Donating items to Goodwill?

Question

Does anyone know? When you donate items to Goodwill, do they wash clothing sheets and other items before they put it out to sell. Do they make minor repairs to items or are these items just discarded. Do they have restrictions on some items that they just would not except.

Answer 1

They are bound by state laws, for one thing.  In New York, you cannot donate any "personal" items--mattresses, sheets (but blankets and duvet covers are OK), down comforters, anything like humidifiers, etc.  Where there are training programs (mostly Salvation Army), they DO fix things (such as furniture) as part of the retraining program for substance abusers and homeless, for example.  You need to check with your local charity.

Answer 2

No, they neither repair or clean the items.  They request "clean" items.  Many unrepaired items are sent over seas in bulk

Answer 3

I don't think they would have time  or help to do any washing.  You have to wash it when you get it home or take clean items to them.

Answer 4

They usually don't clean or repair items in our area. Unsaleable stuff is usually turned away at the donation station, or if it is discovered later, thrown away.

Here is Goodwill's Do's and Don'ts

http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about...

For the undonateable stuff, try your local Freecycle group to give it away and keep it out of the landfill. Go to freecycle.org to find a group near you.

Answer 5

i agree with the other answer...however, i do know that items they don't sell instead of passing on to homeless shelter ect...they literally trash...