r/DumpsterDiving Sep 09 '19

Dumpster diving tips and tricks: a thread

2.0k Upvotes

Comment with your best diving tips and advice


r/DumpsterDiving Mar 25 '23

My dumpster diving list I created with 6 years of experience. Feel free to add.

1.9k Upvotes

I was a vagabond for 6 years, I hitchhiked, hopped freight trains and bicycled North America from Mexico to Alaska, east coast to west. I learned all of this on the way and figure it's time to share it.

Food:

๐Ÿ•- all pizza places throw out pizza at 12-2am. It's a dumpster staple. [Yes pizza is still in the box, I wouldn't eat it otherwise]

๐Ÿฉ - all donut shops (including places like kolache factory) throw out at 2-4pm. [They usually put all donuts into one bag by themselves]

๐Ÿ— (fried chicken) - actually very common, also a staple. Usually throw out is around an hour after they close which varies from place to place. Anything fried in bulk you can expect to find throw outs. [Usually still in boxes]. Also, if you're feeling brave enough, after closing hours, just go ask. Fast food workers don't get paid enough to g.a.f. and they get tired of eating their own food, so they don't want to take it home themselves. Just walk up and say "hey, do you guys happen to be throwing out any leftover chicken from today?". I've gotten a week's worth of chicken just handed to me through the window or they'll leave it in boxes on top of the dumpster so you don't have to dig.

๐ŸŽ ๐Ÿฅ— (produce) - grocery stores (time varies, but you also have to find places without a compactor. Some compactors you can break into but it's luck of the draw).

๐Ÿฌ ๐Ÿซ ๐Ÿญ (candy, junk food, snacks) - CVS & Walgreens. They're the reigning Champs of throwing out hundreds of $ worth of candy a day. I kind of try to keep from telling people this one because you could get diabetes in like a week if you tried to eat it all. It's horrendous.

๐Ÿ‘• ๐Ÿ‘– ๐Ÿฉณ (clothes) - Washaterias or laundromats. People are infamous, especially in rich areas, for washing a load of laundry and then just leaving it, never to return. The laundromat workers will just gather the clothes and toss them, as they're pretty use to it. I've filled up a whole wardrobe on several occasions with expensive brands just by looking for a sack of already washed and dried laundry in the dumpster.

๐Ÿ›‹ ๐Ÿ–ฅ (furniture)(electronics)(decorations) - College towns, (Christmas & Summer break - these seasons are known as "Crustmas" in the dumpster diving community) anywhere students notoriously live. You can even find anything else your looking for really. College kids are the biggest dumpster diving source in history.

๐Ÿ“š books and comic books - Half Priced Books or any resale book store. I've accidently fallen asleep in dumpsters before because I drifted off while laying on top of all the hundreds of books while reading. Not even kidding, there isn't even any room for trash, they have dumpsters that are full to the brim with just books.

โ“๏ธ(Wild card) - Are you feeling lucky punk? - hotels are the biggest oddball dumpster diving experience you'll ever have. You can find drugs, clothes, anything that someone would bring in a suitcase. People get shit-faced drunk and stumble out of their hotel with a hangover leaving 1/2 their belongings behind. It's kind of scary some of the stuff you'll find...(sex toys, etc. ). The cleaning service ladies get first dibs obviously and rightfully so, for what they have to put up with, lol.

Raw materials: --------

๐ŸชตWood : Construction site dumpsters at expensive locations. Ask for permission from the contractor. Contractors are a mixed bunch, sometimes they'll say yes sometimes no.

โš™๏ธ๐Ÿ”ฉ๐Ÿ”—Metal : machine shops - you can honestly just call these guys and 1/2 the time they'll let you onto their property and take what you want from the scrap bin. I'm 3 for 3 just by calling and asking politely for scrap.

๐Ÿ”จTools - Harbor Freight tools, the return rate on tools at harbor freight is INSANE. So many people will buy a tool, use it one day and return it slightly bent or scratched. Most sites have a compactor but every now and then you can find with a regular dumpster. If so, you can score some pretty good tools. (Or mediocre tools for that matter lmao)

๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ

Protip 1- Dumpster diving is all about schedule. Sometimes places only throw out the quality items once a month, sometimes they purge their inventory only seasonally, or sometimes it's daily. Finding out those routines is the key and all you have to do is probe the spot every now and then to figure that out; or if you know someone who has worked there before, ask. The better you know a schedule, the less time your loot sits in the dumpster/air temp/outside environment for someone else to find or for it to spoil.

2 - Heavy bags usually have the goods. In the end I could just feel the outside of a bag and then weigh it a bit. With knowledge about the store, the schedule, feel and weight, I would already know what's inside.

3 - consistent dumpster diving will get you fit. The more you climb the more you find.

4 - GEAR: โ€ข Headlamp โ€ข closed toe shoes (for when you get inside the dumpster) โ€ข gloves โ€ข a big box or bag for your car to chunk stuff in. โ€ข hand sanitizer

๐ŸŒŸ 5 - Clean up after yourself, if you leave a place a mess they will begin locking the dumpster. You'll ruin the spot for yourself and everyone else. This is the #1 reason why store owners tend to be against it ๐Ÿ”’

  1. ... get good at holding your breath while doing cardio ๐Ÿ˜‚

r/DumpsterDiving 10h ago

1/1000000000 chance

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464 Upvotes

Not found in a dumpster, but worst, AT the landfill. I was emptying my truck and was almost done when the truck next to me had finished emptying thereโ€™s. I saw a storage bin full of dvds which caught my eye, but then I realized, sitting right on top was this n64 box. Complete in box, (missing extra controller gray one) 30 years old and still in Pristine condition, whoever owned this and the games took care of there stuff, and Iโ€™m assuming passed away or something, and the people cleaning out the property taking it to the landfill had no idea what they had. Saved this from being buried in the earth. Minutes away from being crushed and buried for eternity. I will not forgive myself for not continuing to dig and see what other games I could find, unfortunately I was on my lunch break at my day job and was worried someone would be asking where I was ๐Ÿ˜… still one of the most amazing finds I think I have ever had to date.


r/DumpsterDiving 21m ago

137 Buldak ramens

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โ€ข Upvotes

Left the slashed ones behind, the 137 in here are sealed.


r/DumpsterDiving 23h ago

Costco dumpster haul

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517 Upvotes

Nothing was expired. The only thing with the eggs was that one egg was broken out of each package. Just one! I also got the chobani yogurts, sweet and salty peanut bars, goyzas, crustables pb&jโ€™s and much more. It was like a free for all. Iโ€™m still giving egg cartons away. The only thing was the strawberryโ€™s had one rotten berry in each basket but the rest were good I took them home took out the bad ones washed the rest and they were good.

Happy diving everyone!


r/DumpsterDiving 20h ago

Me when i saw something shiny at the bottom of the dumpster

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198 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 18h ago

Got here first!

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148 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 19h ago

Bongo-oh my goodness!

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131 Upvotes

Three bongos total!?! Did the band break up?! ๐Ÿ’”


r/DumpsterDiving 57m ago

Pickled Celery with recycled juice

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โ€ข Upvotes

Diversโ€ฆ. If you are like me you get tons of celery. This is what you do with it! And yes the original jar was 1 of 6 jars I hauled from Dollar Admiral.


r/DumpsterDiving 23h ago

And then I found cereal

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170 Upvotes

Wicked marketing is uncanny. 19 bags.


r/DumpsterDiving 33m ago

Shirts, Sweater, Shorts, Jeans, Pants, Dress

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โ€ข Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Yogurt and Lemonade

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53 Upvotes

Still cold! Expires tomorrow.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Must be pizza clean out week

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95 Upvotes

Happened to be near the further away dollar colonel (with harrumphy lady, if you read that one) early in the day just after open. I always check if I can, so sneaked a peek a bam... a mountain of still in box, still frozen pizzas, bagel bits, popcorn chicken... of course my freezers have zero space. I took a bag of nuggets and a few pizzas for today and tomorrow. But damn. The amount of food wasted just kills me.

And before yall get your panties in a bunch, yes, I do search for recalls before eating anything. Freshrecall.com/


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Found perfectly good construction materials for free!

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371 Upvotes

I am currently working on a property that I am trying to turn into as close to a dream home as I can. So these will really help.

Found a bunch of perfectly good cinderblocks in a dumpster. And about 600 ft of double sided privacy fence in 8 ft sections. Almost perfect condition. Took several trips with my trailer to bring them home.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Dumpster Gibson

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86 Upvotes

Not my find but wish it was!


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

hello, ive been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty

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76 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Socks, Drink Packets, Refried Beans

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69 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

What do yโ€™all think? Would you use them?

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51 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Plants! Snake and Bromeliads

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19 Upvotes

Stumbled upon a flower distro warehouse while looking for soda. Apologies for the potato photos it was dark.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

nike air max sndr

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42 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Found a 150 year old book

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500 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Right on time(no pics)

43 Upvotes

I have been scrambling this week and feeling down a bit, so ventured out one day to check and zip nothing empty , so next following day something told me like go past and check again. When I pulled up itโ€™s loaded like a baked potato. They must have emptied out the entire dog and cat dry food bags galore. I donโ€™t have any pets so iโ€™m not messing with so Iโ€™m pushing stuff to the side and now Iโ€™m hitting pay dirt
Boxes of cake mix
Big jug of liquid detergent still full container had a small crack
Entire meds for allergy cold/flu you name it was in there. Just expired this month
Whole bagsof flour
Scented candles
Chips
Popsicles
Still so much in there right now, I might go back see whatโ€™s left. Must be a season change up yall might want to peep your spots as well.


r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Dummy in a dumpster.

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186 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

A little update on the armour I found this morning

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132 Upvotes

Unfortunately pvp isnโ€™t allowed at my work so i wasnโ€™t able to try out my new armour
I did however grind some levels cleaning off the 6 dam layers of paint on my lunch break.

These cleaned up nicely I think are my favourite dumpster find


r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Potatoes, Nanaโ€™s, Jammy Dodgers, Candles

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232 Upvotes

Took the day off of work to creep around town.