Carpet removal and disposal in Philadelphia

Want to rip up that old carpet yourself? Just grab some pliers and pull the carpet away from the little strip with tacks around the edge of the wall. Once it's loose, you can usually just pull it up by hand. Pro tip: cut it into smaller pieces as you go – makes it way easier to carry and get rid of.

So you pulled up the carpet and now there's sticky glue left on the floor or walls? Here’s what you can do: Scrape off as much as you can with something like a razor blade, scraper, putty knife, or a multi-tool. If it's really stuck on there, try softening it with some heat – you can pour boiling water on it or even use a steamer. Then, just keep scraping until it's all gone. You might have to do it a few times.

Those strips of wood with the nails that hold your carpet down? Those are called tack strips. You can actually reuse them if you're putting in new carpet. To get them up, find where the nail heads are in the carpet. Stick a pry bar between the floor and the wood strip right under the nail. Then, tap the other end of the pry bar with a hammer to pop the nail up. Take the nail out. Do this for all the nails in the strip. Once it’s loose, just toss it in a trash bag. After all the strips are gone, sweep the floor for any loose nails or bits of wood.

Taking carpet off stairs? Start by pulling it away from the tack strip, just like with regular carpet. Then, pull the carpet towards the edge of the step and use a utility knife to cut along the front edge. Use both hands to pull the carpet off the vertical part of the step until it’s all the way off. Remember to cut the carpet into smaller strips as you go so it’s easier to handle and get rid of.

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You can sometimes throw carpet in with your regular trash. But, the city might not take big amounts of it. You might have to take it to a special drop-off spot or wait for a bulk trash day. Here's an article with more information about How to dispose of your old carpet.

Some places let you put carpet in a dumpster, but there might be a limit on how much. To be safe, it’s always a good idea to check with your local waste removal place first. Some companies might pick up old carpet, or they might want you to bring it to them yourself.

Yep, almost all kinds of carpet can be recycled! Carpet is made of different fibers, plastics, and chemicals that don't break down easily in landfills. And since people usually throw away a lot of old carpet at once, many trash companies won't take it. When carpet gets to a recycling center, they break it down into the basic stuff it’s made of so it can be used to make new things, like plastic in household items, car parts, flooring, and even those big concrete parking blocks.

Carpets have complex stuff in them – fibers, chemicals, and plastics – that don’t break down well in landfills. Because of how it affects the environment and the rules about how much trash companies will take, recycling your old carpet is probably the best way to go.

This can depend on the rules in your specific city. We can take carpet with carpet beetles at some of our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? locations. To see if your local Philadelphia team can help, just ask us when you call.

Getting rid of those pesky carpet beetles starts with a good vacuuming of all your carpets and furniture with fabric on it. Then, get rid of any clothes, towels, or sheets that the beetles have gotten to, so they don't spread. Wash any other fabric items in hot, soapy water. For areas you can't wash, like walls, edges of carpets, shelves, and cracks, you can use insecticide. You can also sprinkle boric acid in those hard-to-reach spots. After you clean inside, check outside for any nests and get rid of them. Remember to clean your home regularly and keep any clothes or fabrics you're not using in sealed plastic containers.

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