Liquid paint can't go in the trash, down the drain, or on the ground. In California, leftover paint is handled by PaintCare, a free take-back program — hundreds of paint and hardware stores accept leftover house paint, stain, and varnish at no charge.
📷 Scan an item with your phoneFind a PaintCare site at paintcare.org — many Sherwin-Williams, Dunn-Edwards, and independent paint stores are drop-off points. They take latex and oil-based paint, primer, stain, and varnish, up to 5 gallons per container.
Both are best taken to PaintCare. If you have a little latex (water-based) paint left and no drop-off nearby, you can dry it out completely — stir in cat litter or a paint hardener until solid — then the dried solid can go in the trash. Oil-based paint is hazardous and must go to PaintCare or household hazardous waste, never the trash, even dried.
A completely empty, dry metal paint can goes in the recycling; a can with wet paint does not.
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