How do I get rid of an old couch?

The quickest honest answer: if the couch is clean and unbroken, give it to someone who will use it, usually a charity that picks up furniture. If it is worn out, book your locality's bulk pickup or take it to a transfer station yourself. If it is heavy, stuck upstairs or has to be gone today, hire a hauler. Whatever you choose, do not leave it by the road or in a vacant lot.

First, decide whether someone can use it

A couch with a sound frame, working springs and clean fabric still has value. Habitat for Humanity says its ReStores accept new or gently used furniture and that many offer free pickup of large items, including furniture.^[1] It asks you to call your ReStore first, because donation hours can differ from store hours.^[1] The Salvation Army lists unbroken furniture, sofas included, among the items its thrift stores generally accept,^[2] schedules home pickups online by ZIP code,^[2] and says accepted items vary by location, so call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825) before you book.^[2] For more places that collect for free, see who picks up old furniture for free.

Be honest about condition when you book. Charities usually turn away couches with tears, broken frames, heavy stains, pet damage or smoke odor, and a driver who arrives to find one may leave it behind.

Check for bed bugs before it moves

Look along the seams, under the cushions, in the folds of the skirt and on the wooden frame for small brown bugs, shed skins or dark spots. A couch with bed bugs should not be donated, sold or given away. EPA's advice is not to discard furniture you can safely rid of bed bugs, and to discard it responsibly if you cannot:^[3] destroy it so no one else is tempted to take it home, for example by ripping the covers, removing stuffing and spray-painting "Bed Bugs" on it.^[3] Wrapping it in plastic sheeting before you carry it through the house can help keep bugs from dropping off on the way. More on spotting them is in how to check a mattress for bed bugs.

Book a bulk pickup

EPA notes that solid waste managers often call furniture and other durable goods oversized and bulky, and that these goods are often picked up separately from other trash.^[4] That is why the weekly truck leaves a couch at the curb. What to do depends on who collects your trash:

• Fairfax County. In Fairfax County, county collection customers get five free special collections per fiscal year, July 1 to June 30, and must schedule bulk pickups in advance.^[5] Sofas, chairs, tables and dressers are on its accepted bulk list,^[5] items must be less than 6 feet long, a pile is limited to 2 cubic yards, and items go out at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day.^[5] About 90 percent of Fairfax County residents and businesses get trash service from a private company instead, and need to call that company.^[5]
• Richmond. Richmond collects bulk items every other week, on your trash day during your recycling week, and asks you to set them out the night before beside your trash cans.^[7] When we checked on October 26, 2026, a 24-hour bulk collection was available for $100 per request, paid by check or money order.^[7]
• Everywhere else. Look up your county, city or town's bulk or special pickup page, or call your private hauler or HOA. Rules on scheduling, size and set-out time differ from place to place. If your pickup keeps getting skipped, why won't the trash company take bulky items walks through the usual reasons.

Or drop it off yourself

With a pickup truck or trailer and a helper, a transfer station is often the fastest route. Fairfax County's residential rates for July 2026 to June 2027 charge $17 to drop off a sofa, sleep sofa or love seat at its I-66 or I-95 sites.^[6] The Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority takes furniture at its Christiansburg transfer station any time of year, with tipping fees,^[9] and when we checked on October 26, 2026, listed bulky waste such as mattresses and furniture at $76 per ton.^[9] It points Blacksburg and Christiansburg residents to their towns' spring and fall pickup events.^[9] Richmond residents can take bulk items free to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center or the Southside Transfer Station on North Hopkins Road,^[8] and the Southside station lists large bulk items such as furniture among what it takes.^[8] Bring proof that you live in the locality, since most drop-off sites serve residents only.

Getting it out of the house

Most couches come out in one piece if you plan the route. Measure the couch's height, depth and length, then every doorway, hallway and stair turn it has to pass. Pull off the cushions and unscrew the legs, which often gains an inch or two. Sectionals usually unclip into pieces. Stand the couch on its end to swing it through a tight doorway, and keep the back toward the door frame. Two people is the minimum; three makes stairs much easier. Wear gloves and closed shoes, lift with your legs, and pad door frames with a moving blanket. A sleeper sofa is far heavier than it looks, and its folding frame can shift and pinch hands, so tie the mechanism closed before you tip it.

Never dump it

Virginia law makes it unlawful to dump trash on public property, including a highway right-of-way, or on private property without the owner's written consent,^[10] and a conviction is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of $500 to $2,500.^[10] A separate statute makes it everyone's duty to dispose of solid waste legally and lets a court assess a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for improper disposal.^[11] If you pay someone to take the couch, ask where it is going.

Stop and call a pro if

• The couch will not fit through a door or stair turn without taking off a door frame, a stair railing or a window.
• It is a sleeper sofa, recliner with a motor, or oversized sectional that three people cannot carry safely, especially down stairs.
• Bed bugs are in more than the couch. Treat the home first; see what bed bug treatment costs in Virginia.
• You have more than a couch to clear, or it has to be gone before a move-out inspection or closing. See how much furniture removal costs in Virginia.

Getting it hauled through Loclis

Browse more junk removal and moving answers, see furniture removal businesses, or find junk removal and moving businesses around Blacksburg. To have the couch carried out and taken away, describe the job on Loclis and compare quotes.