What to do with your old rugs once you’re over them

The final destination of your rug is hardly on your mind while purchasing a piece for your home. But when the time comes to say goodbye to it, how to get rid of a common household staple is not exactly knowledge, let alone how to do it sustainably.

Rolling it up and sticking it out with the trash for collection feels wrong, and plopping it in your recycling bin is definitely wrong (and the sanitation department would agree).

If you’re reading this, chances are you appreciate diverting once-loved goods from rotting in landfills as much as we do here at Green Philly, which is why we’ve got you covered for where you can recycle your rug in Philly. Check below to find out where you can curb that cradle to grave dynamic rugs are typically subject to.

The following organizations accept rug donations, with most offering collection services, some require photo evaluations and descriptions beforehand for quality assurance so be sure to double-check their websites for specific criteria and hours.

Happy Re-rugging!

Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles

Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is a Philly donation-based furniture store with a purpose.

The mission at the heart of Uhuru Furniture is to “develop and institutionalize programs to defend the human and civil rights of the African community, and to address the grave disparities in education, health, health care and economic development in the African community”.

You can support their efforts to support sustainable economic development in Philly and rehome your rugs, a double win.

100% of their profits benefit the African People’s Education & Defense Fund. Furniture donated here is also tax-deductible, so ask for your receipt and save it!

Drop-off location:

832 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130; Wednesday – Sunday, 11 AM – 6 PM; 215-546-9616

Pick-up service:

Check their website to coordinate “free and fast” pick-up

Revolution Recovery

Revolution Recovery is committed to doing exactly what its name entails, revolutionizing the material recovery process. They take discarded construction materials from commercial businesses, residences, and landfills to repurpose them into new construction materials for other manufactures. They accept rugs and carpets in addition to a host of other materials from residential and commercial projects.

A true champion of reducing, reusing, and recycling, so much so that we did a whole story on them which you can check out here.

Drop-off location:

7333 Milnor St. Philadelphia, PA 19136; Monday – Thursday 6 AM – 5:30 PM, Friday 6 AM – 5 PM, Saturday 7 AM – 1 PM; 215-333-6505

Pick-up service:

Revolution Recovery does not offer pick-up services at this time.

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia ReStore

Habitat for Humanity is the biggest non-profit home builder worldwide, they provide crucial opportunities for housing and aid for those who are otherwise financially restricted from such necessities.

If you want to both recycle your rug and support the Habitat ReStore, donate your gently used rugs here! 

Drop-off location:

2318 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19146; Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 3 PM; 215-739-9300

Pick-up service:

Complete their online form to schedule a donation pick-up!

Philadelphia Furniture Bank

The Philadelphia Furniture Bank (PFB) was created by Pathways to Housing PA to serve as a material resource for social service organizations in Philly. Their mission is to assist individuals and families transitioning out of temporary housing to permanent housing by furnishing homes. Organizations and individuals working with Pathways to Housing can visit the PFB to pick out furniture for their new homes.

The PFB depends on donations from individuals and businesses to execute their mission, from single items like rugs to full furniture sets and beyond, curbing waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills whilst giving a hand to our neighbors. All in all a powerful testament to sustainability’s ability to serve multiple causes at once!

Drop-off location:

3650 I St, Philadelphia, PA 19134; Monday – Thursday, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM; 215-291-9830

Pick-up service:

The furniture bank encourages drop-offs to curb trucking expenses, but if not an option for you contact PFB for possible accommodations

The Salvation Army Family Store & Donation Center

Donations to the Salvation Army’s Family Store generate funds for their Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where individuals struggling with substance abuse are provided a safe environment and opportunity to rehabilitate their lives. Take your gently used rug to any of their donation centers or schedule a pickup to help support their cause and renew your rug’s purpose!

Drop-off location(s):

6432 Rising Sun Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19111; Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM; 800-728-7825

6427 Torresdale Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19135; Tuesday – Saturday, 9 AM – 6 PM; 800-728-7825

4555 Pechin Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19128; Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM; 215-483-3340

Pick-up service:

Pick-up for your rug can be scheduled here!

Goodwill

Goodwill is a household name amongst non-profit organizations in the country, you’ve probably procured a few gently used goodies from one of their donation stores yourself. Fortunately, in Philly, there are numerous locations that accept rug donations, alongside used clothes, accessories, and large furniture items.

Goods donated here are also tax-deductible, so ask for your receipt and save it!

Drop-off location(s):

5050 Parkside Ave. Philadelphia PA 19131; Monday – Saturday, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM; 215-879-1570

5400 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia PA 19128; Monday – Saturday, 9 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM; 856-439-0200

7061 Lincoln Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19119; Monday – Saturday, 8 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM; 856-439-0200

330 West Oregon Ave. Whitman Plaza Philadelphia, PA 19148; Monday – Saturday, 9 AM – 7 PM, Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM; 215-463-5054

Pick-up service:

Call any of the donation centers to inquire about pick-up arrangements

Philly AIDS Thrift

Philadelphia AIDS Thrift is a non-profit that accepts all types of clothing and household items for sale, including your gently used, donated rug. Philly AID Thrift gives proceeds from sales to local organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Drop-off location:

710 S. 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147; Wednesday – Saturday, 11 AM – 8 PM; 215-922-3186

Pick-up service:

Philly AIDS does not offer pick-up service at this time.

More alternatives to trashing rugs

If for some reason the above choices are inaccessible or reject your donation, try to find your rug another home by posting it in buy/sell groups such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, Etsy, and OfferUp.

No matter what you end up doing it is not a good idea to leave it out for trash collection, not just because we want everyone to champion sustainable practices here at GP, but the streets dept typically won’t accept them.

Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash

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Jada is a West Philly native passionate about environmental justice and climate adaptation in the city. Currently she is a Program Coordinator for the Overbrook Environmental Education Center, but in her spare time she enjoys spending time in nature, mixing music and tending to her plants. View all posts by Jada Ackley