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How to Recycle Clothes Hangers
Wire, plastic, and wooden hangers that pile up from dry cleaning and retail purchases. Most are reusable many times over, which makes reuse the first route.
Check local acceptanceLast reviewed October 14, 2026
Quick answer
Clothes hangers do not belong in curbside recycling because they tangle sorting machinery. Return wire hangers to a dry cleaner for reuse, take metal hangers to a scrap yard, and donate plastic or wooden hangers to a thrift store. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
How to Prepare
- 1Sort hangers by material: wire, plastic, and wood
- 2Bundle wire hangers with a twist tie and return them to a dry cleaner
- 3Take extra metal hangers to a scrap yard with your other steel
- 4Donate plastic and wooden hangers in good condition to a thrift store
- 5Put broken plastic hangers in the trash
Where to Recycle
- Dry cleaners
- Scrap metal yards
- Thrift stores and charity shops
- Clothing retailers that reuse hangers
Special Instructions
Hangers wrap around the spinning screens at recycling facilities and force workers to shut the line down to cut them free. Keep all hangers out of the curbside cart, even metal ones.
Environmental Impact
Reusing a hanger avoids new steel or plastic production. Steel from wire hangers recycles indefinitely at scrap yards.
Sustainable Alternatives
- Buy durable wooden or metal hangers once
- Leave retail hangers at the register
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Wire hangers at dry cleaners and scrap yards
- Plastic and wooden hangers at thrift stores
- Metal hangers bundled with scrap steel
Not Accepted
- Any hanger in a curbside recycling cart
- Broken plastic hangers at donation sites
FAQs
Can wire hangers go in the recycling bin?
No. They jam sorting equipment. Return them to a dry cleaner or take them to a scrap yard.
Do dry cleaners take hangers back?
Most do and reuse them. Ask at the counter on your next visit.
Are plastic hangers recyclable?
Not curbside. Donate usable ones to a thrift store and throw broken ones away.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Toothbrushes
- How to recycle Toothbrushes and Toothpaste Tubes
- How to recycle Disposable Razors
- How to recycle Holiday Lights
- How to recycle Makeup Containers
- How to recycle Plastic Plant Pots
- How to recycle LED Light Bulbs
- How to recycle Garden Tools
- How to recycle Fluorescent Bulbs
- How to recycle Sporting Goods
Recycle clothes hangers
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