In This Article:
- Why This Isn't Just a Trash Day Question
- Step 1: Check the Capacitor Before You Move It
- Drop-Off Centers in Wichita Falls
- Wichita Falls Rules
- Curbside and Bulk Pickup
- Other Options
- Common Mistakes
- Tex's Take
- FAQ
August in Wichita Falls, the microwave finally quits, and now there's a bigger question sitting on the counter than what's for dinner. You can't just set it on the curb on a random Tuesday and hope. Wichita Falls doesn't collect small electronics with regular trash, and the city's bulk pickup program is written for washers, dryers, and stoves, not countertop appliances. This is what actually happens to a dead microwave once it leaves your kitchen, and where the gaps in the city's own rules leave you needing to make a phone call first. If you're clearing out more than one appliance, our guide to window AC unit disposal in Wichita Falls covers a similar gap in the city's rules.
Why This Isn't Just a Trash Day Question
A microwave is small enough to feel like a non-issue and awkward enough that most people get it wrong. It's not accepted in a curbside trash cart because of the circuit board and metal housing, but it's also not automatically covered by the city's white goods bulk program, which names washers, dryers, and stoves specifically and leaves microwaves out. That gap is exactly where people end up guessing, and guessing is how a microwave sits in a garage for eight months.
Step 1: Check the Capacitor Before You Move It
Unplug it and leave it unplugged for at least an hour before you load it into a vehicle. Microwaves store a real electrical charge in the high-voltage capacitor even after you pull the plug, and that charge doesn't disappear the second the power cuts off. You don't need to open the case or discharge it yourself. Just don't stack heavy items on top of it or toss it around like a box of towels. If the door still latches and it heated food normally before it died, hold off on scrapping it. That's a donation candidate, not a recycling one.
Drop-Off Centers in Wichita Falls
| Center | Address | Phone | Hours | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ScrapMine (scrap metal & electronics recycling) | 4515 Allendale Rd, Wichita Falls, TX 76310 | (940) 696-6999 | Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 8am–1pm, Sun closed | Unconfirmed for microwaves specifically — call ahead to confirm |
| City of Wichita Falls Transfer Station | Call for directions — street address not listed on the city's own page | (940) 691-7631 | Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 10am–4pm | Free for residents with proof of primary residence; $57.53/ton otherwise |
Curbside and Bulk Pickup
If you want the city to haul it, call the Sanitation Office at (940) 761-7977 and ask directly whether a microwave qualifies under the current bulky waste request, since the published rules only spell out major white goods. The current Payload Bulk Service fee schedule shows a $33.50 initial trip charge plus $3.10 per minute of loading time, though an older version of the same city page listed $31.20 and $2.10, so confirm the number when you call rather than trusting either figure blind. Trash and bulk pickup days depend on which side of Kell Freeway you're on: Monday and Thursday north of it, Tuesday and Friday south of it.
Other Options
Best Buy has a national electronics recycling program, and their own published terms specifically exclude microwave ovens from what they'll take in-store, right alongside washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers. If a guide anywhere tells you to drop your dead microwave at Best Buy, that guide hasn't read Best Buy's own policy. Skip it.
For more on getting rid of other appliances around Wichita Falls and beyond, browse our Electronics & Appliances section.
If yours still works, Goodwill and local thrift stores around Wichita Falls generally take small working appliances, though individual store policy on whether they test them first varies by location. Facebook Marketplace works fine for a functioning unit too, and it skips the disposal question entirely. For a dead one, ScrapMine is your most direct local option since they already handle both scrap metal and electronics.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming it counts as a "white good" for free bulk pickup without calling to confirm first
- Driving it to Best Buy expecting them to take it
- Setting it at the curb on a non-bulk trash day, where it likely won't be collected
- Prying open the case to "check" it instead of just leaving it unplugged and undisturbed
Tex's Take
The city's own bulk pickup page is the tell here. It lists washers, dryers, and stoves by name and stops there. Nobody wrote a line for microwaves, which means the answer isn't in a document anywhere, it's whatever the person who picks up your phone call decides that day. That's not a knock on the Sanitation Department. It's just how a small appliance falls through a gap built for big ones.
Scrap it, don't donate it, unless it still actually heats food. Just the smart move here.
FAQ
Can I put a microwave in my regular trash cart in Wichita Falls?
No. It's too large and contains components the city doesn't want going through standard collection. Use bulk pickup, self-haul, or a scrap recycler instead.
Will Best Buy recycle my old microwave?
No. Their published recycling terms exclude microwave ovens specifically, along with other built-in kitchen appliances.
Does ScrapMine pay for microwaves?
Unconfirmed. They're a scrap metal and electronics yard, so it's worth a call, but don't drive over expecting cash without checking first.
Is there a free city electronics drop-off event in Wichita Falls?
None found on the city's official site as of this update. If one exists, it isn't publicized where residents would find it. Call the Sanitation Office to ask if anything is scheduled.
Data last verified June 2026 against official City of Wichita Falls solid waste sources and Best Buy's published recycling policy. Hours, fees, and accepted items can change without notice. Call ahead before making a trip.
Two calls settle this faster than any amount of searching will. Call ScrapMine at (940) 696-6999 to ask if they'll take it, and if not, call Sanitation at (940) 761-7977 before you load up the truck.
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