+1

As to AOL, do some searches on Alta Vista for corroboration

As long as you don't mind giving Google the legal rights to access the content in any and all emails you send or receive, by all means, use Gmail. After all, it is free for up to 15GB of data storage.

I've had a Gmail account since it was by invitation only, before it was officially released. I don't have any spam in my gmail inbox or the spam folder. The spam folder automatically deletes after 30 days so you shouldn't have to go in and delete it.

But then again, it shouldn't have any spam. Never use my Gmail account for public email nor have I ever given the address to anyone or used it anywhere. The only emails I get in gmail are from Google for the Google Maps location presences I manage for a few businesses.

What does this mean?
Are you just using a Gmail account?
Or is there a way to "wash" an AOL account via Gmail?
How?

IIRC Gmail can be used as a imap/pop client. Just tell it to suck in your AOL mail. How to Create a Continuous Forward From AOL to Gmail Emails | Business & Entrepreneurship - azcentral.com

The way he washes his email is...
He has his own domain and email server.
His MX record in his domain routes emails to a Gmail account.
Gmail forwards all non-spam emails to his account on his email server.
He is using Gmail as a hosted anti-spam service.

That way is email address is his own, something@hisdoman.com and not a Gmail address.

Kind of. EDIT. Link explains the same process. The title is a bit misleading as it's a fetch not forward but correct. I read it after I originally posted.

No, that would require a paid google corporate subscription which I have no need for. Also setting my MX to google then forwarding it back would create an endless loop.

1) Get a gmail account
2) Go to Settings -> Accounts and Import
3) Add external accounts under "Check mail from other accounts". During account info set up select "Label Incoming messages: stomachmonkey@hisdomain.com"
4) Set the "Send Mail As" option to "Reply from the same address the message was sent to"

So what happens is gmail acts like a mail client. It logs into and retrieves mail from the external mailboxes.

The added external emails will appear in gmail labeled as the external address. stomachmonkey@hisdomain.com

When replying gmail replies from the original address. stomachmonkey@hisdomain.com

You can use any mail client to access the gmail inbox.

Benefits are, no spam, all (if you have more than one) your emails in one place, backup for your email, the ability to access it from anywhere at anytime using any device.

I also use Gmail to "wash" all the accounts and domains I have, you can associate them with your Gmail-account and use Gmail to send the email on behalf of another domain.