Although dumpster diving isn’t complicated, there’s a few things you should know about it. That’s why we compiled this list choked full of dumpster diving secrets, tips, and recommendations. You’re going to learn exactly what you should and shouldn’t do to have a great trash picking experience.
1. Make Friends with Local Dumpster Divers
You’re not the first person to dumpster dive in your area. Why not make friends with the regulars? They could give you valuable tips tailored specifically to your locality such as the best and worst stores to dumpster dive. In fact we have a post about that very topic which you can find right here.
But where do I find these dumpster divers you may be asking yourself?
You’re very unlikely to run into them while dumpster diving yourself. You’re best bet is to find them through online forums. The largest dumpster diving community is on reddit, but there are many more forums out there on the internet if you know where to look. These are a great place to ask questions, pick apart the brains of more experienced dumpster divers, and see what others are finding. If you do manage to find an experienced dumpster diver in your area, you could arrange to go together and split your finds.
2. Inspect Every Item and Take Only What You Need
It’s important to look all your picks over before deciding to take them home. Oftentimes what looks like a great find can turn out to be the complete opposite. For example, you could open up a Walgreens trash receptacle to find several large plastic bags. You remember from past dives at Walgreens that those bags are filled with small goodies. You end up taking them without checking to see if this is actually the case and arrive back home to find a bag full of shredded cardboard. Not only did you psyche yourself out, but now you have the responsibility of throwing away someone else’s garbage.
Equally important, take only what you need. It may be tempting to load up on everything that looks remotely useful and could come in handy even though deep down you know you’re never actually going to use it. That’s called hoarding, not dumpster diving. Be serious with yourself. Ask if you are truly going to use something you take or let it sit in the corner to collect dust and be inevitably thrown away.
3. Learn Each Store’s Patterns Before Diving
It’s always a wise tip to learn about your location ahead of time. I recommend people who just started dumpster diving limit themselves to stores that they’ve actually shopped at. This could give you some important background knowledge of what to watch out for before committing to the dive. Maybe the manager has an intimidating persona. This may be a store you want to avoid since you don’t want to run into that supervisor while on your dive. Of course scouting out your target ahead of time is completely optional. However, this could ease any fears or misconceptions you have around dumpster diving if you’re new to this hobby.
Now let’s say you want to dive at a venue that you’ve never been to. There are still things you can do to mentally prepare yourself beforehand. You could look up the store’s hours which is something I insist every diver do regardless of their experience. When you get there, look to see how many employees are inside and if they’re actually working or idling. Preoccupied employees are unsuspecting employees. If the workers look like they have nothing to do, you may want to avoid the store since they have more time to focus on other things like you.
4. Have the Right Tools and Equipment
There are some basic tools and clothing that every dumpster diver should have before starting. For instance, I would highly dissuade diving without a pair of gloves. You can easily cut your hands or transmit pathogens to your steering wheel. It’s also not a bad idea to carry around some hand sanitizer. In addition to these pretty much required dumpster diving tools, there are some recommended and optional equipment such as a stepladder so that you can angle yourself more favorably or a gripper tool for hard to reach areas in a dumpster. Lucky for you, we’ve created a comprehensive list of these essential tools along with where you can buy them right here.
5. Dumpster Dive for Food Right After a Store Closes
The best time to dumpster dive at grocery stores is as soon as the last employee leaves. Grocery stores like Whole Foods will typically throw out unsold produce at the end of the day. Some of these products were just pulled from their refrigerators such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Eating these items are fine as long as you’re able to get to them before they’ve been sitting out unrefrigerated for the entire night. Finding these food items as soon as they’re tossed will help to maintain freshness.
If it’s winter in your area, this tip isn’t as important since food will likely stay cool throughout the night. Additionally, you will want to make sure that anything you do take home hasn’t been opened before. It’s not a bad idea to salvage packaged and non-perishable products like canned beans before moving on to items that could go bad easier.
6. Read All Signs
Reading all signs will help you stay out of legal trouble while dumpster diving. Although dumpster diving is legal in almost all parts of the United States that don’t have ordinances against it along with most other developed countries, you can still be charged for trespassing if the store makes it apparent.
Some stores will post “No Trespassing” signs near their dumpsters. It’s in your best interest to avoid these garbage receptacles to move on to greener pastures. You’ll also want to stay clear of dumpsters that have locks on them or locked fences around them as this is also considered trespassing. It’s tempting to climb over a barricade, but also dangerous and highly illegal. Don’t take these kinds of unnecessary risks if you want to make dumpster diving a long-term hobby of yours.
7. Lookout for Animals and Pests
A lot of small animals like squirrels and racoons will hide in dumpsters or look for food there. A cornered and startled animal in close proximity to you is not a good thing. They may resort to the only thing that they can do which is attack. Therefore, it’s wise to lightly tap the sides of a dumpster before peering to look inside it. You want to make your presence known and give critters enough time to escape before you block off their only exit. However, you don’t want to make your presence known among the people in the area so try to do this quietly.
8. Take a Shower Immediately After Getting Home
Are you going to sit on the couch when you get home to watch some television or are you going to clean yourself up? I hope you picked the second option. It’s critical for dumpster divers to practice good hygiene after a dive. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean the work has stopped.
Head straight for the shower and wash up. Make sure that you don’t miss hard to clean areas like the inside of your ears or beneath your fingernails. Rinse yourself with hot water, antibacterial soap, and don’t forget to use the shampoo. When you’re done, separate your dumpster diving clothes from your regular attire even if you have to wash them in separate loads.
9. Dumpster Dive with a Friend
Regardless of how many times you’ve dumpster dived, it’s always a good idea to go with a friend. They can keep you company and help you plan out your dive. More importantly, two eyes are better than one. They can alert you to strangers, spot items in the dumpster that you may have missed, or speed up the process.
To illustrate, you could look for things in the dumpster while your friend brings them to the van. By doing this, you could be in and out of a store in half the time it would take you by yourself. Even if say an employee spots you on their security footage, by the time they come out you may already be gone. It’s particularly important for your safety to dive with a friend if you’re going at night.
10. Don’t Dumpster Dive in Trash Compactors
Some stores use trash compactors as a deterrent to dumpster divers. You should take this deterrent very seriously. This isn’t an obstacle that you can overcome. Forgot about how it wasn’t a good idea to scale dumpsters in locked gates as we previously mentioned. Dumpster diving in trash compactors is literally a matter of life and death that can prematurely put an end to your dumpster diving experience.
I repeat, NEVER dive in a trash compactor. They can crush you in an instant. Even if there was gold inside of a dumpster, I wouldn’t gamble for it with my life and neither should you.
11. Bring a Large Vehicle
While not a necessity, a van with a large trunk area is recommended for dumpster diving. Nothing against Mini Coopers, but how are you going to be able to fit a simple coffee table or any furniture for that matter in it?
More storage space means that you can take larger items and dumpster dive for longer periods of time. The store you’re targeting may be far away from your home and driving back and forth is inefficient especially when you could have used that time to hit up additional stores. I understand that not everyone has a truck or van, but you should be using it if you have one.
12. Be Careful and Trust Your Instincts
By now you should know that dumpster diving is legal. Despite this, you will occasionally be asked to leave by employees or even law enforcement. Be respectful and obey their commands no matter what the circumstances are.
Your safety must always come first. If you have a gut feeling against a certain dumpster for whatever reason, just skip it. Be aware of your surroundings. Use common sense while dumpster diving and trust your inclinations. If a dumpster reeks of foul smelling odor, your health is more important than anything you may potentially find searching it. If you approach dumpster diving with the right precautions in place, you will do well for yourself.
13. Have Fun!
Regardless of why you’ve chosen to dumpster dive, you have to admit that it’s addicting. There’s no better feeling than popping open a lid to find a treasure trove of goods. Enjoy this journey! Dumpster diving is meant to be fun and rewarding. It’s supposed to be a hobby, not work. You never know what you’re going to find inside of a dumpster so appreciate it. It’s like a never ending scavenger hunt which is precisely why millions of people do it worldwide. Embrace the unexpected. Regardless of the monetary gain, dumpster diving can be a source of fulfillment for all ages and an opportunity to make use of things that would have otherwise gone to waste. We hope that you’ve learned a couple of useful tips or tricks from this list along with some secrets of the trade. Never forget to have fun!
Perhaps you want more information about dumpster diving. If that describes you, take some time to read this comparison of dumpster diving at different days and times of the week.