How to get rid of an old sofa

Start with the condition of your old sofa

How you get rid of an old sofa depends mostly on the state it is in. A clean, sound sofa that still carries its fire safety label has several routes open to it, including resale and charity reuse. One that is torn, stained, broken or missing its label is waste, and waste has to go through a council service, a recycling centre or a registered waste carrier. Check these points first.

• Fire safety label: usually sewn under the seat cushions or fixed to the underside of the frame.
• Fabric and cushions: look for rips, stains, pet damage and smells.
• Frame and springs: sit on every seat and feel for cracks or sagging.
• Size and access: measure the sofa, the doorways and any tight turns on the stairs.

Selling, giving away and charity reuse

Reuse is the best outcome for a sofa with life left in it. Online marketplaces and local giveaway groups work well if you price it fairly or offer it free, though you will need to be at home for the buyer and they will usually have to collect it themselves. Be honest in the listing about marks and wear, and include the measurements so nobody has a wasted journey.

Charities and furniture reuse schemes will often collect, but they are selective. They generally only take upholstered furniture that is in good condition and still has its fire safety label attached. Send photos when you enquire, and allow for a wait before a collection slot is free. Some will not take items from upper floors or ask for the sofa to be easy to reach. If the charity says no, the sofa is unlikely to suit reuse and you need a disposal route instead.

Ask the retailer delivering your new sofa

Some furniture retailers offer to take your old sofa away when they deliver the new one, usually for an extra charge. It is convenient because the old one leaves on the day the new one arrives. Ask before you order, since the service often has to be booked in advance and terms differ between retailers. Check too whether the delivery team will carry the old sofa out of the house or expects it to be waiting outside.

Council bulky waste collection

Many councils offer a bulky waste collection for large household items such as sofas, usually for a charge. You book through the council website or by phone and are given a collection date. Charges, waiting times and the number of items allowed vary from council to council, so check with yours. Councils commonly ask you to leave the sofa outside at ground level for the crew, which means you need a way to move it yourself.

Taking a sofa to the recycling centre

Residents can usually take a sofa to their local household waste recycling centre. The difficulty is transport. Few sofas fit in a car, and rules on vans, trailers and hired vehicles vary between sites, with some asking for a permit or a booking. Check your council's website before you set off, and think about the following.

• You will need a second person to lift safely.
• Site staff may direct you to a separate container for upholstered seating.
• Proof that you live in the area is often requested.
• A hired van adds to the cost of doing it yourself.

Getting a sofa out of the house is often the hardest part of doing it yourself. Take off loose cushions and unscrew the feet to gain a little room at doorways. Corner sofas usually come apart into sections. Sofa beds are heavier than they look because of the metal frame, so tie the mechanism shut before lifting. Avoid cutting a sofa up to make it fit in a car, since that leaves you with loose foam, springs and staples to deal with.

Why old sofas are handled differently from other waste

Upholstered seating such as sofas and armchairs may contain persistent organic pollutants, chemicals that were used in some foams and coverings. In England, waste upholstered seating must be kept separate from other waste and sent for incineration rather than landfill. That is why some recycling centres have a dedicated area for sofas, and why some collectors handle them apart from the rest of a load. It is also why some skip companies will not accept a sofa in a mixed skip, so ask before you load one.

Using a licensed sofa collection

A private collection suits you if the sofa is upstairs, too heavy to move, or needs to go quickly. Anyone you pay to take waste away must be a registered waste carrier, and as the householder you have a duty of care to check. Ask for the registration number and search the Environment Agency's public register online. A sofa handed to an unregistered trader may end up fly-tipped, and you could be asked to explain how it got there.

Our sofa removal team carries the sofa out from wherever it sits and does all the lifting. We hold an upper tier waste carrier licence, number CBDU526130, and confirm a clear price before loading. Fixed prices for each type of sofa are listed on our sofa removal page. If other pieces are going too, see our furniture removal and mattress collection pages, or bulky waste collection for a mix of large items.