Junk Removal in Boise: Old Lawn Mowers, Grills and Yard Tools

Mowing season's winding down, and there it is in the corner of the garage. The mower that quit in August, the grill with the rusted-out burner, and a rake missing half its tines. Fall's a good time to finally book junk removal in Boise for all of it.

Before anyone hauls it off, though, there are a few things you'll want to handle yourself. Here's what's involved, and why these items need a little more prep than a broken chair.

Why mowers and grills aren't regular junk

Most of what's in a garage is easy. A broken chair is a broken chair.

Mowers and grills are different because of what's inside them. A gas mower has fuel in the tank and oil in the crankcase. A gas grill usually has a propane tank hooked to it, and leaf blowers, string trimmers and chainsaws often still have a gas and oil mix sitting in them.

None of that belongs in a truck bed rattling down Eagle Road or the Connector. Fuel leaks, it stinks, and it's a fire risk, especially on a hot day.

Getting a mower ready for junk removal in Boise

The easiest move is to run the mower dry on its last day. Let it go until it sputters out.

Won't start at all? Then siphon what's left in the tank into an approved gas can.

Oil's less of a worry. Draining it is nice, but the main thing is that the mower isn't leaking. Tip it a little, and if nothing drips, you're in decent shape.

Old gas doesn't go down a storm drain or into the trash. Ada County takes household hazardous waste at the landfill, and Canyon County has its own drop-off options for folks in Nampa and Caldwell. Check their current hours and what they accept before you load up.

Electric and battery mowers are simpler since there's no fuel. Just pull the battery. Lithium batteries need their own recycling path and shouldn't get crushed in with scrap metal.

What happens to an old grill

Grills are mostly metal, which is good news. Steel bodies, cast iron grates and aluminum parts can usually go to scrap recycling instead of the landfill.

Charcoal grills are the easy ones. Dump the old ash once it's completely cold, and you're done.

Gas grills need the propane tank off first.

Heads up: Take the propane tank off your grill before pickup day and set it somewhere separate. Plenty of hardware stores and gas stations run tank exchanges, so an empty one is often easy to swap out. If you'd rather have it hauled, ask about the tank when you call instead of assuming it can ride along with the grill.

Built-in and island-style grills take more work because they're tied into a counter or a gas line. If yours runs on natural gas, have a plumber or the gas company cap that line before anything gets pulled loose. Nobody should be guessing on that step.

Still works, and you just upgraded? Try listing it or offering it to a neighbor first. A working grill is worth more to somebody than it is as scrap.

Rakes, shovels and the rest of the pile

Yard tools are the stuff people forget they own until they finally clear off the garage wall.

Broken shovels, bent rakes, a cracked wheelbarrow, a hose reel that won't reel. Most of it goes in the same load as everything else. Metal heads often get recycled, while wood handles and plastic parts usually don't.

Tools that still work are a different story. A decent shovel or a pair of loppers is useful to somebody, and that kind of thing often gets donated instead of tossed. Set the good ones in their own spot so they're easy to pull out.

What about the half-used bags of fertilizer, weed killer and bug spray on the shelf? Those are chemicals. They fall under the same household hazardous waste rules as old gas, so keep them out of the junk pile.

Is junk removal in Boise worth it for just a mower?

Honest answer: sometimes it isn't, and we'd rather tell you that up front.

Our pricing is based on how much space your stuff takes up in the truck, so one mower is a small load. If that's truly all you've got, a local scrap yard or small engine shop might take it off your hands.

But it's rarely just the mower, is it? A lot of garages in Meridian, Kuna or up on the Bench have the mower, the grill, a couple of old patio chairs and that pile of tools. Add it all up, and one visit to clear the lot usually beats several dump runs in your own car.

A few things move the price. How much you've got, how heavy it is, and how easy it is to reach. A mower sitting in the driveway is a lot quicker than one wedged behind a boat at the back of a shop.

Get it sorted before the snow

Most of the work here is prep. Run out or drain the gas, get the propane tank off the grill, and pull batteries from anything electric. Keep the chemicals in their own box, and what's left is just hauling.

If you'd like a hand with that part, give us a call at (208) 593-2877. We'll come take a look and give you a firm price before we touch anything, and you can have your garage back before winter.