7
items per bulk appointment, booked through 311 or 311.dc.gov
10 to 14 days
typical wait for an appointment
4
tires accepted at Fort Totten Transfer Station, Wednesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Every route for carpet and rugs in Washington, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Washington guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Washington, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
DC DPW bulk trash collection by appointment: carpet and rugs
Free, with a step firstRugs are accepted if rolled and tied, by appointment.
Who qualifies: Households with DPW trash service: single-family homes and buildings with 3 or fewer units. Buildings with 4 or more units, condos, and co-ops must use a private licensed hauler.
How to schedule: Call 311 or book at 311.dc.gov (or the DC 311 app) before putting anything out. Appointments are usually 10 to 14 days out. Items are collected from the same spot as your regular trash.
Limits: No more than 7 items per appointment.
Set-out: Place items at your regular trash collection point the evening before your appointment. Bulk items in public space at any other time can draw a sanitation violation ticket. Mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic; rugs rolled and tied; refrigerator doors removed; air conditioners drained.
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 Washington: 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 Washington: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
DC has a clean appointment-based system through 311 with one of the strictest set-out windows in the country: between 6:30 PM the night before and 6:00 AM the day of your appointment, period. Bulk pickup is capped at 7 items per appointment, and only single-family homes and buildings with 3 or fewer units qualify, a hard cutoff that excludes most apartment dwellers. The Fort Totten Transfer Station provides free drop-off for District residents who can self-haul. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Washington rule for carpet and rugs: Rugs are accepted if rolled and tied, by appointment.
Program basics: No more than 7 items per appointment. Place items at your regular trash collection point the evening before your appointment. Bulk items in public space at any other time can draw a sanitation violation ticket. Mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic; rugs rolled and tied; refrigerator doors removed; air conditioners drained.
What the city will not take: Electronics and televisions, tires, construction, demolition, and renovation materials (drywall, bricks, ceiling tile, dirt), tree stumps, hazardous and liquid waste, and bagged trash.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: DC Department of Public Works: Bulk Trash Collection, DC DPW: Bulk Trash Collection (eligibility and Fort Totten details). 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 households who can’t wait for an appointment slot, exceed the 7-item appointment limit, or live in 4+ unit buildings (excluded from DPW service), LoadUp offers professional removal in DC with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
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 Washington with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Washington proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Washington 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 Washington: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Washington pick up carpet and rugs for free?
Yes, rolled and tied, after booking through 311.
How much does paid carpet and rugs removal cost in Washington?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single carpet pickup in Washington starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who can’t wait for an appointment slot, exceed the 7-item appointment limit, or live in 4+ unit buildings (excluded from DPW service), LoadUp offers professional removal in DC with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
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 Washington page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Washington guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
