls, taking care to avoid heating elements in an electric oven. Leave overnight before removing the paste, then spray with vinegar. Wipe away the resulting foam.
• Remove stovetop stains and clean.
• Wash filters and clean range hood. Check the overhead light is working.
• Clean dishwasher, including rubbers, door and filter.  To kill bacteria and leave the machine looking and smelling fresh, add a small cup of vinegar to a wash cycle.
• Clear food and debris from sink holes, plugs and taps. For a sparkling stainless-steel sink, wipe down with two drops of mineral oil on a sponge.
• Wipe countertops, benches and surface areas.
• Wipe cupboard interiors and exteriors.

 

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist and Tips: Bathroom & Laundry

• Clean baths, basins and toilets. Follow up by disinfecting these areas.
• Clean the showerhead. Fill a plastic bag with enough vinegar to submerge the nozzle and tie the bag in place. Leave overnight to remove residue.
• Clean glass shower walls and doors. For sparkling results, make a smooth paste of baking soda and vinegar, apply to the walls and leave for an hour. Remove with a damp cloth.
• Wash all surfaces, including tiled areas, walls and benchtops.
• Dust and polish towel rails and toilet roll holders.
• Clean sinks, drain holes, plugs and taps.

 

Summary

They’re comprehensive checklists. But with a plan in place, you can break them down into easily manageable sections. Without a plan – and without a checklist for that matter – you’ll resort to last-minute panic cleaning, and the results will be disappointing – especially for the landlord. Even more disappointing will be the grief you’ll have to go through to fix things up and get your bond back. So, when it’s time to do an end of lease clean, plan to do it properly, and plan to do it just once.

Green waste refers to all organic materials collected from your yard considered to be trash. It ranges from leaves and grass clippings to tree trunks and roots.

It’s easy to assume that the term ‘green waste’ means that the garbage is not harsh to the environment but like any other waste, green waste needs to be disposed of correctly so not to cause environmental degradation, health issues or pungent smells.

Like all other types of waste, if you’re caught dumping green waste you’ll receive a hefty fine. With most councils providing green bins, there’s no reason to take the risk!

How to Reuse or Recycle Green Waste

To maintain an aesthetically pleasing yard, a monthly garden clean up will not only keep the weeds at bay, but will create less work for you in the long run.

After the clean up is complete, consider composting the waste yourself, that way you can reuse the green waste on your garden to replace nutrients back into the soil, which in turn stimulates plant regrowth.

Chipping tree trunks and branches is another great option when you’re looking at reusing your green waste. This can be used on garden beds as mulch to help keep weeds down and also promote water saving.

If these options aren’t for you then Cheapest Load of Rubbish can help. By hiring us to remove your green waste, not only will you save yourself time but rest assured your trash will be taken to EPA approved facilities for disposal or reuse.

Why You Should Hire Cheapest Load of Rubbish for Green Waste Disposal in Sydney

We are equipped with the necessary resources to handle your green waste, and with 2 men per truck, we do all the hard work for you, which means you can get on with more important tasks.

Why not schedule your garden clean up and we’ll keep your garden looking at it’s best with your lawns mowed and your plants trimmed, you’ll get to sit back and enjoy your beautiful yard without the hard work.

Cheapest Load of Rubbish offers affordable prices with upfront quoting on every job, which means a spotless outdoor space without the price tag to match.

Conclusion

Green waste has a lot to offer the environment as long as the materials are recycled, composed and reused.

To find out more, contact us today!

Despite large amounts of waste being produced by companies, very little gets recycled. This leads to landfills being over-saturated with recyclable material. By investing in recycling and implementing proper methods of waste management, not only do you contribute to saving the environment, but you also save on business running costs too.

A significant amount of waste produced by a company can be recycled. Items such as printing paper, cans, or coffee filters are easily recycled, but sadly their correct disposal is rarely thought of. The first thing business owners need to do is encourage their employees to monitor the environmental impact of their waste management practices.

Even for companies that place recycling bins throughout their office areas, most users don’t bother to put their waste in the proper bins. For others, the lack of adequate knowledge on what items go where is the main issue.

Business Waste Management Tips

If you already have a waste management program, but no one seems to be using it, the following tips will help you get the program in motion and fulfill your corporate responsibility in sustaining the environment.

1. Label bins at collection areas in your office so that recyclable materials are separated and placed in the correct bins.
2. Hold a toolbox talk or office meeting to instruct staff on recycling practices.
3. Evaluate how often your junk collection is made and if the bins are full during removal, adjustment your schedule to increase pick up frequency.  At Cheapest Load of Rubbish, we offer collections at a frequency to suit your needs.
4. Work to reduce the amount of waste you produce with reuse schemes. Repair and maintain work equipment where possible.

Having a proper waste management plan in your business to include recycling and reuse strategies will allow you to reduce your emission and carbon footprint, and in turn will show that you’re environmentally responsible.

1. Adopt the concept of composting.
2. Review your recycling plan monthly and assess its use through the workforce.
3. Find a method of disposal for electronic waste and furniture. You could consider reusing or repurposing.
4. Use digital methods of communication and banking.
5. Place recycling bins at a central location with information on proper strategies.
6. Provide employees with utensils to reduce the number of plastic items they bring to work.

Why You Should Hire Cheapest Load of Rubbish

After implementing waste management strategies and employing the proper recycling tips for your business, Cheapest Load of Rubbish will walk you through the disposal process.

Our team of rubbish removal professionals will ensure that your waste is handled correctly. You don’t have to look for a recycling centre and we offer recyclable rubbish collections at a day and time frame to suit your schedules, with the ability to provide 240 litre or 660 litre bins on-site, which we empty weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Contact us today for your next rubbish removal!

From outer space, the earth is seen as a beautiful azure sphere with two-thirds of its surface covered by extensive oceans. This sphere is our home and a majority of us revel in its beauty. However, up close, hidden just beneath the mesmerising turquoise surface is an alarming truth – human interference is threatening the health of our oceans.

According to a recent news report, around 8 million tons of plastic products enter the ocean every year. Discarded plastics look like food to aquatic animals and those who mistakenly consume the plastic cannot digest it. This causes clogging in their digestive system and ultimately, death. Other times, air-breathing aquatic animals get tangled in the plastic and cannot reach the surface, leading them to drown.

Regardless, discarded plastics are not the only manner in which we are clogging our oceans. Oil spills have catastrophic effects on marine communities. In 2010, one of the largest oil spills in the history of the United States took place in the Gulf of Mexico, where 4.9 million barrels of oil poured into the ocean. The oil not only polluted the waters and coral reefs underneath it but also eliminated ecosystems on the coasts nearby.

And of course, let us not forget global warming. An increase in global temperatures is causing the melting of polar ice caps and warming of our oceans. As a result, even the slightest changes in temperature is harmful to one of our most important ecosystems – coral reefs. Coral reefs are the source of nutrition to marine communities and when a coral dies, the animals and plants it supports also die. At present, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is undergoing a bleaching event that began back in 2014 and is considered to be one of the worst bleaching events in history.

A vital interest for mankind

Oceans produce half of the oxygen we breathe. They contain more than 97% of the water on our planet, as well as provide 16% of the animal protein we eat. They also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby helping to reduce major climate changes. Needless to say, oceans are essential to life on Earth.

Fortunately, creative young individuals are rising to the challenge to clean up ocean rubbish produced by mankind and to help save our planet:

 Drifting V-shaped system – When 24-year-old Boyan Slat was just a teenager, he had an ambitious idea to clean the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Now, a few years later, he is turning his idea into a reality. He is CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, an environmental organisation that has raised well over $31 million dollars to develop a drifting V-shaped system designed to collect waste collection from the oceans. By 2021, it is expected that the organisation will launch a total of 60 drifting V-shaped systems in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Moreover, it is predicted that these systems will clean up 50% of the waste in the patch in 5 years’ time.

The Seabin – When passionate surfers Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski realised that Earth’s most valuable natural resources were being endangered, they decided to do something about it. They decided to create the Seabin, a bucket with a pump and water filtration system that is designed to suck waste and rubbish floating on the water’s surface. The water filtration system absorbs oil right out from the ocean and then releases cleaner water through the other side of the pump.

The SeaVax – A trio from Sussex, England have invented a robotic ship called the SeaVax, which can suck up to 22 million kgs of plastic on an annual basis. The SeaVax is a self-driving ship that runs on solar power and wind. It has special sensors to spot rubbish, as well as sonar to protect ocean life and birds hovering above the water’s surface. The first ship has been developed; however, funding is being sought out to create more ships.

The microplastic removing rover – When 12-year-old Anna Du realised that something needed to be done about the massive amounts of discarded plastics floating in our oceans, she decided to design her very own subaquatic rover. Using infrared technology, the rover works by looking for and identifying microplastics. It is just a matter of time before Du’s invention starts cleaning the pollution from the oceans.

Everyone can do something to make a difference – even if it is just a small act. Here are some ways in which you can help heal our oceans:

• Educate yourself;
• Cut down on plastic usage;
• Buy ocean-friendly products;
• Volunteer your time to help clean up;
• Donate to an ocean charity;
• Support organisations addressing ocean-related issues;
• Spread the word!

As a generation of socially responsible and aware individuals, take the time to ensure you properly dispose of rubbish. This not only helps keep our waterways clean but also helps reduce the impact on sea life and vegetation.

The team at Cheapest Load of Rubbish can help ease the pressure on our waterways by helping to remove your rubbish in an environmentally safe manner. Our experts take all sorts of rubbish from residential addresses, commercial businesses and even construction sites. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

The team at Cheapest Load of Rubbish are dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of garbage. There are many negative effects of companies and individuals dumping rubbish and garbage illegally. We’ve developed this handy infographic to show these effects in a visual way.

What is illegal dumping?

• Illegal dumping is the dumping of waste in an unauthorised method.
• It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no licence to accept waste.

Examples of illegal dumping:

• Throwing household waste or garden rubbish into nearby forests or parks.
• Dumping your construction waste in someone else’s bin.
• Leaving household goods or furniture on the side of the road with a free sign.

Why illegal dumping is so harmful:

• It can harm people’s health through exposure
• Can create fire hazards and block emergency exits which can endanger lives
• Can contaminate the environment and poison animals
• It can pollute waterways
• It costs millions of dollars of taxpayer money to clean up each year

The effects of illegal dumping:

A common method of illegal dumping is throwing garbage directly into a river or stream, this causes oceanic pollution and leads to the death of marine life.

Waste that is dumped illegally often contains dangerous and toxic substances, which soak in all the oceanic oxygen. This leads to depletion of oxygen available to mammals and other fish causing them to die in their natural habitat. Dolphins, seals and other sea life also get caught or choke on plastic material such as plastic bags and rings, causing debilitating health or death. Every year, according to reports, more than one million seabirds are being killed by ocean pollution.

Toxic substances can be released from the waste that is illegally dumped, this is damaging to people who come into contact with these substances. Children are most notably at risk if garbage is dumped in a public area such as a park.

Since 2004, NSW local government areas have reported an increase in illegal dumping, a problem costing one in 10 NSW councils more than $500,000 a year.

Some Interesting Statistics:

• 27% of waste producing businesses had dumped waste illegally in 2015.

Type of waste dumped:

• 20% Household – furniture, clothes, mattresses, etc
• 17% Household – domestic rubbish
• 17% Green Waste
• 10% Household – white goods
• 9% Construction and demolition
• 7% Tyres
• 5% Asbestos not mixed with other waste
• 5% Abandoned cars
• 4% Commercial and industrial waste
• 3% Asbestos mixed with other waste
• 3% Soil and excavated material
• 1% Liquid waste

The most common location for illegal dumping to occur (ordered from most to least common):

1. Roadside
2. Bushland
3. Vacant Lot
4. Near landfill sites
5. Waterways and drains
6. In illegal landfills
7. Around charity shops and bins

Who is most likely to dump waste illegally?

1. Householders
2. Small Businesses
3. Large Businesses

Maximum fines for dumping rubbish illegally:

How Cheapest Loads of Rubbish can help

Our experienced team are able to sort out your rubbish and dispose of it appropriately as fast as you need us to. All you need to do to get the process started is to contact the friendly Cheapest Load of Rubbish team for a FREE quote.

Sources:

https://www.ccia-net.com/illegal-dumping-effect-health/

https://greentumble.com/how-does-illegal-dumping-affect-the-environment/

https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/-/media/epa/corporate-site/resources/illegaldumping/150481-illegal-dumping-report.pdf?la=en&hash=84938FC9E2A45C3067ACC57DD9E9F39E2B652B11

https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/waste

https://www.smh.com.au/environment/illegal-dumping-increasing-in-nsw-but-the-garage-sale-trail-is-lending-a-hand-20151015-gka9ln.html

https://www.marineinsight.com/environment/causes-and-effects-of-ocean-dumping/