How to Get Rid of Old Paint in Chicago

The Short Answer

The easiest way to get rid of old paint in Chicago is to take it to a PaintCare drop-off site. Under the Illinois Paint Stewardship Act, these sites accept leftover latex and oil-based house paint, primers, stains, sealers and varnishes in their original labeled cans, with no drop-off charge. Spray paint, paint thinners and solvents go to the City’s Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility on North Branch Street instead. If you only have a little latex paint left, you can dry it out at home and throw the dried paint and can in the trash.

Never pour paint down a drain, into the alley or into a storm sewer, and don’t put liquid paint in your garbage or Blue Cart.

Step 1: Figure Out What Kind of Paint You Have

Where paint can go depends on what is in the can, so check the label first.

• Latex, acrylic or water-based paint. The label usually says “latex” or “water-based,” and brushes clean up with soap and water.
• Oil-based or alkyd paint. The label says “oil-based” or “alkyd,” and cleanup calls for mineral spirits or paint thinner. Many older stains, varnishes and trim enamels fall in this group.
• Spray paint and other aerosols. Anything in a pressurized can.
• Related products. Paint thinner, mineral spirits, strippers and other solvents are handled separately from paint.

If the label is gone or the can is rusted through and leaking, set it aside on its own. PaintCare sites do not accept unlabeled or leaking containers.

Option 1: Drop It Off at a PaintCare Site (Latex and Oil-Based)

Illinois launched its paint recycling program on December 1, 2025. The Illinois EPA oversees it, and the nonprofit PaintCare runs the network of drop-off sites. According to PaintCare Illinois, the program is paid for by a small fee added when new paint is sold, so there is no charge to drop off leftover paint.

What PaintCare sites accept

PaintCare’s accepted products list includes:

• Interior and exterior house paint, both latex and oil-based, including enamels
• Primers, sealers and undercoaters
• Stains, shellacs, lacquers, varnishes and single-component urethanes
• Deck and floor paints, masonry and wood sealers, and rust-preventive metal coatings

What PaintCare sites don’t accept

• Spray paint and other aerosols
• Paint thinners, mineral spirits and solvents
• Auto, marine, art and craft paints
• Caulk, glue, epoxy, roof patch and tar-based products
• Empty, leaking or unlabeled containers

How to drop off

Use PaintCare’s drop-off site locator and enter your ZIP code. Many sites are paint and hardware stores. PaintCare says every site accepts up to 5 gallons per visit, and some accept more. Keep paint in its original can with the lid on tight, and call ahead to confirm the site’s hours and what it can take that day. Property managers and contractors with 100 gallons or more can ask PaintCare about its large volume pickup service.

Option 2: Chicago’s Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility (Oil-Based, Spray Paint and Solvents)

The City of Chicago’s Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility (HCCRF) at 1150 N. North Branch Street accepts oil-based paints, aerosol paints, paint thinners and solvents such as mineral spirits, stains, paint strippers and sealers, along with many other household chemicals. It does not accept latex, acrylic or water-based paint. Posted drop-off hours are:

• Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Thursday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• First Saturday of every month, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The facility is for household waste from Chicago residents only. Businesses and large groups need a private disposal company. Don’t leave anything outside the gates after hours, and check the City’s page before you go, since it notes possible schedule changes during repairs.

Option 3: Dry Out Leftover Latex Paint at Home

For a can that is mostly empty, the City’s HCCRF page lists a few simple options for latex paint:

• Use it up. Paint scrap lumber or cardboard, let the empty can dry, then throw it away.
• Dry it up. Mix kitty litter, shredded paper or sawdust into the paint until it is solid. Once it is completely dry, throw out the dried paint and the can.
• Give it away. Neighbors, schools or theater groups sometimes want paint for small projects.
• Store it for touch-ups. Put plastic wrap over the opening before you close the lid so it seals tight and doesn’t leak.

This approach is meant for latex paint. Oil-based paint and solvents should go to the HCCRF or a PaintCare site, not the trash.

Spray Paint Cans and Empty Cans

The City’s Chicago Recycles What Goes Where page asks residents to keep aerosol cans out of the Blue Cart, since they cause safety problems at recycling facilities. Take spray paint to the HCCRF. For regular paint cans, the City’s guidance is to let an empty can dry out and then throw it away.

Living in the Suburbs?

PaintCare drop-off sites are open to residents across Illinois, so the locator works the same way in Cook, DuPage, Lake or Will County. For spray paint, solvents and other household chemicals, the Illinois EPA lists household hazardous waste collection events and long-term facilities, including sites in Naperville and Gurnee. Some one-day events require pre-registration, so check the listing first.

Clearing Out the Rest of the Garage or Basement

Old paint usually turns up during a bigger cleanup, often in the fall and winter when people clear the garage or basement. Junk Robbers does not haul paint, stains, solvents or other chemicals, so set those aside for a drop-off site. Everything else is a different story. Our crew can carry out old shelving, furniture, boxes, ladders, bikes and leftover remodeling scraps.

• See our garage cleanouts and basement cleanout services.
• Finished a remodel? Our construction debris removal crew handles drywall, flooring and lumber scraps.
• Check our What We Take page for the full list of items we haul and the ones we can’t.
• Planning a bigger project? Our fall garage and basement cleanout guide and pre-holiday cleanout checklist walk through it room by room.

Junk Robbers Inc. has been helping Chicago homes clear out since 2021, and every job gets an upfront quote before work begins. Read how to prepare for a junk removal service so pickup day goes smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions