5 things Cincinnati's bulk pickup won't take

The short answer

The City's claw truck will not take construction or remodel debris, hot tubs, grand pianos, anything over 6 feet tall, or lawnmowers and gas-powered tools. It also refuses tires without a separate request, batteries, paint, chemicals and propane. For those, you need a different route: a landfill trip, a specialist, or a flat-price pickup.

How the City program works, briefly

The City of Cincinnati collects bulk items by appointment only, booked online or through 311. A claw truck picks up from the curb. Each appointment covers up to five items, set out the night before and placed where the claw can reach them, clear of overhead wires, parked cars and trees. Up to three small items, under 45 pounds and smaller than 4 by 4 by 4 feet, can go out weekly next to carts. The program does take a lot: couches, mattresses and box springs, refrigerators and freezers, stoves, washers and dryers, water heaters, exercise equipment, cabinets, doors and rolled carpet up to ten rolls. If your item is on that list, the free appointment is a good answer. These are the five common things that are not.

1. Construction and remodel debris

The City excludes construction debris, lumber, concrete, windows and siding. That covers most of what a kitchen or bathroom remodel produces: drywall, old cabinets torn out as demolition, framing lumber, tile, countertops and the old windows from a replacement job. In a city full of rehabs, from Over-the-Rhine rowhouses to Price Hill and Northside houses from the early 1900s, this is the biggest gap in the program. Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township accepts construction debris, including drywall, brick and concrete, but hours and fees are not published, so call first. With JunkRabbit, debris is priced by item or by volume: a sheet or small bundle of drywall is $37, a full kitchen cabinet set ripped out is $293, a quarter truck of mixed debris is $241 and concrete or masonry is $219 per quarter truck.

2. Hot tubs

Hot tubs are on the City's not-accepted list, and even if they were not, no claw truck could lift one off a back deck in Anderson Township or Delhi. A hot tub needs to be drained, disconnected from power by someone qualified, and then broken down or moved in one piece, often through a side yard and around a house. That is real work, usually for a crew of two or more with tools. A standard hot tub is $390 with JunkRabbit and a six-to-eight person spa is $501, with the carry-out and disposal included. Make sure the electrical disconnect is done before the crew arrives.

3. Grand pianos

The City does not take grand pianos. They are heavy, fragile in odd ways and need careful handling to move without damaging floors, walls or stairs. Many older Cincinnati homes, especially in Clifton, Hyde Park and College Hill, have a piano that has not been played in years. Before you pay to remove one, ask a local piano technician whether it has resale value; most old pianos do not, but a few do. If it is going, a baby grand is $438 and a grand piano 6 feet or longer is $513. An upright piano is $364. The price includes getting it out of the house, which is the hard part.

4. Anything over 6 feet tall

The City will not collect anything taller than 6 feet. That catches tall armoires, solid wood bookcases, wardrobes, some entertainment centers, old shelving units and long items stood on end. Some of these can be laid down or broken down to qualify, but solid wood pieces from older homes often do not come apart easily. A large solid wood armoire is $197, a small one $148, a tall solid wood bookcase $123 and a flat-pack wardrobe $143 with JunkRabbit, carried down any stairs. If you are trying to fit one into the City program, lay it flat on its back and make sure it is still within reach of the claw.

5. Lawnmowers and gas-powered tools

Lawnmowers and gas-powered tools are excluded because of the fuel and oil they hold. That includes push mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws and generators. Drain the fuel properly before getting rid of any of them. With JunkRabbit, a push mower is $65, a riding mower or lawn tractor $152, a snow blower $71 and a portable generator $71. A yard or hand tool like a blower or trimmer is $33. A garage clean-out in Colerain or West Chester that includes a mower, a snow blower and a trimmer comes to $65 + $71 + $33 = $169.

The rest of the not-accepted list

Tires need a separate request with the City. Batteries, paint, chemicals and propane are not taken through bulk. JunkRabbit accepts paint: a one-gallon can is $30 and a five-gallon bucket $52. A set of four tires is $87 and a 20-pound propane tank is $33. Other hazardous waste is not part of a standard pickup and is handled case by case, so ask before booking. There is one more thing the City program cannot do: go inside. If your item is on the third floor of a walk-up or at the bottom of basement stairs, the claw truck does not help until you have carried it out. Crews carry items from any floor, with no stairs fee.

Frequently asked questions