How Houston Bulk Pickup Works
Houston Solid Waste Management (SWM) collects bulk waste (called "junk waste" in Houston terminology) on a schedule determined by your service zone. Most Houston residents receive collection approximately every two weeks, but the exact frequency depends on your address zone.
Houston requires residents to submit a service request through 311 before each pickup — you can't simply set items at the curb and expect collection. Submit your request at least 1 business day before your zone's scheduled service day.
Call 311 (or 713-837-0311 from outside Houston) to submit a junk waste collection request. You can also submit through the Houston 311 app (iOS and Android) or at houstonmaintains.com. Provide your address and a description of the items — the system assigns your pickup to the next available date in your zone.
What Houston Solid Waste Accepts
Houston is one of the more permissive major cities when it comes to bulk pickup — notably accepting upholstered furniture and mattresses that Phoenix and Dallas explicitly ban.
| Item | Status | Notes / Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Wood and metal furniture | ✅ Yes | Standard acceptance |
| Upholstered furniture (sofas, recliners) | ✅ Yes | Accepted — limit 3 items per pickup |
| Mattresses and box springs | ✅ Yes | Accepted — limit 3 items per pickup |
| Refrigerators/Freezers | ⚠️ Conditional | Freon must be removed by certified tech; door disabled |
| Washers/Dryers | ✅ Yes | Drain completely before placement |
| Dishwashers, ranges | ✅ Yes | Disconnect and drain |
| Water heaters | ✅ Yes | Must be fully disconnected and drained |
| Tree limbs and branches | ⚠️ Conditional | Max 4" diameter, 6 ft length, bundled |
| Carpeting/rugs | ✅ Yes | Rolled and tied, under 50 lbs per roll |
| Bicycles, exercise equipment | ✅ Yes | Accepted |
| Electronics (TVs, computers) | ❌ No | Use Best Buy recycling or county e-waste events |
| Tires | ❌ No | Banned from all trash streams in Texas |
| Concrete, brick, drywall | ❌ No | Construction debris — private hauler needed |
| Paint, chemicals, motor oil | ❌ No | Harris County HHW drop-off or events |
After submitting a 311 request, Houston SWM has up to 10 business days to collect your items. This is longer than most cities. Items must remain at the curb during this window. Houston code enforcement has issued notices to residents who bring items back inside after the 10-day window passes without collection — report it as a missed pickup if the window has passed.
Houston Set-Out Rules
- Items must be at the curb by 7:00 AM on your scheduled service day
- Place within 5 feet of the curb, not in the street
- Do not block fire hydrants, drainage inlets, or utility boxes
- Leave at least 10 feet of clearance from parked vehicles for truck arm access
- Do not mix regular garbage bags with bulk items
- Vegetation must be bundled separately from other items
- Items should remain at the curb until collected — if removed, the work order may be closed without service
Houston Missed Pickup Process
If your 10-business-day window has passed and items weren't collected:
- Call 311 and reference your original service request number — ask to reactivate or escalate the order
- Houston 311 App: Check the status of your request and add a follow-up comment
- Online: Visit houstonmaintains.com to check and update your service request
Missed pickup reports filed within 72 hours of the window closing are treated as missed service (faster resolution). Reports filed later are treated as new requests with a new 10-day window.
Houston Alternatives for Excluded Items
- Harris County HHW Program — hcpid.org/hhw — Free drop-off events quarterly for paint, chemicals, electronics, and hazardous materials
- Best Buy Houston (multiple locations) — Year-round electronics recycling; large TVs carry $30 fee
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore Houston — Free pickup for usable furniture and building materials
- Houston Furniture Bank — Accepts and redistributes furniture to families in need; free pickup for good-condition items
- Scrap metal dealers (Houston metro) — Will pick up appliances including refrigerators for free; handle refrigerant removal themselves
- Construction debris: Roll-off dumpster rental widely available; Houston metro has dozens of providers
Houston Bulk Waste Contacts
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Houston 311 (main line) | 311 or 713-837-0311 from outside Houston |
| Online Request / Status | houstonmaintains.com |
| Houston 311 App | iOS and Android — search "Houston 311" |
| Solid Waste Management Dept. | houstontx.gov/solidwaste |
| Harris County HHW | hcpid.org/hhw |
Houston Bulk Trash FAQ
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Houston SWM provides service to single-family homes and small residential properties (typically 4 units or fewer) on city garbage service. Apartments and larger multi-family complexes use private commercial haulers. If you're in a unit and unsure, call 311 with your address — they can confirm whether your property receives residential service.
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Yes. Houston has a storm debris pickup process that operates separately from regular junk waste collection after major weather events. After a declared storm event, Houston typically deploys additional crews specifically for debris removal. Submit a 311 request and specify it's storm-related — these are often prioritized above regular junk waste requests during the recovery period.
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Technically, Houston city code prohibits the removal of items from bulk waste piles set out for city collection — this is intended to prevent disorganized scavenging, not neighbor exchanges. In practice, enforcement is rare and informal scavenging of metal appliances is common and largely tolerated. If someone takes a metal appliance from your pile, it reduces the city's collection burden and is generally viewed positively by the waste management department.