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Junk removal in Madison and every Dane County community
Junk RemovalMadison, Wisconsin

Junk and Disposal Guides for Madison and Dane County

Updated

Each guide answers one question with the rule, the fee and the source: the city, county or state page it came from. Written for people clearing out a house, an apartment or a campus rental anywhere in Madison and Dane County.

  1. 01How Madison Large Item Pickup Works (Work Orders and Set-Out Rules)How the City of Madison collects furniture, mattresses and appliances: the Large Item Work Order, set-out Sunday, the 8-foot and 4-foot rules, and who is excluded.
  2. 02Madison Large Item Fees: Who Pays $35, $15, $10 or $5Which Madison residents pay large item recycling fees, the full $35 / $15 / $10 / $5 item list, and how to buy a fee sticker before a drop-off.
  3. 03Large Items in Madison Buildings Over 8 Units: What Changed in 2025Since January 1, 2025 the City of Madison no longer collects large items from apartments, condos and properties with more than 8 units. Why, and the options left.
  4. 04Madison Drop-Off Sites: Locations, 2026 Hours and RulesThe three City of Madison drop-off sites (Sycamore Ave, South Point Rd, Quann-Olin Parkway), 2026 hours, the one-trip and trailer-size rules, and what they accept.
  5. 05Dane County Landfill Rates and Hours (2026)What the Dane County Landfill on Maahic Way charges in 2026 by weight, what it accepts and refuses, its hours, and the rules for bringing a load.
  6. 06Dane County Clean Sweep: Hazardous Waste, TVs and Fridges (2026 Fees)What Dane County Clean Sweep on Maahic Way takes, its 2026 fees ($15 per trip, $15 per TV, $35 per fridge), hours, and what it refuses.
  7. 07Wisconsin Landfill Bans: What Can't Go in the TrashWhat Wisconsin bans from landfills: major appliances, lead-acid batteries, tires, yard waste and covered electronics, with dates, statute and how Dane County applies it.
  8. 08How to Get Rid of a Refrigerator in Madison, WIEvery way to dispose of an old refrigerator or freezer in Madison and Dane County: city work orders, the $35 fee rule, Clean Sweep, and suburban price sheets.
  9. 09Appliance Recycling Around Dane County (Washers, Dryers, Stoves)Where washers, dryers, stoves and water heaters go in Dane County: the landfill's metal recycling, municipal sites in Sun Prairie, Verona and Medina, and hauler fees.
  10. 10TV and Computer Disposal in Madison, WIHow to get rid of a TV, monitor or computer in Madison: why the curb costs $30, free drop-off for residents, Clean Sweep for the rest of Dane County, and data security.
  11. 11Electronics Recycling Days Around Dane County (2026)2026 electronics drop-off days in DeForest and McFarland, Windsor's designated e-waste days, and the year-round options in Madison and at Clean Sweep.
  12. 12Mattress Disposal in Madison and Dane CountyHow to get rid of a mattress in Madison: free city large item pickup for eligible homes, the move-out window, bagging rules in the suburbs and the county landfill.
  13. 13Where to Donate Furniture in Madison (Free Pickup Options)Madison furniture donation options that state their terms on their own sites: Habitat ReStore pickup, St. Vinny's home pickup, and the city's longer donation list.
  14. 14Madison's August Student Move-Out: 2026 Dates and RulesThe City of Madison's 2026 student move-out operation: August 3 to 21, the move-out area, when work orders are needed, and what still needs a hauler.
  15. 15What Is Hippie Christmas in Madison?Hippie Christmas is Madison's mid-August moving day, when leases near campus end and curbs fill with furniture. Where the name comes from and how the city handles it.
  16. 16Tenant Property Left Behind in Wisconsin: What s. 704.05(5) AllowsWhat a Wisconsin landlord may do with belongings a tenant leaves after moving out or eviction under s. 704.05(5), including the 7-day medication rule.
  17. 17Junk Removal vs Hauling It Yourself in Madison: The Real CostsCompare hiring junk removal in Madison with doing it yourself: city large item pickup, drop-off limits, Dane County Landfill weight fees, and what each option skips.
  18. 18Junk Removal or a Dumpster in Madison?When a dumpster makes sense in Madison and when junk removal does: Street Occupancy Permits for dumpsters on the street, Bagsters, and the 8-unit rule.
  19. 19Extra Trash Bags and Cleanouts in Madison: The LimitsHow much extra trash and recycling Madison collects outside the cart during a cleanout: the six-bag rule, the twice-a-year recycling limit, and dumpster permits.
  20. 20Madison Brush Collection: Set-Out Dates and Size RulesHow Madison's brush collection works: five Sunday set-out chances a year, 18-inch to 8-foot limits, placement rules, and the 2025 change for contractors.
  21. 21Yard Waste and Brush Disposal Around Dane CountyWhere yard waste and brush go across Dane County: the county landfill's $40 per ton brush rate and the municipal sites in Fitchburg, Oregon, Dane, Albion and Westport.
  22. 22Tire Disposal in Madison and Dane County (2026 Fees)What it costs to get rid of tires around Madison: city fees, the county landfill's $0.17 a pound, and the limits in Stoughton, DeForest, Verona and Fitchburg.
  23. 23Hot Tub Disposal in Madison and Dane CountyHow to dispose of a hot tub around Madison: cut it into one-person pieces, Fitchburg's $100 pickup, Pellitteri's 2026 price, and Madison's 8-foot and fee rules.
  24. 24How to Get Rid of an Old Piano in MadisonOld piano disposal in Madison: what removal costs, why municipal programs exclude pianos, and the donation route for one that still plays.
  25. 25What Junk Removal Crews Won't Take in Dane CountyThe items junk haulers leave behind in Dane County (paint, chemicals, propane, asbestos) and where each one goes instead.
  26. 26Asbestos Disposal in Dane CountyThe Dane County Landfill accepts asbestos only on the first Wednesday of each month, 7am to 1pm, by special waste permit, at $82.10 per ton.
  27. 27Construction Debris Recycling in Madison and Dane CountyMadison's rule that projects over $20,000 recycle their debris, and how the Dane County C&D Recycling Facility works: the 50% rule, rates and accepted materials.
  28. 28Scrap Metal Recycling Around MadisonWhere scrap metal goes in Madison and nearby: the city's separate metal pile, and the municipal sites in Fitchburg, Verona, Sun Prairie and Medina.
  29. 29Bulk Trash Pickup Rules for Every Dane County CommunityA table of bulk and large item rules and haulers for Madison and every Dane County city, village and town we could document, linked to each community's page.
  30. 30Free Curbside Clean-Up Days Around Dane County (2026)Dane County communities with free clean-up weeks or events: Waunakee in May, McFarland in spring and fall, Dunn and Belleville yearly, Town of Middleton twice a year.
  31. 31Pellitteri Bulk Item Pickup: How It Works and What It CostsHow Pellitteri Waste Systems' prepaid bulky item pickup works across its Dane County communities, with its 2025 Fitchburg and 2026 HOA price sheets.
  32. 32Fitchburg Bulk Item Pickup PricesFitchburg's Pellitteri special pickup price list (2025): furniture $50, mattresses $56, refrigerators $66, TVs $55 to $110, and how to book.
  33. 33Sun Prairie Bulk Item Pickup and the Recycle CenterHow Sun Prairie handles furniture and appliances: contractor curbside pickup, the noon-before set-out rule, and the permit-only Recycle Center on S. Bird St.
  34. 34Verona Bulk Waste Pickup: What's IncludedWhat Verona includes in curbside bulk waste pickup (non-metal furniture, bagged mattresses, sinks, carpet, remodel bags) and what goes to the Public Works site.
  35. 35Stoughton Bulk Pickup With Johns DisposalStoughton's bulk pickup: one Johns Disposal collection a month on request, twelve a year, what's included, tire limits and the electronics swap.
  36. 36DeForest Bulk Item Pickup RulesDeForest's GFL bulk pickup: one item a month under 50 pounds, booked 48 hours ahead, plastic-wrapped mattresses, two tires, and the 2026 e-waste days.
  37. 37Town Transfer and Recycling Sites in Dane CountyRural Dane County's drop-off sites: Mazomanie's transfer site permits, Town of Dane, Medina, Perry and York Saturday sites, and Windsor's recycling centers.
  38. 38Large Item Pickup in Maple BluffWhy Maple Bluff residents call Village Public Works, not the trash hauler, for large items.
  39. 39Cleanouts in Madison's Historic Districts: What Needs ApprovalWhat the Madison Landmarks Commission reviews in the five local historic districts, why demolishing a garage or porch needs a Certificate of Approval, and what doesn't.
  40. 40Dane County's Next Landfill and Sustainability CampusWhat Dane County has announced about its future landfill and Sustainability Campus: waste placement expected in 2027 and the Purple Cow Organics composting contract.
  41. 41Neighbor's Junk Left on the Curb in Madison: What to DoWhat the City of Madison says to do when a neighbor's large items sit out more than a week, and what to do if someone dumps on your property.