GIVE YOUR OLD PAINT NEW LIFE with PaintCare, an industry sponsored paint stewardship non-profit program established to manage the reuse, recycling and proper disposal of unused architectural paint. Follow PaintCare's 5-point plan and save money, save the environment, and save storage space:

• Buy Right
  Be a wise consumer and buy only what you need. Your local paint retailer can help you buy the correct volume of paint for your project. Purchasing the right volume of paint eliminates the need to store or dispose/recycle leftover paint and will save you money. When your painting project is complete, take a look in the can. If there is only a small quantity of paint left, use it up.
  

• Store Properly
  If your project is complete and you still have a fair amount of paint left over, store it properly for future use. For best results, cover the opening of the paint can with plastic wrap and securely seal the lid. Store in a place with a moderate room temperature to avoid freezing. Be sure to choose a safe location out of reach of children and pets.

• Reuse/Donate
  Now that you have safely stored your leftover paint, don’t forget about it. Leftover paint can be used for touch-ups or for smaller projects. Record the room name on the lid for future touch ups. You can also blend and mix extra latex paint to use as a base coat on larger jobs. If you can’t make use of the paint yourself, donate your useable leftover paint to a neighbor, community association, theatre company, church group or other local organizations.

• Recycle
  If using it yourself or donating is not an option, recycling or proper disposal is the next step. Many communities collect paint for reuse, recycling or as a last resort, proper disposal through local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection programs. Check Earth911.com or 1-800-CLEANUP, to learn about reuse, recycling and HHW collection programs that may be available in your community.

• Dispose Properly
  If there is not a paint recycling program in your area, you may need to dry and dispose of the leftover latex paint yourself. In regions that allow it, let your latex paint air dry in a safe location away from children and pets. A small amount of paint (less than 1/2 inch) in the bottom of a paint can is easily dried out by leaving the lid off. Once the paint is hard, discard the paint can with the lid off. Larger volumes of latex paint can be dried with absorbent material such as shredded paper or kitty litter. Recycle the empty can with the lid off and dispose of the dried out latex paint as garbage. If the paint in the can is solidified all the way through, it may be disposed of as garbage with the lid off. Air-drying of liquid alkyd or oil-based paint is not considered safe.

From Garage to Glorious - From Basement to Beautiful - From Storage to Spectacular