How to dispose of oil-based paint

Why oil-based paint needs special handling

Oil-based (alkyd) paint is made with solvents like mineral spirits. Those solvents can burn and give off fumes. That’s why you clean oil-based brushes with thinner, not water.

Federal rules call a liquid “ignitable” if its flash point is under 140°F. Product labels use three words set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Extremely flammable” means a flash point of 20°F or below. “Flammable” means above 20°F and under 100°F. “Combustible” means 100°F to 150°F. Check your can for these words.

Paint from your home is not regulated as hazardous waste under federal law. But states and local programs still keep it out of the trash. Vermont DEC calls oil-based paint hazardous and flammable and says never to put it in the trash.

Is it really oil-based?

Read the cleanup directions on the label. Fort Collins puts it simply: if water can be used for cleanup, it’s latex. If you need paint thinner or mineral spirits, it’s oil-based.

Other clues are the words “alkyd” or “oil” in the product name, and a “Flammable” or “Combustible” warning. If the label is gone, treat the can as unknown and take it to a hazardous waste site. Our guide to telling paint types apart has more tests.

Where to take oil-based paint

Not every PaintCare site takes oil-based paint, and store participation changes. Use PaintCare’s locator and call ahead. Our drop-off guide shows how to search.

How to get oil-based paint ready to drop off

1. Keep each product in its original can. EPA says never to remove labels or store hazardous products in food containers.
2. Make sure every lid is tight. Wipe off drips.
3. Don’t combine cans or mix oil-based paint with latex or thinner. EPA warns mixed products can react, and mixed waste may not be recyclable.
4. Set the cans upright in a sturdy box or plastic bin. Put rusty cans inside a larger container.
5. Drive with a window cracked and go straight to the site. Don’t leave paint in a hot car.
6. List anything that isn’t paint, like thinner, stain stripper or spray paint. PaintCare doesn’t take those. A hazardous waste site may.

What not to do

• Don’t put liquid oil-based paint in the trash or recycling.
• Don’t pour it down a drain, on the ground or into a storm drain. EPA lists these as improper disposal.
• Don’t burn it or let it evaporate on purpose.
• Don’t use latex drying tricks. Most programs want oil-based paint dropped off, not hardened. California bans drying paint without a permit, and Vermont bans oil-based paint from landfills.
• Don’t store it near a furnace, water heater, pilot light or other flame.

What about old, dried-out oil paint?

Some old cans have turned rock hard. PaintCare says paint that is already dried out can go in the trash, except in California.

There are exceptions. Vermont’s landfill ban exempts only solidified water-based paint, not oil-based. California says all leftover paint, including dried paint, goes to a drop-off. If you’re not sure, ask your local hazardous waste program.

If there’s any liquid under a hard skin, it’s still liquid paint. Drop it off.

Very old cans may contain lead. Don’t sand or scrape old dried paint out of a can. See our lead paint guide.

Thinner, rags and other cleanup waste

Used mineral spirits and paint thinner are not PaintCare products. Take them to a household hazardous waste site. Our paint thinner guide explains how to reuse and store thinner first.

Rags soaked with oil-based paint or stain are a fire risk. OSHA requires spray-finishing shops to put rags soaked with finishing material into approved metal waste cans right after use. At home, follow the product label and see our oily rags guide.

Empty cans: PaintCare doesn’t take empty cans. It says any can you recycle or trash must be truly empty, with the lid off so collectors can see. Check your local rules.

If you spill oil-based paint

Open windows and put out any flames or pilot lights nearby. Soak up the spill with cat litter, sawdust or a paint hardener.

Scoop the soaked material into a metal can or sealed container. Ask your county hazardous waste program how to bring it in. Don’t put it in the trash just because it’s no longer liquid.

Stain, varnish and other oil-based products

PaintCare takes oil-based house paint, primers, stains, sealers, shellac, varnish and urethane. It also takes deck and floor coatings and rust-preventive metal paint.

PaintCare does not take aerosol spray paint, auto and marine paint, art and craft paint, two-part coatings like epoxy, or industrial maintenance coatings. Take those to a hazardous waste site, and ask first.

Rules for businesses and contractors

Oil-based paint from a business has tighter limits than paint from a home. To drop it at PaintCare sites, most businesses must be a very small business under federal rules. That means making no more than about 25 gallons (100 kilograms) of hazardous waste a month. Illinois is an exception.

County sites may have their own rules. King County takes oil-based paint from eligible small businesses in containers up to 5 gallons, up to 25 gallons or 220 pounds per trip, and four visits a year. Hennepin County’s drop-off sites don’t take business paint at all.

Keep job-site paint separate from home paint. Our contractor guide covers large amounts and PaintCare’s pickup service for businesses.

What happens to oil-based paint after drop-off

PaintCare says collected oil-based paint goes to processors, and most is used as fuel. In some states, a small amount is made into new paint.

Should you keep it instead?

Maybe. Sherwin-Williams says oil-based paint can last up to 15 years if stored well. Signs it’s gone bad include a hard skin on top and liquid that won’t mix back together.

Store it between 60°F and 80°F, off the floor and away from flames. Buying only what you need means less to store and get rid of later.

What it costs

PaintCare drop-off is free because a fee is built into the price of new paint. Many county hazardous waste sites are free for residents, including Hennepin County’s. Others charge or limit amounts, so check your county’s page.

If you have a lot of oil-based paint, no car, or can’t make a collection day, Paint Again can pick it up.