How to Dispose of Air Filters

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 1, 2022 References

The vast majority of air filters contain fiberglass, which cannot be recycled.^{[1]
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Research source} In addition, the air filter’s job is to absorb pollutants, dust, and debris, so the filter can’t be processed at a recycling plant even if it doesn’t contain fiberglass. Since there are no exchange programs and the filter cannot be reused, you, unfortunately, have to throw it in the trash. If you are looking to decrease your carbon footprint in the future, buy reusable filters that can be washed and reused for years to come.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Throwing Air Filters Away

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Place the used air filter in a plastic bag that’s big enough to hold your filter. Get a plastic bag that’s big enough for your specific air filter. For furnaces, vehicles, and air purifiers, your filter is likely 8–16 inches (20–41 cm) on each side, so grab a large plastic bag. Refrigerator filters tend to fit in the palm of your hand, so get a small shopping bag. Make sure there are no holes in the bag and spread the top of the bag open. Carefully slide the old filter into the bag.
- You can use a paper bag if you prefer, but the corners of the filter may puncture the bag and leak dust and dirt all over the place.
- This process is identical for furnace, air purifier, vehicle, and refrigerator filters. All of these filters basically look and operate the same, and they’re all roughly the same size with the exception of the refrigerator filter.
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Tie or tape the bag to keep the dust from floating around. If the bag has handles, tie them together and pull the handles tight. If you have a lot of excess plastic on the top of the bag, twist it up and tie it into a knot to secure the bag. You can also use duct tape to wrap the top of the bag tight and keep it from coming undone.

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Place the filter outside in the trash to have it picked up. If you leave the bag in your indoor trash can, it may get punctured the next time you throw something out. Take the bag out to your outdoor trash can and leave it inside the bin. The bag will be disposed alongside the rest of your trash the next time your trash collector picks your garbage up.^{[2]
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- You can store the filter in your garage or backyard and simply wait for trash pickup day to keep it out of your home if you don’t have an outdoor garbage can.
Tip: Put your new air filter into the furnace, car, air purifier, or refrigerator before turning it back on.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing the Filter on a Furnace

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Turn your HVAC system off while removing the air filter. If you have a digital thermostat, press the power button on the control box to temporarily turn the heat or air off. For analog systems, If the heat is on, turn it low enough on the thermostat that it won’t kick on for a while. If you have central air and it’s hot out, turn the thermostat high as it goes to keep the air from coming on.^{[3]
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- You don’t need to shut the entire system down by flipping the power switch on the furnace, but you can if you’d really like to. This will also keep air from pumping through the furnace.
- Throw on some nitrile gloves and a dust mask if you have allergies.
Tip: Most air filters need to be changed every 3 months. Consult the instruction panel on your furnace to see if your unit is different.
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Find the air filter cover where the duct leads into the furnace. Follow the large duct leading into the side or top of the furnace to find the air filter cover. On some furnaces, it may be near the bottom 1/3 of the furnace instead. Look for a panel that is roughly 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) thick and 12–16 inches (30–41 cm) wide. It will have sliding switches or screws holding it in place.^{[4]
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- The cover on the filter may be vertical or horizontal. You can always refer to the panel on your furnace or the instruction manual if you can’t find the cover.
- If there isn’t a filter on the furnace, look just behind the vent for the return line in your home. The return line is typically the largest vent and it’s almost always on the main floor of the home. Just unscrew or slide out the vent cover to see if there’s an air filter behind it.^{[5]
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Open the cover with a screwdriver or by hand to access the filter. Once you find the filter, look at how it’s attached to the furnace. If there are screws or brackets holding the cover in place, grab a screwdriver and remove the screws. If there are sliding switches, move both of them to unlock the filter. You may have to hold these switches in place to remove the cover.^{[6]
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- Some cheaper furnaces won’t have anything holding the air filter in place. You can just pull these filters out by the edge of the cover.
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Slide the filter out of the furnace by hand. Once the air filter is exposed, simply pinch the edges of the cardboard frame and pull it out of the furnace. Pull it out slowly to avoid knocking dust and pollen all over the place.^{[7]
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- If the frame of the filter is metal or aluminum, be extremely careful when removing it. You may cut your fingers if you grab it by a corner.
- If any of the junk from the air filter fell to the floor when you removed it, run a rag or cloth under some water. Wring the excess water out and wipe the furnace and floor to pick up the debris.^{[8]
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Tip: If you can’t get the filter out, grab a pair of pliers and pinch the exposed portion of the cardboard frame to pull it out.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Vehicle, Fridge, and Air Purifier Filters

1
Open the hood and remove the plastic cover to take out a vehicle filter. Pop the hood on your vehicle and look for a plastic box connecting to a large tube. Flip the tabs connecting this box to the frame of the vehicle with your fingertips and lift the top of this box off. Inside, there is an 8–12 in (20–30 cm) air filter. Lift this filter out by hand to remove it.^{[9]
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- The air filter box will usually be pretty dirty after removing the filter. Vacuum this box before installing your new filter.
- You typically don’t need any tools to remove the plastic box that covers the filter. Some vehicles may require a screwdriver to remove 2-3 screws holding the box in place, though.
2
Unscrew the filter cover in the back of the refrigerator to remove it. Open your refrigerator door and look on the back panel at the top for a rectangular cover. On some machines, you turn this cover to the left to unlock it. On other machines, you may need to unscrew the filter from the panel. Remove this cover from the machine and turn it over to find the air filter, which basically looks like a miniature furnace filter. Pop the filter out with your fingertip to remove it and replace the filter.^{[10]
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- If there are vents on the back but you can’t remove the cover, you may need to reach out to a fridge repair service to remove the filter.
Tip: Many refrigerators do not have an air filter. If your fridge is older and there are no vents in the back, you probably don’t have a filter.
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Remove the grill on your air purifier or humidifier to access the filter. Unplug the purifier or humidifier. Then, if you have 2 tabs on the grill, press them in to unlock the grill and slide it out. If there aren’t any tabs, look for a recessed lip on the edge of the grill and pull on it to pop the grill off. Inside, there will be 1-3 filters depending on the design of your humidifier or purifier. Pull these filters out by hand to remove them.^{[11]
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- Some humidifiers and purifiers have a slot on the top of the machine where the filter slides in or out. On these machines, you can typically press a button to unlock the filter or you can pull it out by hand to remove it.