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A public resource guide
Free toilet and tub removal in Boston, MA
Remodel loads need a hauler.
Checked against Boston Public Works
Home › By item › Bathroom fixtures › Boston
A public resource guide
Remodel loads need a hauler.
Checked against Boston Public Works
6 a.m.
furniture out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment
10
mattress or box spring pickups per household per year, by BOS:311 appointment
311
to schedule refrigerators, air conditioners, and CRT TVs
Every route for a toilet or bathtub in Boston, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Boston guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Boston, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Boston curbside furniture and special item collection: toilets, bathtubs, and sinks
Free, with a BOS:311 appointmentA single toilet or sink from your own home generally goes out with regular trash; remodel loads are construction debris. Ask 311 if unsure.
Who qualifies: Properties that get City of Boston trash collection (generally 1 to 6 units). Larger buildings with private haulers handle their own; the city still collects special items by appointment for buildings it serves.
How to schedule: Furniture goes out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment. Mattresses, box springs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and old-style TVs must be scheduled through BOS:311 (311.boston.gov, the app, or 617-635-4500).
Limits: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes.
Set-out: Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
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 Boston: 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 toilets, bathtubs, and sinks, 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 Boston: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Boston offers free curbside bulk pickup through BOS:311 for residential properties, furniture goes out with regular trash, while appliances and mattresses must be scheduled. Massachusetts state law (the MassDEP waste bans) makes special collection mandatory for Freon-containing appliances and CRT electronics, you can’t throw them in the trash. Boston also has the unique Patriots' Day collection delay in April that catches transplants off guard, and as of November 2022, clothing and textiles are banned from curbside trash statewide. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Boston rule for toilets, bathtubs, and sinks: A single toilet or sink from your own home generally goes out with regular trash; remodel loads are construction debris. Ask 311 if unsure.
Program basics: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes. Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
What the city will not take: Mattresses, large appliances, TVs, textiles, batteries, and tires cannot go in the trash. Construction debris is not collected. Flat-screen electronics go to Zero Waste Day drop-offs under the Massachusetts electronics ban.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Boston Public Works: Trash (furniture, appliances, special item collection), City of Boston: Mattress Recycling, City of Boston: Trash and Recycling in Large Residential Buildings. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why toilets, bathtubs, and sinks are different from ordinary bulk. Porcelain is the sticking point. A whole toilet or pedestal sink is heavy, awkward, and shatters into sharp pieces, so many bulk crews refuse them intact. Some cities accept porcelain if it is broken into pieces and bagged or boxed; others route it to the transfer station as inert C&D material. Clean porcelain is actually recyclable as aggregate, and a growing number of regions accept it at concrete recyclers.
Three mistakes that get toilets, bathtubs, and sinks left at the curb:
When the city classifies fixtures as C&D and no scrap or donation route fits, paid options are the only legal path.
Self-haul to a transfer station or C&D recycler
$10 to $40Transfer stations accept fixtures as C&D by weight or by load. Clean porcelain is accepted at some concrete and aggregate recyclers for less. Break porcelain into bagged pieces to make it easy to handle.
Line the vehicle. Porcelain shards will cut carpet and tires.
LoadUp paid toilet or bathtub pickup
$80+For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your toilet or bathtub. 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 toilet or bathtub pickup in Boston with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Boston proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Boston junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national toilet, bathtub, and sink disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Boston: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Boston pick up toilets, bathtubs, and sinks for free?
Usually, for a single fixture, with regular trash. Remodel loads need a hauler.
How much does paid toilet and tub removal cost in Boston?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single toilet or bathtub pickup in Boston starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
Can I put an old toilet out with bulk trash?
It depends on the city. Some accept toilets and sinks with bulk pickup, some accept only broken porcelain in bags with regular trash, and many classify fixtures as construction debris and exclude them. Check the directory below for your city.
Is porcelain recyclable?
Yes, as inert aggregate. Crushed toilets and sinks become road base and fill. Some transfer stations and concrete recyclers accept clean porcelain for less than general C&D rates, and some water utilities run toilet recycling drop-offs.
How do I get a cast iron tub out of a second-floor bathroom?
Either hire scrappers or movers who handle the weight, or break it. Cover the tub with a heavy blanket, wear eye protection, gloves, and long sleeves, and strike the side near the drain with a sledgehammer; cast iron cracks into pieces that two people can carry. Clean up the enamel chips, which are sharp.
Will a ReStore take a used toilet?
Most will if it is a 1.6 gpf or lower model, uncracked, clean, and complete with tank lid and seat. Some require the WaterSense 1.28 gpf label. Older 3.5 gpf toilets are generally refused.
Is this Boston page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Boston guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.