Dearborn bulk pickup: weekly items, special pickups and the third-Saturday drop-off

The short answer

Dearborn residents can set standard household bulk items next to their trash cart for weekly collection, picked up by a separate truck by the end of trash day. Excessive quantities, large or heavy items, carpet and some appliances need a fee-based special pickup from the city. Residents can also drop items free at the DPW yard, 2951 Greenfield, on the third Saturday of each month, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Or book a flat-price pickup from inside the house: sofa $126, washer $133, standard fridge $164, carpet removal $71 per room.

About Dearborn's housing

Dearborn is the hometown of the Ford Motor Company, a city of 109,976 at the 2020 census and Michigan's seventh-largest. Its median home was built in 1952. In East Dearborn, the ZIPs 48126 and 48120 are mostly 1950s brick homes; on the west side, postwar colonials and ranches. Almost all have basements.

Dearborn is also one of the most Arabic-speaking cities in the country: 48.6% of residents speak Arabic at home, and in 48126 it is 72.3%. If someone in the household is more comfortable in Arabic, it helps to have them on the call when you arrange a special pickup.

Weekly bulk: what goes by the cart

Standard household bulk items go next to your cart on your regular trash day. A separate truck collects them, so do not worry if the regular truck passes them by; they should be collected by the end of the day.

• Set items neatly next to the cart, not blocking the sidewalk.
• Keep quantities reasonable. Excessive amounts are a special pickup.
• Check the city's trash page for your current collection day. Dearborn has been transitioning its contracted hauler from GFL to Priority Waste, so confirm the current details rather than relying on last year's schedule.

Special pickups: heavy items, carpet, appliances

Dearborn requires a fee-based special pickup for:

• Large or heavy items
• Carpet
• Some appliances
• Excessive quantities

Contact the city's special pick-up line at 313-943-2150 to schedule and to find out the current fee. Special pickups are still curbside, so the item has to be outside on the day.

For a heavy item in the basement, like a chest freezer, a sleeper sofa or a cast iron tub, that is the hard part. A flat-price pickup includes carrying it up and out.

The third-Saturday drop-off

Dearborn residents can bring items to the DPW yard at 2951 Greenfield on the third Saturday of every month, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., free. It is a residents' service, so bring proof of address and check what the yard accepts before loading.

If you have a vehicle that can carry the load and the third Saturday works, this is the cheapest route for a few items. If the item is a fridge in the basement and the third Saturday is three weeks away, it is not.

Picking a route, step by step

1. Sort by weight and location. Light, normal-sized pieces that you can carry out go by the cart on trash day.
2. Flag the special-pickup items. Carpet, heavy furniture, some appliances, or simply a lot of stuff. These need a call, a fee and a date.
3. Check the calendar. If the third Saturday is this week and you have a van, the DPW yard may cover the rest for free.
4. Look at what is left. Usually it is the basement freezer, the old sectional, the carpet from the finished rec room and the stuff behind the furnace. That is the part where one booked visit, carried up, saves the most effort.

Many families split it: curb the easy things through the week, and book a pickup for the heavy basement items in the same week so the house is done in one go.

Dearborn Heights and neighbors

Dearborn Heights is a separate city with its own trash service, and so are Melvindale, Allen Park and Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood next door. Do not assume Dearborn's rules apply. The City of Detroit, for example, takes up to 2 cubic yards of bulk a week at the curb by 7 a.m., a different system entirely.

Common Dearborn jobs

• East Dearborn basement rec room: sectional, area rug and an old TV stand. A 3-piece sectional, a large rug and the stand are $185 + $68 + $96 = $349.
• West Dearborn downsizing: a long-owned colonial where the parents are moving to a smaller place. Usually priced by truck tier from photos; many land around a half truck at $431 or a 3/4 truck at $587.
• Kitchen refresh: the old range and dishwasher out before the new ones arrive: $137 + $109 = $246 for a gas range and a dishwasher.
• Carpet to hardwood: two bedrooms of carpet pulled up: $71 + $71 = $142, no special-pickup wait.

Flat-price pickup in Dearborn

A basement in East Dearborn with a sleeper sofa, a chest freezer and two rolls of old carpet: $149 + $146 + $68 + $68 = $431. Carried up, no stairs fee, no waiting for a special pickup date. Book by 4 PM for same-day. Get a price from a photo; see also the basement cleanout guide.

Frequently asked questions