Have you ever cleaned out your closet and loaded up your car with bags of items to donate, feeling good about giving back? While thrift stores rely on donations to stock their shelves and fund important community programs, not all contributions are welcome. In fact, many well-intentioned donations end up costing thrift stores time, money, and resources to properly dispose of. Understanding what thrift stores secretly hate receiving can help you become a more considerate donor and ensure your items actually help rather than hinder their operations.
Broken or outdated electronics that never sell
That old DVD player sitting in your garage or the printer that’s been acting up might seem salvageable, but thrift stores generally don’t have the resources to test or repair electronics. Most stores lack trained technicians who can verify if items work properly, and broken electronics often sit on shelves taking up valuable space. Even working electronics that use outdated technology like VHS players, cassette decks, and CRT televisions have extremely limited appeal in today’s market, making them difficult for stores to sell.
Additionally, electronics that don’t sell eventually become an expense for the thrift store, as they often have to pay special fees to dispose of them properly according to environmental regulations. Many thrift stores report that electronics are among their most problematic donations, especially large items like old desktop computers and TV sets. Instead of donating outdated electronics, consider taking them to specialized electronics recycling programs available in many communities, which are better equipped to handle these items responsibly.
Used mattresses and bedding with contamination risks
Mattresses top the list of items thrift stores consistently refuse to accept, regardless of how clean or gently used they might appear. The primary concern is bedbugs, which can quickly infest an entire store and ruin other merchandise. Even if your mattress is bedbug-free, many states have laws prohibiting the resale of used mattresses due to hygiene concerns. The bulky nature of mattresses also makes them difficult to store and move, taking up significant floor space that could be used for more sellable merchandise.
Similarly, used pillows, comforters, and other bedding items present hygiene challenges for thrift stores. These soft items can harbor allergens, skin cells, and even mold that isn’t visible to the naked eye. Many people understandably prefer not to purchase used bedding, making these items slow to sell when they do make it onto the sales floor. If you have bedding items to dispose of, check if your community has textile recycling programs that can repurpose the materials rather than sending them to a thrift store where they’ll likely be rejected.
Baby items with potential safety hazards
Parents looking to pass along outgrown baby gear might be surprised to learn that many thrift stores strictly limit what baby items they accept. This is primarily due to safety concerns and liability issues. Items like car seats, cribs, high chairs, and strollers are subject to frequent safety recalls and changing safety standards. A crib that was perfectly safe when purchased five years ago might now be considered dangerous due to updated regulations about slat spacing or drop-side mechanisms. Car seats, in particular, are problematic as they expire after a certain period and may have been compromised in ways not visible to the eye.
Baby items that have been recalled pose serious liability issues for thrift stores if resold to unsuspecting customers. Additionally, these items often arrive without instruction manuals, missing parts, or with wear that affects their safety features. Most thrift stores lack the resources to verify that each baby item meets current safety standards or to research whether items have been recalled. Instead of donating these items, check if the manufacturer offers a trade-in program, or contact local women’s shelters who might accept certain baby items in excellent condition directly from known sources. Always dispose of items affected by safety recalls rather than passing them along.
Used personal care products nobody wants to buy
One category of donations that thrift store workers find particularly frustrating is partially used personal care products. This includes opened makeup, lotions, perfumes, haircare products, and toiletries. While it might seem wasteful to throw away a barely-used bottle of expensive shampoo or a makeup palette with only one color sampled, thrift stores simply cannot resell these items. Health departments and store policies typically prohibit the sale of opened personal care products due to contamination risks and hygiene concerns. These items often arrive in donation bags mixed with acceptable goods, creating extra sorting work for staff.
Even unopened personal care products can be problematic if they’re expired, as the ingredients may have degraded or become potentially harmful. Scented products like perfumes and strong-smelling lotions pose an additional challenge, as their fragrances can permeate other donations and make them unsellable. Instead of donating partially used personal care items, consider offering them to friends or family members who might appreciate them, or check if unopened items can be donated to homeless shelters or women’s centers which often accept sealed toiletries. For opened products that can’t be passed along, proper disposal is the most responsible option despite the feeling of waste.
Stained or damaged clothing taking up storage space
When cleaning out your closet, it’s tempting to include everything in your donation pile, including clothes with minor stains, missing buttons, broken zippers, or tears. However, thrift stores prefer to receive clothing that’s ready to be placed directly on the sales floor. Items with visible damage or stains require resources to evaluate and ultimately dispose of when deemed unsellable. Many people mistakenly believe thrift stores have the capacity to repair damaged clothing or remove stains, but most don’t have dedicated staff for these tasks.
What makes this category particularly challenging is the volume—clothing represents the largest percentage of donations to most thrift stores. When a significant portion arrives in unsellable condition, sorting becomes time-consuming and expensive. Additionally, damaged textiles that don’t sell create disposal costs that eat into the store’s profits. Rather than donating stained or damaged clothing to thrift stores, look for textile recycling programs that can repurpose the fabric. Some clothing retailers also offer recycling programs where they accept worn-out clothing items to be recycled into insulation, carpet padding, or other products, keeping these textiles out of landfills while not burdening thrift stores.
Damaged or cheap furniture nobody will buy
Furniture can be one of the most profitable categories for thrift stores when the pieces are in good condition, but it quickly becomes a liability when damaged. Couches with sagging cushions, chairs with wobbly legs, tables with water damage, or any upholstered items with pet hair, stains, or odors are typically unwelcome donations. These items take up significant floor and storage space that could be used for more valuable merchandise, and they’re expensive for the store to haul away when they don’t sell. The labor required to move large, heavy furniture items in and out of the store adds another layer of cost.
Particleboard furniture poses a particular challenge. These inexpensive pieces from big box stores are often not designed to be disassembled and reassembled, making them prone to damage during moving. Once particleboard furniture shows signs of wear—like chipped edges, water damage, or loose hardware—its resale value drops dramatically. Quality furniture made of solid wood or metal tends to hold up better to use and moving, making it more desirable for thrift stores. Before donating furniture, honestly assess whether someone would pay to take it home. For damaged pieces, consider listing them as “free” on neighborhood sites, advertising them as restoration projects, or breaking them down for proper disposal rather than burdening thrift stores.
Hazardous materials requiring special disposal
One of the most problematic categories of unwanted donations is hazardous materials that require special handling and disposal. This includes items like paint cans (even if mostly empty), chemicals, batteries, pesticides, cleaning products, and anything flammable or potentially toxic. Thrift stores aren’t equipped to handle these materials safely, and accepting them creates significant liability issues. When hazardous materials are mixed in with other donations or left after hours, they put staff at risk and often result in additional disposal costs for the store.
Many donors don’t realize that even seemingly harmless items like partially used household cleaners or old cans of paint fall into this category. These items almost never have resale value and create headaches for thrift store staff who must identify them during sorting and arrange for proper disposal. Instead of trying to donate these items, look for household hazardous waste collection events in your community where these materials can be disposed of safely. Some retailers also offer take-back programs for specific items like batteries and electronics, providing a responsible alternative to improper disposal or inappropriate donation.
Large appliances taking excessive floor space
Refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and other major appliances are among the most challenging donations for thrift stores to handle. Their size and weight make them difficult to move, taking up valuable floor space and requiring significant staff resources to manage. Additionally, thrift stores typically lack the technical expertise to thoroughly test these appliances for safety and functionality. Even minor issues like a washing machine that leaks slightly or a refrigerator with an inconsistent cooling system can render these items unsellable, leaving the store with the burden of disposal.
Environmental regulations regarding the disposal of appliances containing refrigerants or other potentially harmful components add another layer of complexity, often requiring special handling and associated fees. While some larger thrift store operations might accept working, newer model appliances, many smaller stores simply don’t have the capacity. If you’re replacing a working appliance, consider selling it yourself or asking if the retailer delivering your new appliance offers a removal service for the old one. Some utility companies also offer programs that will pick up and recycle older appliances, sometimes even providing a small rebate as an incentive to remove energy-inefficient models from the grid.
Being a thoughtful donor means understanding what thrift stores can and cannot accept. By avoiding the categories of unwanted donations outlined above, you help these organizations fulfill their missions more effectively. Remember that items in clean, working condition benefit both the thrift store and those who shop there, creating a positive cycle of community support rather than adding to their disposal costs. When in doubt about whether an item would be welcome, call ahead to check the store’s donation guidelines—most are happy to clarify what they can accept and even suggest alternatives for items they cannot.
