You might need to dispose of your cheques if you have old information on them or you closed the account associated with them. No matter the reason, you should choose a proper disposal method to keep your financial and personal information safe and secure. 

Learn more about proper disposal methods below:

• Shred
• Bleach
• Wash
• Stamp

Shred

Shredding old cheques is one of the most effective ways to destroy them. There are a ways you can shred cheques:

• Use a home shredder
• Rent an industrial shredder
• Find a local office supply store that offers shredding services

If you choose to shred your cheques at home, always dispose of them in a secure, non-public garbage drop off. 

Bleach

If you don’t have access to a shredder, you can also bleach your cheques. Bleaching your cheques removes the ink from them which removes your personal and financial information.

To bleach your cheques:

1. Add some water and bleach to a large bucket
2. Put your documents in the mixture
3. Stir the cheques in the mixture
4. Remove the sterilized cheques and dispose of them
5. Safely dispose of the bleach mixture

Wash

Washing your cheques can be a good option if you need to dispose of a large amount. Like bleaching cheques, washing cheques also removes the ink off of them.

To wash your cheques:

1. Put your cheques in a fabric bag
2. Wash them in a sink or washing machine
3. Check that the ink has washed off the cheques
4. Dispose of the sterilized cheques

Stamp

If you only have a few cheques to get rid of, you can use an identity protection stamp. Identity protection stamps roll ink over your cheque to block out financial and personal information. You can buy one from an online retailer or office supply store.