With increasing cases of identity theft, you don’t want to be careless with your documents. As such, you’re constantly looking for effective ways to get rid of your confidential waste.
One way to do this is by using shredders. However, you might just be out of touch with a shredder. Still, there’s no way you’re taking a risk by just leaving your document lying around. Well, you don’t need to take such an unnecessary and damaging risk.
There are various ways you can get rid of your confidential documents without a shredder. We bet we’ve got your attention now. Well, we don’t plan on disappointing.
In this article, we’ll show you 10 amazing ways to get rid of confidential documents without a shredder. This way, the absence of a shredder doesn’t threaten your security. Now, let’s get right to it.
10 Amazing Ways to Get Rid of Confidential Documents Without a Shredder
1. Shred the Waste Using Your Hand
Our first option is quite straightforward; you shred the document. However, in this case, not with a shredder. You do the shedding with your hands.
All you need to do is meticulously tear the document apart. However, ensure that you focus on sensitive areas. You’ll need to ensure that you reduce these sensitive parts into small, unintelligible pieces.
Now, once you’re done, proceed to dispose of the pieces in a trash can. However, avoid disposing of them in the same trash. It would be best to dispose of them in different trash cans. This way, it’s harder for people to put them together.
Regardless, remember that this isn’t exactly the most secure option. As such, you’ll want to focus on shredding it properly.
2. Burn the Confidential Waste
We’ve got to start by telling you that this isn’t exactly the most efficient way to dispose of your confidential waste. However, it’ll get the job done if you’re looking to keep those documents secure.
All you need to do is add those documents to a fire pit. However, remember to shred those documents into smaller pieces with your hand just before. This way, you can avoid large parts of it flying away from the fire pit and still intact.
Now, remember that fire built from paper alone isn’t the best bet for you. You’ll want to opt for something more efficient. This way, none of your documents escape. You might want to go for a fire pit or a wood stove.
Regardless, no matter how you burn it, remember one important thing. Ensure you confirm that creating such a fire isn’t illegal in your area. This way, you don’t commit a breach of the law.
3. Compost the Confidential Documents
Like we said, burning your documents isn’t exactly the most efficient way. Well, this is partly thanks to the fact that it isn’t eco-friendly. Now, this is where our third option comes in.
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to dispose of your confidential waste without a shredder, then this works perfectly. You can compost the documents. You can do this alongside your filters, food, and coffee.
You’ll have the paper break down in the compost pile within weeks. It will perform the great role of making carbon available to your compost. And, of course, you can say bye to the confidential information.
However, remember to cut it into pieces before composting. This will ensure that the paper breaks down a little faster. Also, you don’t want to just add it all at once. This will affect the balance of your compost. As such, you want to take it easy and in batches.
Now, remember that this option doesn’t work for every paper type. As such, avoid composting paper with toxic chemicals such as glossy papers. They’ll only affect your plants negatively. It would be best to dispose of them through other means.
4. Use a Multi-Cut Scissors to Destroy the Confidential Documents
Our next option is the use of multi-cut scissors to get rid of confidential waste. Now, this option is like shredding a confidential document. However, in case what you use is multi-cut scissors. They are like a shredder, only cheaper and manual.
You might want to try out this option if you find shredding with your hand stressful. The multi-cut scissors deliver multiple cuts in one go. This way, you can get your confidential document reduced to waste faster than ever.
However, you’ll need to keep in mind that these scissors aren’t as secure as the cross-cut shredder. This is because multi-cut scissors work like a strip-cut shredder. As such, it would be best to combine this option with others.
For instance, you could use the multi-cut scissors to cut your documents before getting them into your compost pile. With this, you’ll be sure that there’s no risk of a security breach from such a document.
5. Soak the Confidential Documents
Another alternative to using a shredder on the document is soaking it. We’ve got to say; this is as effective as it gets. All you need to do is get all the documents into a bucket of water. Viola, you’ll have a batch of an unreadable document that no one can use against you.
Now, remember that this option requires a level of patience from you. You’ll need to wait a while to let the document soak as much as 24 hours. This way, there’s no risk that some documents survive the soaking process.
It still doesn’t stop there. Once you’re done soaking, you’ll need to go a step further. At this stage, ensure that you mix the paper thoroughly. This way, the paper breaks up effectively.
Once you’ve given the paper enough time to break down, you can drain the can. Then, you can go on to dispose of what’s left of your confidential document. If you’ve done this the right way, there should be nothing close to readable in the can.
6. Censoring
Usually, the need to shred is to protect your confidential information. Like we said, your security is the most paramount thing. However, that doesn’t always mean destroying the whole document in pieces.
There are other ways to secure your confidential information before you drop it off in your garbage can. And one such way is through censoring. All you’ll need to do is get a black marker. With it, you can black out the area with sensitive information. However, remember that you want to black it out from the front and the back.
Alternatively, you can use a hole puncher. This appears more effective as it gets rid of the area with confidential information. However, this can appear somehow stressful. As such, it would be best to try it out where the document contains minimum confidential information.
Also, after censoring the document, you might want to take extra security measures. And that’ll be to divide the documents into separate trash cans, somehow far from each other. This way, intrusive elements can connect the dots.
7. Pulping
Another effective way to get rid of your confidential waste is through pulping. However, we’ve got to warn you; this method is quite labor-intensive. Regardless, it’s an effective method that involves the use of bleach.
Typically, this bleach destroys ink and breaks down the paper. In turn, this ensures that the document is unreadable. Still, you want to exercise caution if you decide to go with this method. This is because it can be dangerous to your skin. So, get some protective gear and only handle it in a well-ventilated room.
Now, if you decide to go with this alternative, here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Get a bleach-resistant can and add half a gallon of bleach to it.
- Mix it with five gallons of water
- Add the documents to the can and completely submerge them. You want to use a stick to do this. It would be best to put them in batches if you have a considerable number of documents.
- Wait for about 24 hours, allowing the bleach to work on the documents.
- Use an electric mixer to merge the documents into pulp. You’ll want to ensure that every single document or piece get fully blended.
Now, you should have your document fully unintelligible. All you need to do is allow it to dry. Once it gets dry, you can add it to your trash.
8. Hire a Shredding Service for Your Confidential Documents
Shredding seems to be one of the most secure ways to dispose of your confidential waste. As such, even if you don’t have a shredder, it just might still be attractive to you. Well, we’ve got you covered.
While you don’t need a shredder in your office or home, you can still have a shredder do the job. In this case, all you’ll need to do is hire the services of a shredding company.
Once you find one, you can contact them. Afterward, they’ll have someone pick up the documents for you. Then, they’ll shred the documents on your behalf. See, you still don’t have to get a shredder.
Now, remember that this isn’t the most secure option. Sure, these companies assure you of your privacy. However, there’s still a risk of a breach. As such, you might want to find other alternatives from our list for highly confidential documents.
9. Wash the Confidential Waste
You must have had some paper in your pocket while you washed at some point. Well, this is where this disposal idea comes from. Ordinarily, water damages your documents. Now, the extra force provided by the washing machine ensures that the document gets rendered unintelligible.
All you need to do is put the paper through your washing machine. However, you can’t do this directly. So, get a lingerie bag or stocking. Then, place those confidential documents inside of them.
Afterward, you can place it in your washing machine. You’ll want to tie the mouth of the bag to avoid it getting ripped into the machine. You can then thrash the remains afterward.
10. Mulching
Another effective alternative to get rid of your confidential waste is through mulching. This is a great option if you’ve got a garden. All you need to do is destroy the paper using a wood chipper.
Afterward, you can add them to your yard waste. It functions as an effective mulch that will ensure your garden thrives. The great thing about this is that no one will head to your garden looking for confidential documents.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that keeping your confidential waste secure is a top priority. That’s why shredding is very much favored today. However, using a shredder isn’t the only way to get rid of your confidential waste.
As such, in this article, we’ve introduced you to ten amazing ways to get rid of your confidential waste without a shredder. However, keep in mind that some options are more effective and safer than the other. Regardless, pick one or more and be sure to stay secure.