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How to get rid of bulky junk in Gilroy, CA

Eligible Gilroy residential cart customers can call Recology at 408-842-3358 for two free collections per calendar year. Choose either two bulky items or up to twelve 32-gallon bags, not both.

Last checked 2026-11-08 (Pacific Time). This guide covers incorporated Gilroy, not every address with a similar mailing name. Fees, eligibility and appointments can change; confirm before loading or setting out items.

Quick answer
  1. Check the city/contract-hauler option below first and get a confirmed date before set-out.
  2. Separate mattresses, electronics and chemicals from mixed junk: they use different disposal routes.
  3. If self-hauling, check resident eligibility, material restrictions and current fees. Free recycling does not mean free mixed-trash disposal.
  4. Need indoor lifting? Compare a written all-in hauler quote with the city benefit before booking.

1. City and franchise bulky-item collection

Recology South Valley

  • An appliance, furniture item or e-waste item can use the bulky option; a mattress and box spring set counts as one item. Items must be under six feet, no more than 200 pounds and manageable by one person; confirm oversized beds before booking.
  • The bag option is up to twelve 32-gallon bags (the hauler describes two cubic yards). Everything must be bagged, boxed or bundled; no loose items.
  • No hazardous waste, liquids/sludge, dirt, rock, concrete/asphalt, large mirrors/glass, automotive parts/vehicles, tires, stumps/large limbs, treated wood or construction/demolition debris.
  • Set out by 6 a.m. on the confirmed day. A missed set-out forfeits the free collection; cancel at least one business day ahead. Unused pickups do not roll over, and the account must not be past due.
  • Multi-family managers arrange free bulky collections, with the number based on units. The city’s general Recology page still describes fee-based bulky service; the dedicated hauler page explicitly documents the two-free-collection cart program. Fees apply beyond the allowance.

Sources: City of Gilroy: Recology franchise and disposal · Recology: Gilroy residential bulky collection · last checked 2026-11-08

2. Drop-offs, mattresses and household hazardous waste

Free mattress recycling: a regional option at Zanker Site 2

GreenWaste Zanker’s official facility page says California residents may drop off up to four mattresses or box springs free. Site 2 is at 675 Los Esteros Road, San Jose; call 408-263-2384 before driving. This is a regional option, not necessarily the nearest site to Gilroy. Wet, heavily soiled or bedbug-infested units are excluded, as are items such as toppers, pillows, sofa beds and attached futons. Keep other paid waste separate.

Confirm first: the same operator’s gate sheet lists a $21 mattress inbound charge and its general fee text mentions a $60 vehicle minimum. Do not treat those as a charge on qualifying free resident units, or assume nonqualifying units are free: ask how the program and any mixed-load fees apply. The website and rate PDF also disagree on Site 2 weekend hours, so no weekend opening is promised here.

Sources: GreenWaste Zanker: materials, mattress program and facilities · Zanker gate-tier rate sheet, effective July 1, 2026 · last checked 2026-11-08

County Household Hazardous Waste: free, appointment required

For Gilroy households, the County of Santa Clara provides free HHW drop-off by appointment. Book through the County page or call 408-299-7300; bring proof of residency. Permanent facilities are in East San Jose and San Martin, plus temporary events. The exact address is given only after scheduling; do not drive to an assumed site.

The County names auto fluids, batteries, electronics, fluorescent/LED bulbs, garden chemicals, cleaners and paint as common HHW. Follow the appointment’s packaging and acceptance instructions and keep waste in the rear/trunk. Business waste does not use a household appointment. Do not confuse an HHW facility with a general furniture dump.

Sources: County of Santa Clara: free household hazardous waste appointments · last checked 2026-11-08

3. Dumps, transfer stations and verified fees

San Martin Transfer Station: the local South County option

14070 Llagas Avenue, San Martin; 408-842-3358. Open to the public Tuesday–Saturday 8 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Sunday/Monday (Pacific Time). It lists furniture, appliances, household garbage, brush/yard waste, and construction/demolition material for a fee. Construction debris must not include dirt, rock, concrete or brick; wood must be untreated and unpainted. No HHW or treated wood.

Separated cans, cardboard, glass bottles/jars, mixed paper and cartons are free for Recology customers with proof of billing; non-Recology customers pay $5 per cubic yard for those recyclables. That is not a mixed-junk disposal rate. Furniture, mattress and mixed-trash dollar fees unverified: obtain a current quote and ask about any eligible voucher before unloading.

Sources: Recology: San Martin Transfer Station · last checked 2026-11-08

4. Paid haulers: local service versus national pickup

LoadUp: national published starting prices, not a local guaranteed quote

LoadUp’s own mattress-removal page currently lists in-home pickup from $85, curbside from $80, and same-day from $95 when booked before 2 p.m., subject to local availability. Multi-item add-ons start at +$15; that is not a guaranteed price for every extra item. Final pricing depends on ZIP code, mattress size, access and pickup conditions. Confirm service at your Gilroy address and the written total before booking. Wet/waterlogged mattresses are excluded, and bedbugs must be disclosed.

Sources: LoadUp: published mattress removal starting prices · last checked 2026-11-08

Local collection provider and independent haulers

Your verified local program contact above is Recology South Valley. Ask about a paid extra collection before hiring an independent crew; no independent Gilroy hauler with a verified published dollar price is listed here. Compare the same item list, indoor lifting/stairs, disassembly, disposal charges and access in each quote. Do not assume a national starting price is a local franchise tariff.

Sources: City of Gilroy: Recology franchise and disposal · Recology: Gilroy residential bulky collection · last checked 2026-11-08

5. Dumpster rental: get the total before delivery

Check authorization, weight and add-on charges

The city identifies Recology South Valley as the exclusive waste franchise and debris-box provider. Request its current roll-off terms; do not assume an outside company is authorized.

  • Get included tonnage, load measurement and per-ton overage in writing; heavy debris can reach a limit before a bin looks full.
  • Ask how many rental days are included, and the extra-day, delayed-pickup or failed-access/trip charge.
  • Identify restricted-item, mattress, tire, refrigerant-appliance, contamination and disposal surcharges.
  • Confirm delivery/pickup, taxes, cancellation, any street-placement permit, and whether the supplier is a broker or the actual hauler.
  • Keep the written quote and request a scale ticket if an overweight charge is disputed.

Search-index excerpts of public BBB dumpster complaints describe customers disputing weight-based charges after pickup. These are customer allegations, not verified findings about any company; they illustrate why written terms matter. Direct BBB-page retrieval was unavailable during this check. HaulGuide does not call any provider a scam.

Sources: City of Gilroy: Recology franchise and disposal · Recology: Gilroy residential bulky collection · BBB: dumpster billing complaint excerpts (allegations, not findings) · last checked 2026-11-08

What remains unverified

Extra-collection and refrigerant charges are unverified. The city’s generic fee-based description is flagged against the current dedicated program; apartment allocations require management confirmation. No unverified price is substituted from another city or county. This is a researched options guide, not an appointment or guaranteed service offer.

Sources

Every listing above was last checked 2026-11-08. Municipal coverage: Santa Clara LAFCO: incorporated cities. Research used official municipal, county, facility and provider pages; BBB material is attributed complaint evidence. Times shown are Pacific Time.

See our methodology. Confirm the full accepted-item list and never leave items out without an approved collection date.