Figuring out how to get rid of an old lawn mower can be tricky. It’s not like you can just throw it in the garbage bin! Thankfully, there are multiple ways to get mowers out of your valuable space – whether they’re in good working condition or not. You can totally go to a local recycling center or call a junk removal company and make it easy (but you’ll have to pay). OR, if you have more of an entrepreneurial spirit, you can use one of these ways to get rid of these machines for free or even make some money in the process.
Whether you’re hoping to make a little money for a new lawn mower or you just want to free up some space in your garage, here are some options for getting rid of a large piece of equipment and earning some money, too.
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How To Get Rid of An Old Lawn Mower And Make a Few Bucks
1. Sell the parts
Depending on the mower you have and how much time you have, selling some of the parts off your mower can actually be surprisingly lucrative. If you have an off-brand, really old push mower, of course, it won’t be worth your time as nearly as much as an old riding John Deere. But especially for more common models, many other lawn mower owners are looking for just a part or two to fix up their machines.
And your mower doesn’t have to be in great condition to do this. Even if it doesn’t run, there are likely still be many parts that are reusable.
Ebay is a great place to start. Type in your mower’s model and see what’s selling. Some parts that are often highly wanted include:
- Mower deck
- Accessories (like a snowblower or other attachments)
- Front blade
- Hood
- Wheels
- Seat
- Wheel chains or wheel weights
- Cylinder head
- Carburetor assembly
- Anything else that isn’t broken
You can also try out other online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace for selling your parts.
Depending on your mower’s model, this can often be your best bet for making the most money possible on your old mower. We’ve personally saved quite a bit by buying a part or two off Ebay or Marketplace fix our mower in the past. Spending $50-$200 on a used part is a great deal when you compare it to buying a whole new mower!
2. Sell the entire mower
If you don’t want to spend the time to take apart your mower and list the parts, you can just sell the whole mower as one unit. You probably won’t make as much on it this way, but it’s definitely less work on your part. Depending on your area, there are lots of potential buyers looking to buy mowers and other small engines and landscaping equipment all the time – working or not.
Especially if you live in a small town, there are always plenty of redneck guys and small engine mechanics looking for mowers to fix up and flip. If you have a newer model that’s just not working and you’re not sure what’s wrong with it, it’s not uncommon to be able to get $100 or so selling it to someone can fix it.
But there’s a market for older models too, and even if you can’t make much off it, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find someone to come pick it up for free so you don’t have to call a junk removal service or haul it to the local recycling facilities.
The easiest way to sell an entire mower is probably by putting it in your yard sale or setting it on the side of the road (if you live on a busy enough road). If you do this, just make sure it’s labeled clearly with a free sign or price, and don’t forget to add your phone number if you’re selling it. For most people, if they have to go knock on the door to get the information they need, they’ll just pass.
If you have the time and know-how, listing it online on Facebook Marketplace is usually the best way to get a wider market and potential to make more money. Make sure to include clear pictures and as much detailed information as possible. Add the make and model and be clear about what’s not working. (Or, if you don’t know, just be honest that it’s not working and you don’t know why.) Check what other mowers near you are going for to help you decide on a price.
Here are some tips for how to sell on Facebook Marketplace and not waste time.
(Tip: Listing on Marketplace for free can wind you up with a lot of spam buyers and messages. If you don’t think your mower is worth much, try listing it for $10 or $20 just to attract buyers who are more interested and won’t waste your time as much.)
3. Take it to an auction
If you don’t want to have to mess around with the internet or putting your lawn mower on the side of the road, you might be able to find an auction near you where you can just drop it off. Of course, you’ll need a truck or trailer and a way to load it. But depending on what’s available in your area, this might be a really easy and convenient way to get it out of your space.
Our local farm auction takes all sorts of items throughout the week and sells them on the weekend. Old tools, yard equipment, gates and fences, old furniture, etc. Sellers get a check in the mail a week or two later. You might not make much money this way, but it’s a fairly simple process that keeps you from having to worry about listing your machine and gets it out of your space.
Search online for auction houses near you to see if this is a good option in your area.
4. Scrap it
If you’re willing to spend a little time, you might also be able to take your old mower to the scrap yard and sell the metal parts. This isn’t an extremely lucrative method, but if you like to tinker, and especially if you have a pile other scrap metal lying around, you might be able to make $25-$50 or so on scrapping your machine.
Before you do, it’s important to take the necessary safety precautions. Drain the old gas an oil, as this can be hazardous and potentially start a fire in the scrap yard. Then, take off all non-metal pieces, like cloth bags and other plastic parts. A magnet can help you determine what’s metal and what’s not.
It’s also a good idea to check with your scrap metal recycler to see what their prices are on different types of metal.
Here’s a helpful video with more in-depth tips for how to scrap a lawn mower.
Keep in mind that scrapping just one piece of equipment won’t get you a lot for the time involved, so selling your old lawn mower whole to someone local who knows how to fix and flip it is usually a more profitable (and less time consuming) method.
Depending on where you live, there might also be guys around who pick up scrap metals as a small business or even as a hobby. Oftentimes, if you can find one of these guys, they’ll come and pick up your scrap metal for free so they can make a few bucks off it at the scrap yard.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Your Old Mower (That Don’t Necessarily Make You Any Money)
Probably the easiest way to dispose of your mower is to list it inexpensively in a yard sale, on the side of the road, or on Facebook Marketplace.
However, if none of the above options appeal to you, here are a few other ways you can get rid of your mower.
- Take it to a recycling site. Depending on where you live, you can take your mower to a recycling center, and in some cases, you may even be able to have them pick it up from your home. However, there’s almost always a fee for recycling, and you’ll still have to do the work of draining the oil and gas and often taking parts of the mower apart. Recycling is about as much work as scrapping, but you actually have to PAY instead of getting paid.
- Call a donation center. If your mower still works, you may be able to donate it to a local charity like Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, or Goodwill. Some local charities will come pick it up for you for a fee, but usually, you’ll have to haul it over yourself.
- Lawn mower disposal services. The easiest way to get rid of your mower is to call junk remover professionals to just come and pick it up. This can be an environmentally-friendly option, since junk removal pros are usually able to recycle much of the mower. However, it can also be expensive.
- Give it to a friend. Another easy option for gently-used and still-working mowers is to find a friend or another community group (like a church) who could use it.
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