How to Get Rid of Anything
Straight answers for Pittsburgh, including the options that cost you nothing.
The City of Pittsburgh collects two bulk items per week with regular residential refuse pickup, at no charge, and does not take construction debris, household hazardous waste, electronics, or Freon appliances at the curb. These guides cover every route for the items people get stuck with, starting with the free ones.
Most of what people call us about has a do-it-yourself answer, and we would rather tell you what it is. Each guide below lays out every option in Pittsburgh, what the City actually accepts, which donations get refused and why, and the point where hiring someone stops being a luxury and starts being the sensible call.
Does the City of Pittsburgh Pick Up Bulk Items?
Yes. City of Pittsburgh single-family homes and apartment buildings with five or fewer units can set out two bulk items a week with regular refuse pickup, at no charge. Here are the City's rules in one place.
| Limit | 2 bulk items per week |
|---|---|
| Cost | No charge for 2 or fewer |
| Scheduling | Set them out with your regular refuse pickup. The City only asks you to call for more than 2 items |
| Set-out window | 6 PM the night before to 6 AM on collection day |
| On the City's bulk list | Sofas, recliners, tables, mattresses, box springs, dressers, stoves, washers, dryers, toilets, hot water tanks, windows, cabinets, and carpet or fencing in bundles up to 35 pounds and 5 feet long |
| Not collected | TVs, computers and peripherals, Freon appliances, household chemicals and hazardous waste, demolition and construction waste, batteries, light bulbs, tires, and car parts |
| More than 2 items | Call 412-255-2773 for a special pickup. The City bills $173 for the first hour and $54 for each hour after |
| Bed bugs or roaches | Wrap or seal the item in plastic, or it won't be collected |
| Who it covers | City of Pittsburgh single-family homes and apartment buildings with five or fewer units. The City doesn't collect from bigger buildings, and suburbs run their own programs |
Sources, checked October 12, 2026: City of Pittsburgh: Bulk Pick Up, City of Pittsburgh: Curbside Refuse, City of Pittsburgh 2026 trash and recycling mailer (PDF), City Code Chapter 619 (who the City collects from).
Have something the City won't take? See the guides for a TV, a refrigerator, old paint, or tires.
Pick Your Item
How to Get Rid of a Couch
Curbside, donation, recycling, or hauled away. Here is what actually works.
Read the guide
How to Dispose of a Mattress
Pittsburgh disposal options, and the one rule that surprises people.
Read the guide
How to Dispose of an Old Refrigerator
Refrigerant rules, the utility rebate most people miss, and the easy way out.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of an Old Washer and Dryer
Disconnect it safely, then pick the route that fits your basement stairs.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of a Piano
The hardest thing in the house to give away, and why.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of a Hot Tub
Drain it, cut it, or have it carried out in one piece. Here is the real process.
Read the guide
How to Dispose of a TV
Pennsylvania law says it cannot go in the trash. Here is where it can go.
Read the guide
How to Dispose of a Propane Tank
It cannot go in the trash, and you should not try to empty it yourself.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of Old Paint
Latex and oil-based follow completely different rules. Here is which is which.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of a Treadmill
Nothing legally special about it. Everything physically difficult about it.
Read the guide
How to Dispose of Old Tires
Regulated separately in Pennsylvania, and refused almost everywhere else.
Read the guide
How to Get Rid of an Old Grill
The tank comes off first. After that it is mostly scrap steel.
Read the guide
Pittsburgh Disposal FAQs
Does the City of Pittsburgh pick up bulk items?
Yes. City of Pittsburgh single-family homes and apartment buildings with five or fewer units can set out two bulk items a week with regular refuse pickup, at no charge. Sofas, tables, mattresses, box springs, dressers, stoves, washers, dryers, toilets, and hot water tanks are on the City's bulk list. Items go to the curb between 6 PM the night before and 6 AM on collection day. For more than two items, the City says to call 412-255-2773 for a special pickup, billed at $173 for the first hour and $54 for each hour after.
What will Pittsburgh not take at the curb?
The City doesn't collect TVs, computers and their peripherals, Freon appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners, household chemicals and hazardous waste, demolition and construction waste, batteries, light bulbs, tires, or car parts. Wet and oil-based paint are out too. Those go through the City's e-waste and household chemical vendor, a drop-off site, a transfer station, or a utility recycling program instead.
Is it cheaper to do it myself?
In cash, usually yes, and these guides start with the free options for that reason. The honest trade is time and risk: a truck, a second person, a drive to a transfer station, and a staircase. When the item is heavy, awkward, on an upper floor, or attached to gas, water, or refrigerant, paying someone is often the better call.
Do you charge to quote a pickup?
No. Quotes are free. Call (412) 226-4500 with what the item is, what floor it is on, and how the truck would reach it, and you will get an arrival window and a price before anyone lifts anything.
Rather Not Do It Yourself?
Same-day service across Pittsburgh, 7 days a week. Free quote before any work starts. Call or text and we will give you an arrival window.