When the cold sets in, the electric blanket comes out of the bottom of the cupboard where it has sat since last winter. Before you switch it on, it is worth a closer look. An old electric blanket is one of the quieter fire risks in a Melbourne home, and the safe fix is usually to retire it rather than chance another season.
The Country Fire Authority links electric blankets to around 14 house fires a year in Victoria, and an old one can set a bed alight within about a minute of being turned on. Here is how to tell when yours has had its day, why it cannot go in the bin, and how to get rid of it properly.
When to retire an old electric blanket
Electric blankets do not last forever. Most manufacturers suggest replacing them around every 10 years, and sooner if one has been folded, stored badly or well used. Pull yours out flat and check for:
- Scorch marks, discoloured patches or a burnt smell
- Frayed fabric, or heating wires you can feel kinking through it
- A damaged cord, cracked controller or loose plug
- Hot spots, or patches that stay cold, when you test it
If you find any of these, stop using it. Energy Safe Victoria warns every winter against switching on heating gear that has not been checked, and a blanket is the one appliance you lie on top of all night.
Why an old electric blanket cannot go in the bin
An electric blanket has a heating element and a power cord, which makes it e-waste. E-waste has been banned from landfill across Victoria since 2019, so it cannot go in your rubbish bin. It is not a kerbside hard rubbish item either: most councils, Stonnington included, leave anything with a plug or cord on the nature strip.
That rules out the easy options, but the right one is simple enough.
How to dispose of an old electric blanket
You have a few options, all of them better than the bin:
- Drop it at an e-waste point. Most Melbourne councils run free e-waste drop-off at their transfer stations or selected sites. Search your address on Recycling Near You to find the nearest.
- Add it to a recycling run. If you are already clearing other e-waste, like an old TV, kettle or computer, take the lot together.
- Book a pickup. If the blanket is part of a bigger clear-out, or you would rather not make the trip, we will take it with everything else.
One tip before you store the replacement: roll it rather than fold it. Folding cracks the heating wires over time, which is how a lot of blankets end up unsafe in the first place.
Clearing out more than a blanket?
Old electric blankets tend to surface during a winter cupboard clear-out, alongside other tired electricals and bits that have been put off. If that is your weekend, It’s Done can take the e-waste, the old furniture and the general household rubbish removal in one go, and sort what can be recycled from what cannot. We cover Prahran, South Yarra and the rest of Melbourne’s inner south and east.
If you have an old blanket and a pile of other things to shift, give the team a call on (03) 9820 1927 for a free, no-obligation quote, and we will clear it on a day that suits you.
Frequently asked questions
No. An electric blanket has a heating element and a cord, which makes it e-waste, and e-waste has been banned from Victorian landfill since 2019. It needs to go to an e-waste drop-off or a pickup.
Most manufacturers suggest about every 10 years, and sooner if it has scorch marks, frayed wires, a damaged cord or cold spots when you test it.
At a council e-waste drop-off or transfer station. Search your address on Recycling Near You to find the nearest point, or book a pickup with your other items.
Only if it passes a check. Lay it flat and look for damage; if the wires, cord or controller show any wear, retire it. The CFA links electric blankets to around 14 house fires a year.
Yes. We collect e-waste like electric blankets along with furniture and general household rubbish, and sort what can be recycled. Call (03) 9820 1927 for a free quote.
