Home › By item › Trampoline and playset › Chicago
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a trampoline or playset in Chicago, verified October 2026.
Checked against Chicago Sanitation Code
311
arrange large items with your ward superintendent before set-out
4 units
or fewer: city garbage service and large-item collection
Free
electronics and chemical drop-off at the city's HCCRF facility
Every route for a trampoline or playset in Chicago, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Chicago guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Chicago, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Chicago Streets and Sanitation large-item collection: trampolines and playsets
Free, arrange via 311 firstTake it apart, bundle the poles, and arrange through 311. The steel frame can also go to a scrap yard.
Who qualifies: Single-family homes and buildings with 4 or fewer units that get city garbage service (the black cart). Buildings with 5 or more units use a private hauler; ask your building manager.
How to schedule: Chicago has no scheduled bulk program. The sanitation code says to arrange with your ward's Streets and Sanitation superintendent, through 311 (dial 3-1-1 or 312-744-5000, or 311.chicago.gov), before putting out any large item or extra load. Crews then collect it with your regular garbage route, from the alley or the curb depending on how your block is served.
Limits: No published item limit, but the code prohibits piling large quantities in the alley. One or two items next to the cart on garbage day is routine; a cleanout should be arranged with the ward office first.
Set-out: Place items next to your black cart, in the alley or at the curb, the night before or the morning of your garbage day. Keep the alley passable; obstructing it is a code violation. Remove doors or lids from refrigerators and freezers before setting them out.
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 Chicago: 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 trampolines and playsets, 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 Chicago: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation provides free Bulky Item Pick Up through 311 for residents in 1-4 unit buildings, one of the more straightforward city bulk programs. Combined with the city’s electronics and hazardous waste facility, donation pickup, and Cook County’s CHaRM Center, Chicago residents have several options. This page walks through every one.
The Chicago rule for trampolines and playsets: Take it apart, bundle the poles, and arrange through 311. The steel frame can also go to a scrap yard.
Program basics: No published item limit, but the code prohibits piling large quantities in the alley. One or two items next to the cart on garbage day is routine; a cleanout should be arranged with the ward office first. Place items next to your black cart, in the alley or at the curb, the night before or the morning of your garbage day. Keep the alley passable; obstructing it is a code violation. Remove doors or lids from refrigerators and freezers before setting them out.
What the city will not take: Electronics (banned from Illinois landfills), household chemicals and paint, tires and auto parts, construction and demolition debris, and anything from a building with 5 or more units or a business.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Chicago: Sanitation Code (residential garbage and bulk pick-up guidance), City of Chicago: Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Facility, 44th Ward Streets and Sanitation service page (bulk and yard waste practice). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why trampolines and playsets are different from ordinary bulk. Trampoline springs are under tension and are the injury risk. Use the spring puller that came with the trampoline or a pair of locking pliers, work in a cross pattern so tension releases evenly, and remove the net and pads first. The frame tubes then pull apart by hand or with a rubber mallet.
Three mistakes that get trampolines and playsets left at the curb:
Paid options are for large playsets with concrete footings, in-ground trampolines, and cities with tight bulk limits.
Self-haul to a transfer station
$20 to $60Bundled lumber and a rolled mat load into a pickup or trailer. Transfer stations charge by weight; pressure-treated wood goes as C&D.
Take the steel to a scrap yard first where it is free.
LoadUp paid trampoline or playset pickup
$80+For households in 5+ unit buildings (excluded from city service), residents who need same-week service, or items the city won’t take, LoadUp offers professional removal in Chicago with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal. Typically 20-30% below national competitors.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your trampoline or playset. 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 trampoline or playset pickup in Chicago with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Chicago proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Chicago junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national trampoline and playset disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Chicago: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Chicago pick up trampolines and playsets for free?
Yes, disassembled, arranged through 311.
How much does paid trampoline removal cost in Chicago?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single trampoline or playset pickup in Chicago starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households in 5+ unit buildings (excluded from city service), residents who need same-week service, or items the city won’t take, LoadUp offers professional removal in Chicago with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal. Typically 20-30% below national competitors.
Can a trampoline go out with bulk trash?
Disassembled, yes in most cities: frame tubes bundled, springs bagged, mat and pads rolled or bagged. The steel can also go to a scrap yard free. Check your city’s bundle limits in the directory below.
How do I take down a trampoline?
Remove the net and poles, then the pad. Use the spring puller or locking pliers to unhook springs in a cross pattern (one, then the opposite side, then a quarter turn around). Lift off the mat. Pull the frame tubes apart at the joints with a rubber mallet, and unbolt the legs. Two people, one to two hours.
Can I put playset lumber out for pickup?
Most bulk programs accept dismantled lumber in tied bundles under a length limit (commonly 4 to 6 feet) and a weight limit, with all nails removed or flattened. Pressure-treated wood is accepted as bulk but excluded from yard waste everywhere.
How do I know if the wood is pressure-treated?
Look for a greenish or brownish tint, small incision marks in a grid pattern, or an end tag or stamp. Most residential playsets sold since the 1990s are pressure-treated pine unless marketed as cedar or redwood.
Is this Chicago page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Chicago guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.