How to Legally Dispose of Old House Paint in New York State

Ok, you did it again, you bought too much paint, we're talking a gallon or two of the stuff that you don't need. What do you do with the extra paint? Yes, you can keep it in the basement, just in case, but for how long? Months, Years?

If you are like me, you always think that you are good-to-go by just eyeballing or mentally trying to decide if you need one gallon of paint or 10 gallons. So, what do you do with the extra paint, how can you keep from buying too much paint in the first place? 

Get our free mobile app

How much paint should you buy in the first place?

First thing to do is to buy the right amount of paint. Ask yourself, do you need a primer? Will you be putting two coats on the walls? And when was the last time this room was painted? The longer its been since the room has been painted, the more likely you are to need more paint. So make sure you tell the person at the paint store these things.

There is a simple calculation as to how much paint to use. Believe it or not there are paint calculators online, here is one for you to use. You will need a few measurements, including, the length of the wall and the height of the wall. Then you can calculate. 

So how do you get rid of the extra or old paint?

If you have latex paint, you can find a recycling paint location in New York, by clicking here. If you have less than a full can, you can combine the remaining part with kitty litter, stir it, let if dry out and then toss it in the trash. If it is oil based or enamel based, you will need to take it to a Hazardous Waste Disposal for your town or county, you can't just put it in the trash. Remember, measure first and find out how much you need, then you won't have too much extra paint to toss out. Best of luck with your project.

Here is what happens when you drive over wet paint in the road! Yikes... Hopefully you don't step in the paint while you are painting: