What To Do With An Old Safe? (Find Out Now!)

When you first buy a safe, the idea behind it is pretty simple. You want it to keep your stuff safe. That’s why they call a safe, a safe. However, there are going to be moments where you just want to get an upgrade. Or maybe, you’re worried about it being too easy to pick. How do you dispose of an old safe?

The fastest way to get rid of an old safe is to call a professional safe disposal company that can mitigate the risk of insulation or asbestos poisoning. Repurposing a safe can also be an option. In some cases, you can also resell it or give it to a scrap yard.

Old safes might be surprisingly risky to remove. Shocked? We were too when we researched this article. Let’s talk about some of the more surprising facts about safe disposal.

There are two primary types of old safes that you should never try to remove and dispose of on your own: wall safes and fireproof safes. Wall safes that are old may be surrounded by asbestos, a deadly material that can cause cancer if inhaled. Fireproof safes have insulation inside that can cause similar issues, too.

If you have an old wall safe or want to remove a fireproof safe, the only option you should choose on our list is to hire a professional safe removal company. Trust us on this.

Scrap metal collectors are basically the guys who recycle metals that most other groups won’t touch. That’s why people bring their cars to scrapyards. If you have a safe that is not fireproof, then you can bring it to your local scrapper. The good news about this is that you don’t just help save the environment.

Most scrapyards will pay you money for the metal you bring to them. How much you receive will be based on the type of metal the safe is from as well as the weight of the safe. Most scrap metal companies will offer you a rate of 0.02 to 0.04 cents per pound of metal. For a 100-pound safe, you’re looking at $2 to $4. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

Does your safe still have the right keys for the job? Do you know the combination? If so, you might be able to sell it. Most people do not have a problem with buying a used safe, especially if they want to save some money. As long as it’s still usable, you can usually get a fair price on the market.

There are several ways that you can sell your safe. Most people will go through a platform like eBay, but you can also use Craigslist if you want to stick to local buyers. If your safe is truly vintage (like over 100 years old), then you might also try an antique market, a professional auctioner, or even Etsy.

We’d offer a ballpark estimate on how much you should expect to get from your safe sale, but the truth is that it’s hard to tell. You might get as little as $10, or you could net over $1,500. It depends on a lot of factors, but you might want to get it appraised.

I’ll be honest. There are only a handful of places that will be willing to get a safe donated to them. Perhaps the only one we can really think of is Goodwill. Even there, you have to make sure that the safe is in usable condition and that you have the lock code or key for it.

Donating your safe to Goodwill means that you will be able to see it get resold for a discounted price. That money will go to job training and similar beneficial programs for low-income families. It also means your safe will be used by a family that needs it.

We live in the age of Pinterest, and that means there’s a tutorial for just about everything out there. Many crafty folks have found new ways to breathe life into a safe past its prime. In many cases, they remove the door of the safe, paint it up, and turn it into a cute bookshelf. Safes also can work pretty well as cabinets if they’re big enough.

The cool thing about upcycling your old safe is that you don’t have to get rid of it or throw it away. Moreover, there’s no “wrong” way to repurpose a safe. As long as you have the tools, skills, and imagination for it, the sky is the limit. You can turn your safe into anything you want.

Honestly, this depends on both the size of the safe as well as your local municipal guidelines. If it’s only 10 pounds or so, then the safe probably can be picked up with the rest of your trash. On the other hand, if you have a very heavy safe, you may need to request a special pickup.

In cases where you have a “dangerous” safe (like the ones mentioned above) or a safe that’s just too large to pick up, you probably are not going to be able to get the local trash service to pick it up. In fact, you might actually get a fine from the HOA.

While you can do this, we don’t suggest you do. There is literally no point in throwing away your safe. It can be recycled and you might even get paid for it. So, why wouldn’t you do it? It’s clearly worth the effort.

Related Questions

Are old safes worth anything?

If it’s an antique, then the answer is a resounding yes. Antique safes offer an excellent price tag in the right markets, especially if they are still in working order. If you have a safe that dates back to the 19th century, then you might get several hundred dollars for it. An appraiser is going to be the best way to find out how much your old safe is worth.

How can you open up an old safe you don’t have to key for?

Opening up a safe that doesn’t have a key included with it can be difficult, but it’s almost always doable. Most of the time, you will need to call a locksmith in order to open up the safe. This is particularly true with safes that are over 80 years old. “Younger” safes, however, can usually be opened via the use of a key replacement. Either way, call a pro.

Are safes recyclable?

Safes are generally deemed to be recyclable, simply because metal tends to be recyclable. If you have a safe, then you might be able to get a small sum of money by bringing it to your local recycling plant or scrapyard. Unless your safe is fully non-recyclable plastic and filled to the brim with strange materials, it’s safe to assume that your safe can find a new life via a recycling plant.