Figuring out what the city takes. Waiting for pickup day. Calling around for quotes. It’s a lot to sort out for something you’re ready to be done with.
Standard sofa$79First item example Before applicable tax
Your exact price. Upfront.
Find your items in the catalog and see your exact price online. Book without phone calls or an in-person estimate.
Gone as soon as today.
Choose your pickup day. Book by 2pm local time for same-day pickup, where available.
In the loop until it’s gone.
Get a booking confirmation, a text before arrival and pickup photos when it’s done. Follow along on your pickup page.
Made for your place
Your place. One easy pickup plan.
A house, a condo or an apartment. Choose an accessible outdoor spot that works for your property. You arrange the move outside; we take it from there.
1
Book before you bring it out.
Your items can still be inside when you book. Follow the readiness instructions in your confirmation.
2
Choose a clear outdoor spot.
You arrange any carrying out of your home or down interior stairs. Keep entrances, sidewalks and shared access clear. We handle loading and haul-away from outside.
3
Show us where to find it.
Add a photo and clear location notes. Contact us before booking if a gate, building rule or restricted access window needs an arrangement.
At a house: outside, accessible and easy to identify.At an apartment: an approved outdoor spot with shared access clear.
Access needs an arrangement?
Check any building or shared-area rules. Contact us before booking if access is limited to particular hours.
City collection Furniture is one of the large items named on the city's twice yearly clean-up, so a couch leaves on a booked on-call service rather than in a cart. Each household gets two on-call clean-ups a year, and each one carries one large item alongside the bag allowance. No charge. Included with the residential collection service for one large item under 200 pounds on each of the two on-call clean-ups a year. The haulers list furniture and a mattress and box spring among the bulky items an appointment covers.
City collection A mattress is named on the city's large item list for the twice yearly clean-up, and the hauler treats a mattress and box spring as one bulky item. Up to five residential mattresses are also free at the Shoreway transfer station, where a commercial mattress carries a charge. No charge. One mattress or mattress and box spring counts as the single large item under 200 pounds on each of the two yearly clean-ups, and up to five residential mattresses are free of charge at the Shoreway transfer station.
City collection A washing machine, dryer, refrigerator or freezer is one of the large items the city names for a clean-up, as long as the piece stays under 200 pounds, and the hauler lists one large appliance such as a household refrigerator on a bulky appointment. Commercial size refrigerators and freezers are refused, and the transfer station charges more for a refrigerator that arrives without proof the Freon was evacuated. No charge. Included with the residential collection service for one large appliance under 200 pounds on each of the two on-call clean-ups a year, or one large appliance on a hauler bulky appointment. Self-hauling an appliance to the transfer station carries a per item charge.
City collection Each on-call clean-up carries up to 2 cubic yards of material, which is 12 bags of 32 gallon size, with loose items bagged, boxed or bundled and each bag staying under 60 pounds, plus the one large item. Two on-call clean-ups are allowed a year, and hazardous waste, liquids, dirt, rock, concrete, asphalt, hot ashes, infectious waste and construction debris are refused. No charge. Included with the residential collection service for two on-call clean-ups a year, each taking up to 12 bags of 32 gallon size under 60 pounds and one large item under 200 pounds. Multi-family buildings arrange the same service through the property manager.
The highest first-item price applies once. Every remaining item uses its additional-item price. Loading, transportation and disposal are included. Applicable sales tax is shown before payment.
Selected customer reviews. Counts checked September 2026.
The local disposal guide
Will the city take it?
San Mateo runs bulky material through two on-call clean-ups a year with Recology San Mateo County, and each one takes up to 2 cubic yards of material, which is 12 bags of 32 gallon size, plus one large item such as a washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, freezer, mattress, piece of furniture, computer or television as long as the piece stays under 200 pounds. Commercial size refrigerators and freezers are refused, televisions and computer monitors need special handling arranged by phone, and no paint, thinner or other chemical goes out with a clean-up or a regular collection. Everything else has a local gate: household electronics, batteries, paint, oil, antifreeze and small appliances are free for residents at the Shoreway Public Recycling Center in San Carlos, up to five residential mattresses are free at the Shoreway transfer station, and mixed waste, concrete, asphalt, dirt and demolition debris are weighed and priced there for a self-haul load. Latex and oil based paint in original labelled containers, up to 10 gallons, is free for households at the Public Recycling Center, while aerosols including spray paint, propane tanks, thinners, solvents, pesticides and other chemicals move through the county household hazardous waste program, which runs by appointment and does not take electronic waste.
Furniture is one of the large items named on the city's twice yearly clean-up, so a couch leaves on a booked on-call service rather than in a cart. Each household gets two on-call clean-ups a year, and each one carries one large item alongside the bag allowance.
City cost & eligibility
No charge. Included with the residential collection service for one large item under 200 pounds on each of the two on-call clean-ups a year. The haulers list furniture and a mattress and box spring among the bulky items an appointment covers.
When & how
Call (650) 595-3900 to book the clean-up, then have the material at the curb on the scheduled day. A self-haul trip to the Shoreway transfer station is possible on any day the station is open.
Get it ready
Keep the piece under the 200 pound limit and keep it out of the bag count so the crew can handle it as the one large item. Hazardous waste, paint, thinner and chemicals are refused on this route, and a sofa taken to the transfer station is priced per item.
A mattress is named on the city's large item list for the twice yearly clean-up, and the hauler treats a mattress and box spring as one bulky item. Up to five residential mattresses are also free at the Shoreway transfer station, where a commercial mattress carries a charge.
City cost & eligibility
No charge. One mattress or mattress and box spring counts as the single large item under 200 pounds on each of the two yearly clean-ups, and up to five residential mattresses are free of charge at the Shoreway transfer station.
When & how
Book the clean-up at (650) 595-3900, or take the mattress to the transfer station during its public hours, Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Get it ready
Keep the mattress dry and under the weight limit, and send a mattress and box spring together so they count as one bulky item on the appointment. At the station, stay within the five unit residential allowance, because a commercial quantity is charged per unit.
A washing machine, dryer, refrigerator or freezer is one of the large items the city names for a clean-up, as long as the piece stays under 200 pounds, and the hauler lists one large appliance such as a household refrigerator on a bulky appointment. Commercial size refrigerators and freezers are refused, and the transfer station charges more for a refrigerator that arrives without proof the Freon was evacuated.
City cost & eligibility
No charge. Included with the residential collection service for one large appliance under 200 pounds on each of the two on-call clean-ups a year, or one large appliance on a hauler bulky appointment. Self-hauling an appliance to the transfer station carries a per item charge.
When & how
Book the clean-up or bulky appointment at (650) 595-3900. The transfer station takes appliance loads Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Get it ready
Empty and defrost the unit, keep the piece under the weight limit, and have paperwork ready if a refrigerator is self-hauled, because the gate charges a higher amount without proof the Freon was evacuated. Small appliances such as a blender, toaster or mixer are free for households at the Public Recycling Center, while a medium or large kitchen appliance is not accepted there.
A computer or television counts as the single large item on a twice yearly clean-up, and the city asks households to call (650) 595-3900 for televisions and computer monitors because they need special handling. Electronics are also free for households at the Shoreway Public Recycling Center, which takes computers, monitors, televisions, copiers, faxes and VCRs, while the county household hazardous waste program refuses electronic waste outright.
City cost & eligibility
No charge. Free drop-off for households at the Shoreway Public Recycling Center as residential material, and one e-waste item such as a computer monitor, microwave or television on a hauler bulky appointment or as the large item on a clean-up.
When & how
The Public Recycling Center is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Clean-ups are booked at (650) 595-3900 and happen on the scheduled service day.
Get it ready
Wipe personal data before handover, keep televisions and monitors off the cart route because both are barred from regular collection and need special handling, and do not take electronics to a county household hazardous waste appointment, because the county program does not accept electronic waste.
The bulky collection refuses construction debris and names concrete and asphalt as well, so a renovation load goes to the Shoreway transfer station instead. The station publishes a per cubic yard rate for clean construction and demolition debris and a higher per ton rate for dirt and concrete, and it accepts mixed demolition debris as well.
City cost & eligibility
From $65 per cubic yard of clean construction and demolition debris, with the minimum charge per load equal to that yard rate, in the Shoreway transfer station schedule effective January 1, 2025, where dirt, concrete and like material are charged 157 per ton and clean wood 65.50 per yard. Any household or contractor self-hauling a load to the Shoreway transfer station at 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos through Gate 1.
When & how
The transfer station is open Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, with occasional public access closures posted in advance.
Get it ready
Separate clean construction debris from dirt, concrete and mixed waste to reach the published rate for each, keep treated wood and hazardous material out of the load because treated wood waste is refused at the Public Recycling Center and chemicals go to a county appointment, and check the current rate sheet at the gate.
Exercise equipment is not named on the city clean-up list or on the hauler's bulky item examples, so a treadmill or weight machine has to be confirmed before it is booked. A machine that is refused at the curb can still be self-hauled to the transfer station as household solid waste.
City cost & eligibility
Neither the city nor the hauler publishes an exercise equipment line or rate. Confirm the machine with the hauler at (650) 595-3900 before booking it as the one large item, since a self-hauled load at the transfer station is priced by the cubic yard.
When & how
Call the hauler first, and if the machine is accepted have it at the curb on the scheduled clean-up day. A self-haul trip can go any day the transfer station is open.
Get it ready
Describe the machine and its weight when calling, keep it under the 200 pound limit for the clean-up route, and take off any console or battery so the electronic part is handled through the electronics route instead.
Each on-call clean-up carries up to 2 cubic yards of material, which is 12 bags of 32 gallon size, with loose items bagged, boxed or bundled and each bag staying under 60 pounds, plus the one large item. Two on-call clean-ups are allowed a year, and hazardous waste, liquids, dirt, rock, concrete, asphalt, hot ashes, infectious waste and construction debris are refused.
City cost & eligibility
No charge. Included with the residential collection service for two on-call clean-ups a year, each taking up to 12 bags of 32 gallon size under 60 pounds and one large item under 200 pounds. Multi-family buildings arrange the same service through the property manager.
When & how
Book the clean-up at (650) 595-3900 and have the material at the curb on the scheduled day. Christmas trees are collected on the regular service day from January 3 to January 31 as a separate seasonal service.
Get it ready
Bag, box or bundle loose material so each container stays under 60 pounds, keep the pile within the 2 cubic yard limit, and keep paint, thinners, chemicals, liquids, dirt, rock, concrete, asphalt and treated wood out of the load. Loose material beside the bags is not collected.
A household books up to two on-call clean-ups each year, and each one covers up to 2 cubic yards of bagged material plus one large item such as a mattress, appliance, piece of furniture, computer or television. Loose items have to be bagged, boxed or bundled, each bag has to stay under 60 pounds, and the large item has to stay under 200 pounds.
Paint, thinners and other chemicals are refused on the on-call clean-ups and in regular collection, and hazardous waste may only be transported by the person who generated it. Chemicals, aerosols, spray paint and propane tanks go to a free county household hazardous waste appointment, and the county program does not accept electronic waste or lithium-ion batteries larger than AA.
Know what each Shoreway gate takes before you load
The Public Recycling Center takes residential material free of charge, including electronics, batteries, cell phones, paint with original labels, used motor oil, antifreeze, oil filters, sharp containers, small appliances and up to six fluorescent tubes under six feet. It refuses furniture, garbage, gas cylinders, medium and large kitchen appliances, copy machines, Styrofoam, printer cartridges and treated wood waste, and those loads go to the transfer station at the same address, where they are weighed or measured and charged.
In a multi-family building, the property manager books the pick-up
Apartment buildings, duplexes, triplexes and other buildings with groups of independent households work through the property manager, who coordinates the twice yearly pick-up for the building with the hauler. The hauler gives the property manager the information needed to set the effort up, and individual households should not leave bulky material at a shared curb on their own.
Use a permitted, accessible outdoor spot. Arrange the move out of your home, keep shared access clear and follow your confirmation’s readiness instructions. Check with your building about access or staging limits before booking.
City of San Mateo Public Works with Recology San Mateo County and RethinkWaste
Book one of the two yearly on-call clean-ups
A household with a mattress, a couch, an appliance, a computer or television, or a stack of bagged clutter that will not fit the carts.
Cost & conditions
No charge. Two on-call clean-ups a year included with the residential collection service, each covering up to 12 bags of 32 gallon size under 60 pounds plus one large item under 200 pounds.
Arrange it
Call (650) 595-3900 to schedule the clean-up, then put the bagged material and the one large item out on the scheduled day.
No hazardous waste, liquids, dirt, rock, concrete, asphalt, hot ashes, infectious waste or construction debris, no commercial size refrigerators or freezers, and televisions and computer monitors have to be arranged by phone because they need special handling. Multi-family buildings book through the property manager.
City of San Mateo Public Works with Recology San Mateo County and RethinkWaste
Free household drop-off at the Public Recycling Center
A household with electronics, batteries, paint, used oil, antifreeze, small appliances, scrap metal or sharp containers.
Cost & conditions
No charge. Free for households at the Public Recycling Center, which takes residential material only, within the published quantity limits such as 15 gallons of used oil, 10 gallons of antifreeze, 10 gallons of paint and six fluorescent tubes.
Arrange it
Drive to 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos and enter through Gate 1, any day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Furniture, garbage, gas cylinders, medium and large kitchen appliances, copy machines, printer cartridges, Styrofoam, flimsy plastics and treated wood waste are refused, and the buyback portion of the center remains closed.
City of San Mateo Public Works with Recology San Mateo County and RethinkWaste
Free county household hazardous waste appointment
A household with paint, thinner, solvents, pesticides, fertilizers, aerosols, spray paint, propane tanks or other leftover chemicals from a cleanout.
Cost & conditions
No charge. Free drop-off appointments for San Mateo County residents, limited to 10 gallons or 50 pounds of waste per appointment, with containers no larger than 5 gallons.
Arrange it
Book a day, time and location through the county appointment system or by calling (650) 372-6200, then arrive with the waste in original labelled containers inside boxes or crates.
Electronic waste, nitrous oxide canisters and lithium-ion batteries larger than AA are not accepted, waste must never be mixed, items may not travel in plastic bags, and only the person who generated the waste may transport it.
Free residential mattress drop-off at the transfer station
A household with a mattress or box spring that cannot wait for a clean-up date, or that has more than one to dispose of.
Cost & conditions
No charge. Free at the Shoreway transfer station for up to five residential mattresses, with a fee for residents outside the member service area and a per unit charge for a commercial mattress.
Arrange it
Take the mattress and box spring to 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos through Gate 1 during transfer station hours.
Five residential units at the public rate, commercial quantities charged per unit, and the station is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
City of San Mateo Public Works with Recology San Mateo County and RethinkWaste
Twice yearly city recycling event
A household with electronic waste, documents to shred and reusable goods for Goodwill.
Cost & conditions
No charge. Free City of San Mateo recycling events held twice a year for residents, covering e-waste drop-off, paper shredding and Goodwill donations.
Arrange it
Watch the city special recycling page for the next event date and bring the e-waste, paper and donations to the event site.
The event is a periodic drop-off rather than a year round service, and the county household hazardous waste program still handles paint, chemicals and aerosols.
Free household drop-off for electronics, batteries, paint, oil, antifreeze and small appliances
Shoreway Environmental Center Public Recycling Center
333 Shoreway Road, San Carlos, CA 94070
Electronics including computers, monitors, televisions, copiers, faxes and VCRs, household and car batteries, cell phones, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, latex and oil based paint with original labels, scrap metal, small appliances, sharps in a sealed container, used motor oil and filters, antifreeze, and home generated cooking oil.
Residential material only, with quantity limits such as 15 gallons of used motor oil, 10 gallons of antifreeze, 10 gallons of paint, six fluorescent tubes under six feet and 15 gallons of cooking oil. Copy machines, furniture, garbage, gas cylinders, incandescent lights, medium or large kitchen appliances, flimsy plastics, printer and toner cartridges, sand bags, Styrofoam and treated wood waste are refused, and the buyback counter remains closed.
Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, with entry through Gate 1 at 333 Shoreway Road.
No charge. Free drop-off for households, since the center takes residential material only.
Self-haul transfer station for mixed waste, bulky items, appliances, tires and construction debris
Shoreway Environmental Center Transfer Station
333 Shoreway Road, San Carlos, CA 94070
Household and business solid waste, clean green waste and wood, appliances, auto and truck tires, concrete and asphalt, clean fill dirt, mixed demolition debris, sectionals and sofas, mattresses and other non-hazardous material, with construction and demolition material routed to recycling and mixed waste moved to the Ox Mountain Landfill.
Loads are weighed or measured and charged by the yard or the ton, treated wood waste is refused, and no hazardous material is accepted, so chemicals, paint, aerosols and propane tanks go to a county household hazardous waste appointment instead. A refrigerator is charged more without proof the Freon was evacuated.
Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, with occasional public access closures posted in advance.
From $22 per appliance item such as a washer, dryer, water heater or kitchen appliance in the Shoreway transfer station schedule effective January 1, 2025, where garbage is charged 68 per cubic yard, clean construction and demolition debris 65 per cubic yard, clean wood 65.50 per yard, clean green waste 62.50 per cubic yard and dirt or concrete 157 per ton. Any household or business delivering a load through Gate 1 at 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos, with each load charged by weight, volume or item.
Prices, timing and the details that matter at your address.
How much does pickup cost?+
Choose your items to see the exact price. A standard sofa is $79 first and $29 additional. The highest first-item price applies once; every remaining item uses its additional-item price. Loading, transportation and disposal are included. Review any applicable sales tax and the final total before payment.
Can I book a pickup for today?+
Book by 2pm at your pickup address for same-day pickup, where available. Choose from the dates shown at checkout. Your booking is for a pickup day, and we text you when your hauler is on the way.
Do my items need to be outside when I book?+
You can book while your items are still inside. Arrange any indoor carrying and have everything outside and accessible according to your confirmation. We load and haul it away from there. Contact us before booking if your property has restricted access.
Will San Mateo collect a couch as a bulky item?+
Yes. Furniture is one of the large items the city names for a twice yearly clean-up, and the hauler lists furniture as a bulky item an appointment covers alongside a mattress and box spring or four tires without rims. A household gets two on-call clean-ups a year, each taking one large item under 200 pounds plus up to 2 cubic yards of bagged material.Official guidance
Where does a San Mateo mattress go?+
A mattress counts as the one large item under 200 pounds on one of the two yearly on-call clean-ups, booked at (650) 595-3900, or the household can drive it to the Shoreway transfer station at 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos, where up to five residential mattresses are free. A commercial quantity carries a per unit charge.Official guidance
How does San Mateo handle a refrigerator?+
A household refrigerator is one of the large items the city names for a twice yearly clean-up, provided it stays under 200 pounds, and the hauler lists one large appliance such as a household refrigerator on a bulky appointment. Commercial size refrigerators and freezers are not accepted, and a unit taken to the Shoreway transfer station is charged more when it arrives without proof the Freon was evacuated.Official guidance
Where can a San Mateo household take a television?+
To the Shoreway Public Recycling Center at 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos, where electronics including televisions, computers, monitors, faxes and VCRs are free for households, open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A television or computer monitor can also be the one large item on a twice yearly clean-up, but the city asks households to call (650) 595-3900 first because those items need special handling. The county household hazardous waste program does not accept electronic waste.Official guidance
How much can a San Mateo household set out on a clean-up?+
Up to 2 cubic yards of material, equivalent to 12 bags of 32 gallon size, plus one large item such as a mattress, appliance or piece of furniture under 200 pounds. Loose items have to be bagged, boxed or bundled and each bag has to stay under 60 pounds, and a household gets two on-call clean-ups a year.Official guidance
How does the San Mateo twice yearly clean-up work?+
A household books up to two on-call clean-ups a year by calling (650) 595-3900, and each one covers up to 2 cubic yards of bagged material plus one large item under 200 pounds such as a mattress, piece of furniture, appliance, computer or television. Loose material has to be bagged, boxed or bundled with each bag under 60 pounds, televisions and monitors need special handling arranged by phone, and hazardous waste is refused on the clean-up and in regular collection.Official guidance
Who collects trash and bulky items in San Mateo?+
Recology San Mateo County is the city's garbage hauler and runs the bulky item and twice yearly clean-up service, with pick-ups scheduled through (650) 595-3900. The city's own special recycling page lists the hauler alongside the county environmental health contacts at (650) 372-6200 for hazardous waste, the police station medication drop box at 200 Franklin Parkway, and the Shoreway Environmental Center in San Carlos for self-haul trips.Official guidance
Where do San Mateo residents take paint, batteries and chemicals?+
Paint, thinners, solvents, pesticides, fertilizers, aerosols, spray paint and propane tanks go to a free San Mateo County household hazardous waste appointment, booked online or by calling (650) 372-6200, with a limit of 10 gallons or 50 pounds per appointment and containers no larger than 5 gallons. Batteries, cell phones, fluorescent tubes and latex or oil based paint with original labels can also go free to the Shoreway Public Recycling Center, and the county program does not accept electronic waste.Official guidance
Can I take my own load to Shoreway in San Carlos?+
Yes. The Public Recycling Center at 333 Shoreway Road takes residential material free every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., covering electronics, batteries, paint, used oil, antifreeze, small appliances, scrap metal and sharps. The transfer station at the same address, entered through Gate 1, takes mixed waste, clean green waste, appliances, tires, concrete, dirt and demolition debris Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., charging each load by volume, weight or item, with up to five residential mattresses free.Official guidance
