- 1). Turn off the light switch that controls the power to the bulbs that you will be removing. For added safety, you may also shut the power off at the main circuit breaker to minimize the risk of electrical shock.
- 2). Remove the plastic light cover by unclipping one side of the cover at a time. Fluorescent light covers do nothing more than hang in place. Older light fixture covers may have become brittle with age, so be careful not to flex the plastic any more than is required to avoid damaging the cover.
- 3). Grip both ends of the fluorescent bulb and twist the bulb counterclockwise 90 degrees, or until the bulb begins to drop out of the contact channel easily. Carefully lay the bulb on a flat surface so it does not break. Handle broken bulbs with gloves to avoid contact with the mercury in the gas inside the bulb. Undamaged bulbs are safe to handle without gloves.
- 4). Lay fluorescent bulbs inside a cardboard box for safe and easy transportation, and take them to a recycling center. The Home Depot takes old fluorescent bulbs and recycles them for you at no cost. There are other online resources that ask for your zip code and will then tell you where to take your bulbs. One is LampRecycle.org.
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