Old appliance disposal in Charleston, SC

Most towns in the Charleston area pick up old refrigerators, washers, dryers and stoves at the curb, in a pile set apart from other trash. Take the doors off a refrigerator or freezer first, since most towns ask for that. Hanahan collects appliances on Tuesdays, Sullivan's Island wants the freon removed, and Kiawah Island doesn't pick up large appliances at all. You can also drop appliances at a county convenience center, or donate one that still works.

Curbside pickup, town by town

Most towns call refrigerators, stoves and washers "white goods" and collect them in their own pile at the curb. The big differences are which day, whether you call first, and what to do with the doors.

Where you live	How appliance pickup works
City of Charleston	Separate pile at the curb on your regular day, on the date Environmental Services assigns. Drain water heaters. Doors and drawers off white goods
North Charleston	Separate white goods pile on trash day, out no more than 48 hours early. Refrigerator and freezer doors off
Mount Pleasant	Curbside on garbage day by 7 AM, apart from yard debris. Refrigerator door off, opening face-down
Summerville	Monthly bulk pickup, in the 2nd and 3rd full weeks. Doors on refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers secured
Goose Creek	Request before 7 AM on trash day: 843-824-2200 or the City's online form. Refrigerator and freezer doors off
Hanahan	Metals and appliances every Tuesday, citywide
Moncks Corner	Call Town Hall (843-719-7900) by 3 PM Tuesday for Wednesday pickup, 2 bulk items a week
James Island (James Island PSD)	Counts as a bulk item: up to 2 a week, on your yard debris day
Folly Beach	Appointment needed for stoves, refrigerators, washers, dryers, water heaters and window AC units. Metal and white goods go out Fridays
Isle of Palms	Refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers with miscellaneous items: Wednesday to Friday until May 29, 2026, then Wednesdays from June 1 to September 4, 2026
Sullivan's Island	Wednesdays; call Town Hall (843-883-3198) first for large items. Freon removed and doors removed or secured on refrigerators and freezers
Kiawah Island	Large appliances not picked up. Small appliances go with quarterly Brown Trash

Hanahan's Tuesday pickup covers washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, window AC units, dishwashers and push mowers. It doesn't take central AC units.

Sullivan's Island asks for the freon to be removed from refrigerators and freezers but doesn't say how. Call Town Hall at 843-883-3198 before you set one out.

Kiawah Island's rule for large appliances

Kiawah doesn't pick up refrigerators, washers or dryers at the curb. The Town gives two options: bring them to Town Hall during the household hazardous waste collection, from 9 AM to noon, or hire a private disposal service. The Town's page doesn't list the collection dates, so call 843-768-9166 to find the next one.

Drop it off yourself

Every county takes appliances at its drop-off sites, if you have a truck or trailer to get them there.

Charleston County: appliances, including refrigerators, grills and water tanks, go in Zone 3, the scrap metal area, at the full-service convenience centers. Bring a photo ID with a Charleston County address. The Signal Point Road center doesn't take appliances. The County's pages don't mention freon, so ask the attendant or call (843) 720-7111 if your refrigerator still has it. See Charleston County convenience centers.
Berkeley County: all 10 convenience centers take old appliances and scrap metal. They're for Berkeley County residents with a valid photo ID, and pickup-sized vehicles only. Hanahan residents can use the Luken Road center, 275 Luken Rd. See Berkeley County convenience centers.
Dorchester County: appliances are taken at the Knightsville, Oakbrook, St. George, Givhans and Sandy Pines sites. Vehicles are limited to 3/4-ton pickups and single-axle trailers. See Dorchester County convenience sites.

Donate it if it still works

A working appliance may find a second home through a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Dorchester Habitat ReStore in Summerville takes working appliances and HVAC units, and picks up large items free for Dorchester County residents. It doesn't take water heaters.
Berkeley County Habitat ReStore in Goose Creek takes appliances and picks up free when they're outside your home, like in the garage, on the porch or in the driveway.
Charleston Habitat ReStore takes items in good, sellable condition, with nothing broken, stained or damaged. Pickups in the Charleston area are booked online; the page doesn't say whether pickup is free.
The Salvation Army's national pickup service takes working appliances that aren't built in, but not gas appliances. We couldn't confirm that it serves Charleston-area ZIP codes, so enter yours on its pickup site first.

Pro tip if the appliance still works, try a ReStore pickup before you haul it yourself. Dorchester's picks up large items free for county residents, and Berkeley's picks up free from your garage or porch.

Hire someone to haul it

A refrigerator or washer is heavy and awkward, so a crew can make sense if it's in a basement, upstairs or far from the street. National cost guides put refrigerator removal at $50 to $150 (Angi, 2024 data) or $100 to $200 (Fixr, January 2025). LawnStarter puts a large appliance at $50 to $150, with an average of $120 (December 2025). HomeAdvisor lists major appliances at $75 to $400 (2025). These are national figures, not Charleston quotes. See our junk removal cost guide for more.

Before you put it out

Keep it separate. North Charleston wants white goods in their own pile and won't collect mixed piles, and Mount Pleasant wants appliances kept apart from yard debris.
Don't put it out early. North Charleston allows 48 hours before pickup.
Clearing out the garage too? See our guide to paint disposal in Charleston, since most towns won't take wet paint at the curb.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to take the door off a refrigerator for curbside pickup?

In most towns, yes. North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Goose Creek say refrigerator and freezer doors must be removed. The City of Charleston's FAQ says white goods need doors and drawers removed, while its trash page says to remove or secure them. Summerville says doors must be secured. Taking the door off meets every town's rule.

Will Kiawah Island pick up an old refrigerator?

No. The Town doesn't pick up large appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers. You can bring them to Town Hall during the household hazardous waste collection, 9 AM to noon, or hire a private disposal service. Small appliances can go out with the quarterly Brown Trash pickup.

Can I take an old appliance to the Charleston County dump?

Yes, if you live in Charleston County. Appliances, including refrigerators and water tanks, go in Zone 3, the scrap metal area, at the full-service convenience centers. It's free with a photo ID showing a county address. The Signal Point Road center doesn't take appliances.

Will Habitat for Humanity take a used washer or refrigerator?

If it works, possibly. The Dorchester Habitat ReStore takes working appliances and picks up large items free for Dorchester County residents. The Berkeley County ReStore takes appliances and picks up free from your garage, porch or driveway. Charleston Habitat takes items in good, sellable condition with nothing broken.

How much does appliance removal cost?

National guides put a refrigerator at $50 to $150 (Angi, 2024 data) or $100 to $200 (Fixr, January 2025), and a large appliance at $50 to $150 (LawnStarter, December 2025). These are national figures, not Charleston quotes.

Bottom line

For a broken appliance, the curb is the cheapest route: take the doors off, set it apart from other trash, and follow your town's day or call-ahead rule. If it still works, a Habitat ReStore pickup may take it off your hands. If it's too heavy to get to the curb, a junk removal crew can carry it out.

How do we know this?

We check every rule, address and hour on this page against the official source, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.