727-893-7398
or SeeClickFix, to schedule a Special Pickup before anything goes out
Free
furniture, TVs, computer equipment, and appliances on a scheduled Special Pickup
5
Brush Sites, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, free for yard waste, metals, and appliances
Every route for carpet and rugs in St. Petersburg, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full St. Petersburg guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in St. Petersburg, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
St. Petersburg Special Pickup: carpet and rugs
Free, with a step firstRolled carpet is a free Special Pickup item.
Who qualifies: Properties paying an active City of St. Petersburg Sanitation collection charge.
How to schedule: Request a Special Pickup through SeeClickFix (a photo speeds it up) or call 727-893-7398 before putting anything out. Furniture, TVs, computer equipment, and standard household items are picked up free; large accumulations, building materials, and brush are quoted at $25.65 per cubic yard. Set items out only on your confirmed date.
Limits: Free for ordinary household bulk items; fees for volume loads. Yard waste is not collected curbside at all.
Set-out: At your normal collection point (curb or alley) on the confirmed Special Pickup date, not before. Unscheduled items are left.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in St. Petersburg: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering carpet and rugs, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in St. Petersburg: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
St. Petersburg, Florida (#85 nationally) is one of the few major cities where the City Sanitation Services directly provides residential collection, not contracted to a private hauler. The City of St. Petersburg Sanitation Services serves more than 76,000 residential accounts. Trash is collected on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, OR Friday depending on your zone, there is NO Wednesday trash collection. Bi-weekly recycling runs on a 8-zone color-coded system. Special bulky pickup is request-based: call (727) 893-7398 FIRST to schedule before placing items at the curb. The City operates 5 free brush sites open 7 days/week 9 AM-5:30 PM. HHW is handled at the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex. This guide covers every disposal option for City of St. Petersburg residents.
The St. Petersburg rule for carpet and rugs: Rolled carpet is a free Special Pickup item.
Program basics: Free for ordinary household bulk items; fees for volume loads. Yard waste is not collected curbside at all. At your normal collection point (curb or alley) on the confirmed Special Pickup date, not before. Unscheduled items are left.
What the city will not take: Hazardous waste, liquids, commercial waste, and yard waste (five free Brush Sites instead).
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of St. Petersburg Sanitation: Special Pickup, City of St. Petersburg: Brush and Recycling Sites. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why carpet and rugs are different from ordinary bulk. The volume is the first surprise. Carpet rolls do not compress, and a whole house of carpet can be 500 to 1,000 pounds spread over 15 to 25 rolls. Bulk programs set item limits that a whole-house removal exceeds, so staged pickups or a hauler are often needed.
Three mistakes that get carpet and rugs left at the curb:
Paid options are for whole-house tear-outs that exceed bulk limits and for contractor-generated carpet, which residential bulk programs exclude.
Self-haul to a transfer station or recycler
$20 to $80Rolled carpet loads easily into a pickup or trailer. Transfer stations charge by weight; carpet recyclers charge a small per-pound fee or accept free where stewardship programs exist.
Weigh it in your head: about 0.5 pounds per square foot for carpet, 0.25 for padding.
LoadUp paid carpet pickup
$80+For St. Petersburg households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (construction debris, hazmat), or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tampa Bay area for upfront-priced pickup.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your carpet. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book carpet pickup in St. Petersburg with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside St. Petersburg proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete St. Petersburg junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national carpet and rugs disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for St. Petersburg: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does St. Petersburg pick up carpet and rugs for free?
Yes, rolled, after scheduling.
How much does paid carpet and rugs removal cost in St. Petersburg?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single carpet pickup in St. Petersburg starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For St. Petersburg households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (construction debris, hazmat), or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tampa Bay area for upfront-priced pickup.
Can I put old carpet out with bulk trash?
Yes in most cities, if it is cut into rolls under the program’s length limit (usually 4 to 6 feet), rolled tightly, and tied. Padding should be rolled separately. Contractor-generated carpet is usually excluded. Check your city’s rule below.
How do I cut and roll carpet for pickup?
Flip a section face down and cut strips 3 to 4 feet wide from the back with a utility knife and a straight edge. Roll each strip tightly and tie it in two places with twine or wrap it with tape. Keep rolls under about 50 pounds.
Is carpet recyclable?
Yes, though access varies. Nylon carpet is the most recyclable, and padding is widely recycled into new padding. California’s CARE program provides free drop-off statewide; elsewhere, carpet reclamation facilities and some flooring retailers accept it, sometimes for a small fee.
What do I do with the tack strips?
Pry them up with a flat bar, stack them nail side in, wrap tightly in cardboard, and tape. Put the bundle in the trash cart or with bulk, clearly wrapped so no one gets stuck.
Is this St. Petersburg page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full St. Petersburg guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
