Can You Recycle Plastic Laundry Baskets?
As anyone who regularly has to do copious amounts of laundry can tell you, plastic laundry baskets are incredibly helpful. What’s more? You can use them for years on end.
But still, every laundry basket eventually gets too old to use, no matter how much you love it. So to help you out, we are going to use this post to teach you how to get rid of these baskets. We’re particularly going to delve into whether you can recycle them or not.
What type of plastic are laundry baskets made of?
Laundry baskets are made of #5 plastic – polypropylene. They can also be made of #1 or #2 plastic – polyethylene terephthalate or high-density polyethylene.
Are plastic laundry baskets recyclable?
Yes, plastic laundry baskets are recyclable – the plastics they are made of can easily be recycled.
Is a Rubbermaid laundry basket recyclable?
Yes, you can recycle Rubbermaid laundry baskets. In fact, you can also recycle other Rubbermaid plastic and glass products. Rubbermaid even has a partnership with TerraCycle that allows users to send glass and plastic food containers for free recycling.
How do you dispose of a plastic laundry basket properly?
The best way to dispose of plastic laundry baskets is to send them to a plastic recycling facility. Here they can be melted and used to create new plastic materials.
If they are still in good condition, you can alternatively donate the baskets to people who need them. These could be friends who are moving into their first apartments or even institutions like churches and nonprofit organizations.
You can even place a listing on FreeCycle or Craigslist to find someone that needs them.
What can I do with old plastic laundry baskets besides throwing them out?
Apart from recycling old plastic laundry baskets, or even throwing them out, you can reuse them in a variety of ways. These include:
1. Organizing your trunk
One of the easiest ways to reuse plastic laundry baskets is to use them to organize your trunk. You can easily do this by placing a few of the shallow ones flat in your car’s trunk and dedicating each one to a specific type of material. So one can be for placing jumper cables while another can be for holding any groceries you buy.
2. Organizing your home
Plastic laundry baskets can easily be used to arrange things around your home. They are particularly useful for holding children’s toys and tall awkward items. You can even use them to hold fleece blankets.
3. Making a pet bed
You can easily convert an old laundry basket into a pet bed by adding some pillows and blankets inside it.
How do you fix a broken plastic laundry basket?
Believe it or not, you can easily fix your laundry basket at home. For instance, if its handle breaks off, you can easily secure a wooden dowel where the handle used to be. Ensure that the dowel extends a little beyond where the handle used to be though – this will give it reinforcement and ensure it doesn’t break off easily.
With a little expertise and a few tools, you can finish this project in a meager 10 minutes.
If your laundry basket is broken all through the middle though, your project can take a bit more time. However, you can still do it at home by soldering the basket back together.
What can I use instead of a plastic laundry basket?
Instead of plastic laundry baskets, you can use:
- Wicker laundry baskets
These add some character to your home and some can even be composted. They can be made from grass, papyrus, vines, and a variety of other plants.
2. Cloth laundry baskets
Laundry baskets made of cloth are another great option. They usually last for a long time and are generally easy to clean. Some are even collapsible. Two of the most popular fabrics used to make these laundry baskets are organic cotton and canvas.
3. DIY laundry baskets
An interesting alternative to getting a plastic laundry basket is creating some DIY ones for yourself at home. There are several ways you can do this. For one, you can crochet a laundry basket for yourself. Alternatively, you can hand weave some flax to create a cute basket for yourself.
Final thoughts
When it comes down to it, plastic laundry baskets are really easy to recycle or repurpose. If you’re trying to avoid plastic altogether though, you can easily get alternatives at your local supermarket or make some for yourself. Ultimately, the less plastic you use, the better.
