The many uses for old tyres

1. When you buy new ones at a tire store, request to have the old tyres recycled for you at hopefully no extra cost. 
2. You can contact a well-respected rubbish removal company that will remove them from your property and recycle them for you. 
3. Creative uses for old tyres include DIY options, such as playful and fun things to use indoors or outdoors.

IMPORTANT SUSTAINABILITY NOTE: Notice that we did not list the option to simply throw old tyres away in a rubbish bin or take them to a dump where they will sit for a very long time. The reason for this is because unlike your other household waste, tyres are made from non-biodegradable, flammable material that make leaving them in a landfill dangerous to the environment. Old tyres are usually not accepted in regular waste services - meaning you may never even see them leave your garden, unless you have them properly recycled or upcycle them yourself.

Let’s imagine a few creative old tyre ideas for use around your home, office, or outdoor living spaces:

CLEANING NOTE: Before you start any old tyre DIY projects, be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the tyre – and best to do this outside. Why not try Jeyes multi-purpose disinfectant spray to ensure you’re achieving a thorough disinfection!

OUTDOOR PLAY EQUIPMENT: If you have kids or grandkids, you know that outside play equipment can be very costly. With a bit of creativity, you can turn those old tyres into a great tyre climber and save money! Paint the tyres bright colours with non-toxic outdoor paint and don’t worry if the kids end up painting themselves more than the tyres – a stain removing detergent will get that paint right out! Next, stack the tyres up however you want to create the climber. You will need to bolt them together to make them safe, but it takes very little time, and this is something that you can create for free if you already have tyres and paint on hand.

After a full cleaning inside and out of repurposed tyres, one way to make sturdy and practical ottomans, tables, and many kinds of chairs is to wrap thick rope around the tire. For an ottoman, make a round board of some sort to create the top and then you basically just add the rope to cover the entire thing. It makes a beautifully rustic looking ottoman that is perfect for indoor use, or you could add it to your outdoor décor as well if you want. It’s quite easy to do and requires very few materials.

Funky, airy, and unique workspaces are all the rage for any type of creative professionals. Creative uses for old tyres might include: 

• indoor planter boxes made from 2 or 3 tyres stacked on top of each other
• wall planter box
• desk legs with a door of some kind for the desktop
• rubbish and recycle bins from painted and stacked 3-high repurposed old tyres
• picture frames for mirrors, cork board or white board
• hanging tyre lamps
• and just about anything you can think of! 

We hope you enjoyed our tips on what to do with old tyres. Be sure to check out our other sustainability and cleaning tips such as how to compost tea bags, The many uses for potato water and what to do with old socks.