Thrift stores rely on people’s generous donations to keep their shelves stocked. However, not every donation is helpful to them. They’re often looking for items in good condition with a decent resale value. If you frequently donate your items to nearby thrift stores, you must be aware of these 12 things that the stores secretly wish people would stop donating.
Broken Electronics
People often donate unused or old electronics that may be slightly broken or malfunctioning. Many thrift stores avoid accepting such broken electronics because they may have missing parts, faulty wiring, outdated software, etc., rendering the items unsellable.
Items like blenders, microwaves, air conditioning units, and other malfunctioning appliances are prone to fires because of poor maintenance, making them risky for thrift stores.
Baby Gear That’s Recalled
Thrift stores don’t prefer accepting baby gear, like cribs, walkers, car seats, etc., that have been recalled by the manufacturer for safety reasons. Even though much research and planning goes into making baby products, manufacturers may fail to identify when some parts may become a potential choking or suffocation hazard to children, raising serious safety concerns.
Since most people are unaware of recall lists, they unknowingly donate products recalled from retailers due to structural defects, outdated safety standards, choking hazards, etc. It leaves thrift stores responsible for researching every donated baby item, which is highly impractical and time-consuming.
Used Underwear
Donating used underwear at thrift stores is a big no. Research shows that even clean underwear contains 0.1-10 g of fecal matter.
This bacteria has the potential to make the wearer ill. Even if you clean your underwear, boxers, briefs, etc., it isn’t something you should donate to thrift stores. Lingering hygiene issues are another reason why thrift stores don’t want to accept used underwear.
Expired or Opened Food Items
While thrift stores accept various items, they shouldn’t be treated like food banks taking food donations. People should stop donating expired or opened food items because they pose serious health risks to individuals.
Consuming food items after their expiry date can cause food poisoning, resulting in symptoms like diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, etc. Opened food items are also unfit for donation because they may develop harmful bacteria over an extended period and lose their nutritional value, making them unhealthy for consumption.
Old Mattresses
Because of their hygiene and safety concerns, old mattresses are among the most commonly rejected items at thrift stores.
Most old mattresses store dust mites, dead skin cells, and several allergens, which can trigger severe allergies, asthma, and even respiratory diseases. Mattresses kept in unsanitary conditions are even worse for thrift stores because they exhibit gross smells and stains, making them unfit for reselling.
Stained or Torn Clothes
Most thrift stores don’t have the budget to repair every garment piece they receive. They don’t have the resources to wash clothes before selling, so they often accept ‘clean’ and untorn clothes.
People should avoid donating clothes with visible stains or damages to thrift stores because they have little to no resale value. If you have plenty of stained or torn clothes taking up space, consider upcycling them or giving them to any textile recycling program over thrift stores.
Personalized or Monogrammed Items
If you have personalized items, such as a coffee mug with your partner’s name on it or your grandparents’ image on a cushion cover, there is a high chance that thrift stores won’t accept them.
The same goes for items like a monogrammed bathrobe, engraved jewelry box, custom wedding albums, etc. While these items may hold deep sentimental value to owners, thrift stores and original retailers struggle to resell these items. Even if some stores repurpose these items, they are sold at a sunken cost.
Damaged Furniture
Furniture donations are useful only when they’re in good condition. Damaged furniture, like wobbly tables, broken chairs, stained couches with missing cushions, etc., are more of a burden to thrift stores as they don’t have the resources to make all the necessary repairs before selling.
Additionally, selling damaged furniture can be dangerous to people buying them, straining customers’ trust in thrift stores. For example, a damaged stool or ladder can collapse, causing individuals to fall and sustain injuries. Splintered wood from damaged furniture can cause cuts, bruises, and other injuries.
Half-Used Beauty Products
Most thrift stores will refuse to accept half-used beauty products due to hygiene and safety concerns. According to a dermatologist, using shared or previously used makeup and skincare products can pave the way for serious health concerns.
For instance, applying eye makeup owned by someone else can cause conjunctivitis (pink eye), using second-hand lip products can transmit cold sores or oral infections, and using shared brushes or applicators can spread bacteria or fungal infections like ringworm.
Anything that Smells Bad
Thrift stores cannot sell items with a strong, off-putting smell as it is unbearable to many individuals. If you plan to donate any item that smells bad or unpleasant, there is a high chance that thrift stores may refuse to accept it.
While some second-hand cloth buyers are comfortable with the ‘thrift store smell’ and willing to make efforts to eliminate the odor, not many buyers will do it, impacting thrift store’s sales of such items.
Leftover Paint
If you have leftover water-based paints over 2 years old, avoid donating them to thrift stores. These paints usually expire after 2 years, especially when stored incorrectly. The paint tends to thicken and separate over time, making it unusable.
Another reason thrift stores don’t accept leftover and expired paints is because of potential health hazards. These paints grow bacteria over time, developing a sour smell that may cause discomfort to those sensitive to certain smells.
Bulky and Oversized Items
Most thrift stores have oversized items on their rejection list because they take excessive floor space and offer limited resale appeal. Large items such as sleeper sofas, large cabinets, bulky washing machines, refrigerators, treadmills, etc., are too expensive to repair and have little demand in the second-hand market.
Many customers avoid buying these items from thrift stores because they have to arrange for proper transportation, making it a difficult purchase.
