Home › By item › Bathroom fixtures › Madison
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a toilet or bathtub in Madison, verified October 2026.
Checked against Madison Streets Division
Work order
required before any large item goes out; furniture is free
Fee items
refrigerant appliances, motor appliances, microwaves, and tires carry a recycling fee
3
Streets Division drop-off sites; electronics are free there in 2026 with proof of residency
Every route for a toilet or bathtub in Madison, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Madison guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Madison, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Madison large item collection by work order: toilets, bathtubs, and sinks
FreeToilets are named on Madison's large item list, free by work order.
Who qualifies: Homes with Streets Division collection (properties of 8 units or fewer). Since January 2025, larger properties have no curbside large item service and use their private hauler, though all residents can use the drop-off sites.
How to schedule: Complete a large item work order at cityofmadison.com/LargeItemWorkOrder before setting anything out, choosing a set-out date. Furniture and most bulky items are free; refrigerant appliances, motor appliances, and a short list of special items carry a recycling fee paid when you schedule. Collection happens during the work week after your set-out date.
Limits: Only items listed on the work order are collected. Fee items are a defined short list; everything else is free.
Set-out: On the terrace or road edge along the public street on the date you picked, not early, not on carriage lanes or private drives. Collection follows sometime that week.
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 Madison: 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 Madison: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Madison, Wisconsin runs a carefully structured large item pickup system: you choose a Sunday set-out date via an online work order, and city crews collect the items during the following work week. Metal items (appliances) and non-metal items (furniture) are collected by separate crews, keep them separated. Fees apply for appliances with refrigerants ($35) or motors ($15). Madison also has three drop-off sites open April through December for residents who prefer to self-haul. This guide covers every option for City of Madison residents (properties with 9+ units use private dumpster service, not city collection).
The Madison rule for toilets, bathtubs, and sinks: Toilets are named on Madison's large item list, free by work order.
Program basics: Only items listed on the work order are collected. Fee items are a defined short list; everything else is free. On the terrace or road edge along the public street on the date you picked, not early, not on carriage lanes or private drives. Collection follows sometime that week.
What the city will not take: Electronics (TVs, computers, printers) are never collected curbside under Wisconsin law; they are free at the drop-off sites in 2026. Construction debris and hazardous waste are not large items.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Madison Streets Division: Large items and appliances, City of Madison Streets Division: Large Item Collection guidelines flyer, City of Madison Streets Division: 2026 drop-off site hours and locations. 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 Madison households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Madison area.
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 Madison with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Madison proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Madison 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 Madison: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Madison pick up toilets, bathtubs, and sinks for free?
Yes, free, with a work order.
How much does paid toilet and tub removal cost in Madison?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single toilet or bathtub pickup in Madison starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Madison households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Madison area.
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 Madison page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Madison guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.