How to get rid of appliances in Detroit

The short answer

Most appliances can go out on bulk day if your city's program accepts them and you can get them to the curb by 7 a.m. Anything with refrigerant needs extra care, and Warren has specific rules. Or book a flat-price pickup from any floor: washer $133, dryer $128, electric stove $134, gas stove $137, dishwasher $109, tank water heater $131, furnace $131.

In Detroit, appliances live in the basement

Detroit's median home was built in 1947, and most city ZIP codes report a median of 1939 or earlier. In houses that age, the laundry, the water heater, the furnace and often a second fridge are all below grade. The same is true across the postwar brick ranches of Warren, Livonia, Dearborn Heights and St. Clair Shores.

That changes the job. A washer on the ground floor is a dolly and a ramp. A washer at the bottom of a steep basement stair, with a turn at the top into the kitchen, is two people and a strap, and a real chance of a cracked step or a hole in the plaster.

What the curb programs say

City of Detroit: weekly bulk pickup since June 3, 2024, up to 2 cubic yards a week, which the city describes as about the size of two stoves. That description tells you appliances fill the allowance quickly. Items go out by 7 a.m. and never in front of a vacant lot. The program excludes fluids, so drain anything that holds them. Check the city's bulk page for appliances on your route.

Warren: fridges and freezers must be empty with the doors removed. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers need the refrigerant removed by a technician, with a sticker to prove it, before the city will take them.

Dearborn: some appliances require a fee-based special pickup instead of regular weekly bulk.

For other suburbs, check your own city's public works page.

Appliances that need extra care

• Anything with refrigerant: fridges, freezers, AC units, dehumidifiers, wine coolers, ice makers. Federal rule 40 CFR 82.155 requires the refrigerant to be recovered at final disposal.
• Gas stoves and gas dryers: have the gas shut off and the line capped properly before disconnecting. Do not just pull it away from the wall.
• Water heaters: drain them first. A full 40-gallon tank is roughly 330 pounds of water on top of the tank itself.
• Washers: drain the hoses, and if you are keeping the machine for a buyer, lock the drum.

Disconnection is your plumber's or utility's job. The crew removes the appliance once it is disconnected.

Carrying it up yourself: a reality check

If you plan to use the curb, the basement stair is the whole job. Before you start:

1. Measure the narrowest point. Most washers and dryers are around 27 inches wide; old Detroit basement doorways and the turn at the top can be tight. Measure the appliance and the opening.
2. Rent or borrow a proper appliance dolly with a strap. A hand truck without a strap is how washers end up at the bottom of the stairs.
3. Line up a second strong person. One guides from above; nobody stands below the load.
4. Protect the stairs and walls. Old plaster and worn treads chip easily.
5. Plan the curb day. Out by 7 a.m. Two appliances in one week may already fill Detroit's 2-cubic-yard allowance.

If any of that is a problem, the flat price covers the carry from any floor. No stairs fee.

Appliance prices

Typical Detroit appliance jobs

• Basement laundry swap: washer and dryer, $133 + $128 = $261.
• Mechanical room after an HVAC and water heater replacement: furnace and tank water heater, $131 + $131 = $262. Often the installer already hauls these; ask before you book.
• Kitchen renovation: gas stove, dishwasher and standard fridge, $137 + $109 + $164 = $410.
• The basement dehumidifier that finally quit: $77 alone, billed at the $100 minimum. Add the old microwave: $77 + $30 = $107.

All carried out from any floor, no stairs fee.

Rehabs, two-flats and rentals

Detroit's housing is being bought and restored again, and a rehab usually starts with every old appliance coming out at once. A west side two-flat being gutted might have two kitchens and two basements' worth: two fridges, two gas stoves, two water heaters and a furnace: $164 + $164 + $137 + $137 + $131 + $131 + $131 = $995. At that size, it is often simpler to send photos and have the whole load priced as a truck tier alongside the rest of the debris.

Landlords turning over a unit between tenants usually only swap one or two pieces. Property managers can set up an account covering several properties, and a COI can be emailed within 1 hour for managed buildings.

Selling, scrap and recycling

A working appliance under ten years old can sell. Old ones mostly cannot, and scrap value on a single washer rarely covers the gas to drive it anywhere. When we take appliances, we recycle whatever we can.

Get a price from a photo, pick a 2-hour window, and book by 4 PM for same-day pickup. For who else collects appliances locally, see who picks up old appliances in Detroit.

Frequently asked questions