Drop it off free
5 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store0.7 mi
- Ricks Ace HardwarePaint store1.4 mi
- Buchheit of CentraliaPaint store2.1 mi
Centralia, IL Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Centralia.
NOW AVAILABLE IN CENTRALIA
Paint recycling pickup. Book online.
Book a pickup $89 minimum · No next-day surcharge
All drop-off locations in and near Centralia8
Start with these
Sherwin-Williams, South Locust Street, Centralia (PaintCare drop-off)
230 S Locust St, Centralia, IL 62801
- Accepts
- Latex or oil-based house paint, primer, stain and varnish in its original labeled can, 5 gallons or smaller. No spray cans, no unlabeled or leaking cans and no empty cans.
- Who can use it
- Illinois households and businesses, according to PaintCare's listing.
- Hours
- PaintCare says paint is taken during regular store hours. We didn't check this store's hours, so call before you load the car.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per visit.
- Fees
- Free.
It is one of Centralia's three PaintCare stores. It only takes paint products; paint thinner, spray paint and other chemicals need a hazardous waste collection such as Madison County's.
Rick's Ace Hardware, West Broadway, Centralia (PaintCare drop-off)
904 W Broadway, Centralia, IL 62801
- Accepts
- House paint (water-based or oil-based), primers, stains and varnish in original labeled containers up to 5 gallons. Aerosols, leaking cans and cans without labels are refused.
- Who can use it
- PaintCare lists it for both households and businesses in Illinois.
- Hours
- Paint is accepted whenever the store is open, per PaintCare. Store hours weren't checked for this guide; phone first and ask whether they have room.
- Load limits
- Up to 5 gallons each trip.
- Fees
- No charge.
Buchheit on W McCord St is the third Centralia PaintCare site, so a cleanout of 10 to 15 gallons can be split across the three stores. Empty cans aren't accepted.
Madison County HHW Collection Facility, Wood River (monthly appointment days)
249 N Old St. Louis Rd, Wood River, IL 62095
- Accepts
- Oil-based paint, paint thinner, cleaning solvents, aerosols and spray paint, pesticides and lawn chemicals, pool chemicals, antifreeze, motor oil, old gasoline, household batteries, mercury items and fluorescent lights.
- Who can use it
- The county's page is mixed: one line says collections are free for Madison County residents, another says the HHW collections are free for all Illinois residents. PaintCare's listing says Illinois households only, no businesses. Email recycling@madisoncountyil.gov or call 618-296-5237 before booking from a Marion or Clinton County address.
- Hours
- One collection day a month, by appointment; the county says days are typically the second Saturday. The October 10, 2026 day has passed. The remaining 2026 days are November 14 and December 12, and the county has already posted monthly 2027 dates starting January 9. Illinois EPA's fall release gives a different pattern (first Saturday and third Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.); trust the county's calendar and the time on your appointment.
- Load limits
- The county posts no quantity limit. PaintCare's listing gives a limit of 200 gallons of paint per visit. Not taken: latex paint, tires, ammunition, fireworks, medicine, lead-acid batteries, propane tanks and other gas cylinders, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, farm chemicals and business waste.
- Fees
- Free.
Latex paint is refused here. Take latex to a PaintCare store in Centralia instead. Book online through the county's scheduler; there are no walk-ins.
5 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of Centralia.
5 paint stores and 0 hazardous waste sites, closest first. Paint stores take house paint, stain and varnish, usually up to a set amount per visit. Hazardous waste sites also take chemicals like thinner, but some only serve local residents. Call before you go.
Rules most stores here share
Who: Households and Businesses in Illinois
Hours: Paint is accepted during regular business hours. Call ahead for hours and to make sure the store can accept the amount and type of paint you would like to recycle.
Products: This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty.
Each listing below shows only what’s different, plus its limit.
Sherwin-Williams
0.7 mi230 S Locust St, Centralia, IL 62801
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Ricks Ace Hardware
1.4 mi904 W Broadway, Centralia, IL 62801
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Buchheit of Centralia
2.1 mi1340 W McCord St, Centralia, IL 62801
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
RP Lumber
8.9 mi1519 E Poplar St, Odin, IL 62870
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Salem Building Center
11.5 mi1217 S Broadway Ave, Salem, IL 62881
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Which option fits your Centralia cleanout?4
You're clearing a rental with 15 gallons
That's three store visits at 5 gallons each: Rick's Ace on W Broadway, Buchheit on W McCord St and Sherwin-Williams on S Locust St. Call each one first so they're ready for you.
You have a garage shelf of thinner and spray cans
None of the Centralia stores will take them, and Republic tells you to follow the label's disposal directions for household chemicals. Book a Madison County appointment in Wood River on November 14 or December 12, 2026. The county page has two different residency statements, so email recycling@madisoncountyil.gov first.
You're scheduling a Republic bulk pickup
Call 1-800-631-1156 to set it up; the city ended citywide bulk collection. Each address that pays for weekly service gets up to two free bulk pickups a month. Leave paint out of the pile and take it to a PaintCare store.
Your church has more than 100 gallons
PaintCare offers free large-volume pickup for 100 gallons or more of house paint, stain and varnish. Ask PaintCare whether your load qualifies before hauling it to stores 5 gallons at a time.
Centralia rules and tips4
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Take latex or oil-based house paint, stain and varnish to Sherwin-Williams (230 S Locust St), Rick's Ace Hardware (904 W Broadway) or Buchheit (1340 W McCord St), all free PaintCare drop-offs with a 5-gallon limit per visit. Don't put wet paint in your Republic cart. For thinner and spray paint, book a free Madison County appointment in Wood River (November 14 or December 12, 2026), and ask first whether a Centralia address is accepted.
In Centralia, Illinois (Marion and Clinton counties, not Centralia, Washington or Missouri), PaintCare lists three stores that take leftover house paint for free: Sherwin-Williams on S Locust St, Rick's Ace Hardware on W Broadway and Buchheit on W McCord St. The city's own pages don't cover paint. Thinner and spray cans need a hazardous waste collection. The regular one we found is Madison County's monthly appointment day in Wood River.
Three PaintCare stores in town
Sherwin-Williams (230 S Locust St, 618-532-9332), Rick's Ace Hardware (904 W Broadway, 618-532-0062) and Buchheit (1340 W McCord St, 618-532-2189) each take up to 5 gallons per visit. Latex and oil-based paint, primer, stain and varnish are fine if the can has its label. Call ahead to make sure they have room.
Wet paint stays out of the Republic carts
The city's utilities page names CWI and Republic Services for trash, and its bulk notice says to call Republic at 1-800-631-1156. Republic says wet paint doesn't go in trash or recycling. The city's September 2026 notice says bulk pickups must now be scheduled with Republic, with no more citywide cleanup. Don't add paint cans to a bulk pile.
Chemicals: Madison County's Wood River days
Madison County's facility at 249 N Old St. Louis Rd in Wood River takes oil-based paint, thinner and spray paint by appointment. Its October 10 day has passed; the next ones are November 14 and December 12, 2026. None of Illinois EPA's eight fall 2026 one-day collections is in Marion or Clinton County.
Salem, Odin and Breese have their own stores
PaintCare also lists Salem Building Center (1217 S Broadway Ave, Salem), RP Lumber (1519 E Poplar St, Odin) and Foppe Ace Hardware (189 N Cherry St, Breese). If you live closer to one of those towns, you don't need to drive into Centralia.
Free pickup programs and other options
Buchheit of Centralia (1340 W McCord St) is the third in-town PaintCare store. Contractors, landlords and churches with 100 gallons or more of house paint can ask PaintCare for a free large-volume pickup. For chemicals, the Madison County days in Wood River are the scheduled option; Illinois EPA's remaining fall one-day collections are in Springfield (set for October 17), Decatur (October 24) and Lockport (October 31), all with sign-up first.
Getting your paint ready
Check every can has its original label and a lid that closes. Leaking cans, unlabeled cans and empty cans are turned away. Pack cans upright in a box so they don't tip. Keep spray paint and thinner in a separate box for a Madison County appointment; the stores won't take them. If you have more than 5 gallons, split it between stores or visits.
Full preparation checklist →Centralia questions5
Where can I recycle paint in Centralia, IL?
At Sherwin-Williams (230 S Locust St), Rick's Ace Hardware (904 W Broadway) or Buchheit (1340 W McCord St). All three are free PaintCare drop-offs with a 5-gallon-per-visit limit.
Can I put a can of paint in my Republic trash cart?
Not wet paint. Republic says liquid paint is hazardous waste and shouldn't go in trash or recycling. Take it to a PaintCare store instead.
Does Marion County or Clinton County have a hazardous waste day?
We didn't find one for 2026. Madison County's Wood River facility has appointment days on November 14 and December 12, 2026.
Do the Centralia stores take spray paint?
No. PaintCare sites don't take aerosols. Madison County's facility accepts spray paint and other aerosols by appointment.
Is there a charge?
No. The PaintCare stores are free, and Madison County's collection days are free too.
Sources and how we checked11
October 16, 2026: read PaintCare's locator data for Centralia (sites 17356, 17417 and 18015) and nearby Salem, Odin and Breese; PaintCare's Illinois and large-volume pages; Illinois EPA's paint and collections pages and fall 2026 release; Illinois Extension's fall schedule; Madison County's collection page; Republic's household hazardous waste page; and the City of Centralia's utilities page and September 22, 2026 bulk notice (read in a browser; the city site blocks scripted requests). No calls or visits. We found no city, Marion County or Clinton County paint or hazardous waste page. The utilities page calls the hauler CWI but describes Republic; the bulk notice names Republic. The utilities page also says to call by noon Friday for Monday bulk pickup, while the newer notice describes scheduled pickups; we followed the newer notice. Madison County's page says both 'Madison County residents' and 'all Illinois residents,' and Illinois EPA lists a different weekday pattern. PaintCare's listing for the Wood River site (17481) says Illinois households only, typically the second Saturday, 200 gallons per visit. The bulk notice's attached PDF (media/10251) could not be opened: WebFetch got 403. Store hours weren't confirmed. We found no Habitat ReStore in Centralia.
Checked October 16, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
PaintCare drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare Illinois ↗PaintCare large-volume pickup ↗Illinois EPA: paint ↗City of Centralia: utilities (garbage service) ↗City of Centralia: bulk waste collection notice (September 22, 2026) ↗Republic Services: household hazardous waste ↗Madison County household hazardous waste collections ↗Illinois EPA fall 2026 HHW announcement ↗Illinois EPA household hazardous waste collections ↗University of Illinois Extension: fall 2026 hazardous waste collections ↗
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}