Ridgefield's Annual Spring Clean Up is this Saturday — Here's Everything You Need to Know
The City of Ridgefield's free Spring Clean Up is back on April 18, giving residents a chance to haul off the stuff that won't fit in a weekly garbage can — from old appliances and paint cans to tires and yard debris. All you need is your mailed flyer and a loaded car.
If you've been eyeing that cracked old television in the garage, the paint cans stacked in the corner since 2019, or the tangle of yard debris from last fall's windstorm — this weekend is the time to deal with it. The City of Ridgefield's Annual Spring Clean Up returns April 18, and it's free for city residents.
The event is organized in partnership with Clark County, Waste Connections, and Green Neighbors, and covers everything from hazardous household chemicals to scrap metal to tires. Not sure if your address qualifies? The city will have mailed a flyer to eligible households — that flyer is your entry ticket and will be punched at the gate, so hold onto it.
How to Get There
The event runs across two locations — one for hazardous waste, and one for everything else. Plan your route before you leave the house and load your vehicle accordingly.
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1Load smart. Check the diagram on your mailed flyer and pack your car by station. It makes the drop-off line much smoother for everyone.
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2Approach from Pioneer Street and S 56th Place. That's your entry point into the event.
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3Station 1 — Hazardous Waste: Head to Public Works at 487 S 56th Place first. You do not need to hand over your flyer here.
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4Stations 2–8 — Everything Else: Follow S 56th Pl to S 6th Way, turn east, then south on Timm Rd to S 11th Street. You'll see two lanes to enter. Your flyer is punched here at the entrance.
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5Exit west on S 11th Street / Wells Drive and use Royle Road to head home.
What You Can (and Can't) Bring
The categories are broad, but each one has a specific list of accepted and excluded items. Scan the quick reference below before you load up.
Accepted
- Paint & adhesives/resins
- Batteries (all types)
- Motor oil & antifreeze
- Old fuels & propane cylinders
- Household chemicals
- Light bulbs, CFLs, fluorescent tubes
- Pesticides
Not Accepted
- Containers over 5 gallons
- Business / commercial waste
- Ammunition or explosives
- Biohazard / sharps
- Asbestos or smoke detectors
Accepted
- TVs, monitors
- Computers & laptops
- Tablets & e-readers
- Portable DVD players
Not Accepted
- Keyboards, printers, fax machines
- Cell phones
- Radios / sound equipment
- Appliances
Accepted
- Stoves, washers, dryers
- Hot water heaters
- Barbecues & metal sinks
- Items that are mostly metal (fluids drained)
Not Accepted
- Propane tanks or car bodies
- Trailers or greasy metals
- Dishwashers (go as garbage)
Accepted
- Passenger car, SUV, pickup truck, motorcycle tires
- Rims (accepted as scrap metal)
Not Accepted
- Tractor-trailer or oversized tires
- Tires from repair shops or dealers
Accepted
- Tree branches & trimmings (4 ft or less, 4" diameter max)
- Clean lumber & planks (no nails, no treatment)
Not Accepted
- Stumps, grass clippings, leaves
- Painted, sealed, or treated wood
Accepted
- Residential refrigerators & freezers
- Residential A/C units
Not Accepted
- Commercial equipment
- RV or automotive A/C units
- Block foam is not accepted at this event — find another disposal option for that.
- Secure your load before driving — the city asks everyone to cover and tie down materials to prevent littering en route.
- Garbage accepted is bulky/yard items only — not regular household or food waste, and definitely not construction debris.
- Cardboard must be clean — no food stains or grease.
- All fluid must be drained from scrap metal items before arrival.
The city is accepting volunteers ages 16 and up to help unload waste from vehicles into the trucks and trailers. It's a good few hours of honest work for a good cause. Sign up at cogran.io.
And one more thing worth knowing: Neighbors Helping Neighbors will be at the event accepting food donations. If you're cleaning out the garage, maybe grab a few cans from the pantry too.
Stick Around: Green Cleaning Workshop
Once you've dropped off your load and dusted off your hands, the Ridgefield Lions Club is hosting a Green Cleaning Workshop the same afternoon at the Ridgefield Community Library — that's the Allene Wodaege Community Room at 210 N Main Ave.
Attendees will get hands-on making an all-purpose cleaner and a window cleaner, plus take home recipes for two additional cleaners and a face cleanser. Supplies are available while they last — so don't dawdle after the drop-off.
