What Do You Do With the Junk? (Eco-Friendly & Responsible Junk Removal in Ohio)
Cleveland • Akron • Columbus
One of the most common questions customers ask is:
“What do you do with the junk after you remove it?”
And honestly, we love this question — because it means you care about where your items end up.
We care too.
At Ohio Junk Force, we are committed to responsible disposal, recycling, and donation whenever possible. We work hard to make sure items are handled the right way, using proper waste streams, ethical disposal practices, and partnerships that help support people in need.
Let’s break down exactly what happens to your items after we pick them up.
1. Most Items Are Disposed of Through the Proper Waste Streams
Certain items simply can’t be donated or reused. These include things like:
- Broken furniture
- Stained or torn mattresses
- Damaged items
- Construction debris
- Wet, moldy, or unsafe items
- Old household junk
For those items, we use EPA-compliant, regulated disposal facilities throughout Ohio. We follow all local, county, and state guidelines to ensure everything is handled properly and safely.
2. We Recycle Large Metal Items
We are fully equipped to recycle large metal items such as:
- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Washers & dryers
- Stoves
- Air conditioners
- Water heaters
- Metal bed frames
- Other scrap metal
Recycling keeps materials out of landfills and reduces waste — and we do this every single day.
3. We Have Always Done Informal Donations (And Still Do!
For many years, we have quietly helped people in our community through word-of-mouth donations.
When a customer needs something — like a dresser, table, or bed frame — we let our crews know and keep our eyes open for usable items. When we find something in good condition, we set it aside and give it away at no cost.
It’s simple, grassroots, and deeply meaningful.
But we’re getting ready to do something even bigger.
4. For Donatable Furniture, We Recommend Calling Furniture Banks
If you have furniture that is in very good condition, the best place to start is with one of the amazing charities we partner with:
Cleveland Furniture Bank: 216-459-2265
Furniture Bank of Central Ohio: 614-272-9544
They specialize in placing gently used furniture into the homes of families who need it most.
We love these organizations, and they are often the best pathway for items that are clean, sturdy, and safe to reuse.
5. Why We Don’t Want to Promise Donation on Every Item (But We Still Try)
Here’s the truth — and we say this with care and transparency:
Our trucks are designed for junk removal, not delicate furniture transportation.
Even a nice piece can get scratched or damaged during normal hauling.
We never want to promise a donation if we can’t guarantee the item will make it there in the same good condition.
However…
We still save what we can.
We still donate thousands of pounds of items each year.
And soon, we’ll be able to donate even more.
This leads to the exciting part…
6. Our New Donation Warehouse Is Coming Soon (Opening 2026!)
In July 2023, we purchased land in North Olmsted to build a dedicated facility for:
- Storing furniture
- Sorting donatable items
- Preparing items for charity partners
- Expanding our recycling capabilities
After nearly three years of planning and construction, we expect our Donation Warehouse to open in April 2026.
Once it’s open:
We will have a truck that follows our crews to pick up donatable items
We will have space to safely store items
We will partner closely with the Cleveland Furniture Bank
We will be able to save far more items than ever before
This is a dream come true for us — and a major step forward for eco-friendly junk removal in Ohio.
7. We Want Our Business to Be a Blessing to Others
From day one, our mission has been simple:
Be a force for good.
Serve our customers.
And bless those less fortunate.
We are committed to donating responsibly, recycling properly, and reducing waste however we can. Our upcoming warehouse will help us take that mission to the next level.
Final Thoughts: What Happens to Your Junk?
At Ohio Junk Force:
✔ We dispose of items responsibly
✔ We recycle large metal items
✔ We donate what we safely can
✔ We support local furniture banks
✔ We are building a donation warehouse to save even more items
✔ We operate with honesty, transparency, and care
We know people don’t want to see useful items wasted.
And we don’t either.
We’re doing everything we can — and soon much more — to make junk removal eco-friendly, charitable, and responsible across Ohio.
Chris & Shawna