# Old couch (how to get rid of it) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532 "2001-09-29T22:06:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/21 "2001-09-30T15:07:46Z")
Do you have any laws in the USA about seconhand furniture and dangerous materials ?. Here in the UK it is illegal to buy or sell old furniture that contains inflammable (and toxic fume producing) polyurethane. Because of this charity shops and welfare organizations will not take your old furniture. I just reduced my sofa to small pieces with a saw and took it to the local dump. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/22 "2001-09-30T18:45:54Z")
I know how _not_ to get rid of an old couch. A coworker of mine was moving, and he decided that the best way to get rid of his couch was to throw it in the lake in front of his apartment. Couches float. He had a couch bobbing up and down in front of his apartment for a few days. He was worried that he would have to push it out in to the center of the lake and set it on fire to get rid of it. Luckly it got waterlogged and sank before his landlord came over to inspect the place. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/23 "2001-09-30T19:56:01Z")
Why, you could simply drop it off outside of any [Waffle House](http://www.wafflehouse.com/) and some nice person will take it and place it in their front yard. —fleeing rapidly in fear----- 😃 😃 😃 : D ( I live for that place, you get me near one, I eat. PERIOD. **Scattered, smothered and covered** - my Epitaph. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/24 "2001-09-30T20:24:42Z")
Getting rid of couch. Yeah, I know what you mean, it’s a bastard of a job. The stuff’s got runners everywhere. If you don’t want to use poison, you have to wait until winter when it’s dormant and pull out everything by hand. And if you miss a bit, it’s back … Oh, you mean couch as in furniture, not the type of grass? Much easier, in Sydney, the kerbside scavengers offer the best Trash and Treasure recycling service in the known universe. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/25 "2001-09-30T20:54:37Z")
[ul] [li]Wait until local college football team loses the Big Game.[/li][li]Get drunk.[/li][li]Drag couch into the middle of the street.[/li][li]Set on fire.[/li][/ul] At least, that’s how they do it at Ohio State. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/26 "2001-10-02T01:54:09Z")
I agree with everyone who says give it to a student. I had a table with four chairs and a recliner that we didn’t want anymore. I mentioned the pieces to my co-workers and it wasn’t long before the niece of one of them snatched 'em up. I didn’t have to worry about hauling them anywhere or anything. They made arrangements to come by my house and they left with the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/27 "2001-10-02T02:03:47Z")
[AccessOKC.com](http://AccessOKC.com) in oklahoma city has free classifieds…they are related to cox enterprises, so they may have a sister site in your town… ---
**Author:** ![scampering\_gremlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@scampering\_gremlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scampering_gremlin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/28 "2001-10-02T04:19:20Z")
I recently called Goodwill and the Salvation Army about an old sofa of mine. Goodwill doesn’t send trucks to do pickups anymore and the Salvation Army is extremely picky. Setting it out on the street corner might get rid of your problem, but it’s just as likely to stay put and be christened by the local dogs. A better solution might be to contact some other local charity and arrange to drop it off. Halfway houses and battered women’s shelters are constantly helping people make the transition to independent apartments. If the sofa still has some life in it I’d try to put it in the hands of someone who really needs it. There’s an excellent homeless shelter in my town. They’ve always been polite and appreciative. ---
**Author:** ![cw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@cw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cw)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/29 "2001-10-02T05:01:47Z")
Hell, I’m a student and don’t have a couch, I’ll take it! ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532/30 "2001-10-02T18:35:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GilaB \* > \*\*If you live anywhere near a college, put up a few signs saying “FREE COUCH” and a phone number/email address. Students really don’t care much about looks in their furniture. \*\* What I said, jeela, only I wouldn’t even bother with the contact info. Sounds like a good way to solicit crank calls or spam. (Yeah, I know… it’s Gila with a G.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-couch-how-to-get-rid-of-it/84532.md?page=1)