Bulky waste in Karlsruhe or clearance?
The city collects bulky waste for free – so why hire a company? What the council collection covers, what it does not take and when a clearance is the better choice.
Bulky waste in the city of Karlsruhe
In the city of Karlsruhe, Team Sauberes Karlsruhe is responsible. Every household can have bulky waste collected free of charge twice a year: once on the fixed street-collection date in the collection calendar, and once via “Sperrmüll auf Abruf” (on demand), where you choose from three proposed dates. Booking is online or via the public service number 115.
- Maximum: four cubic metres per household
- Real bulky waste only: furniture and items you would take with you when moving
- Single pieces should not be longer than 2.20 metres
- No bags, no small items, no hazardous substances
- No building parts such as doors, washbasins or plasterboard
- Placed at the kerb early on collection day
Anything the collection does not take stays there and must be taken to a recycling centre yourself.
Bulky waste in the district of Karlsruhe
For Ettlingen, Rheinstetten, Bruchsal, Stutensee, Pfinztal and the other municipalities in the district, the waste management company of the district of Karlsruhe is responsible. Bulky waste there is only collected on demand; booking is online only and currently costs €15 per booking. Up to three cubic metres per category (residual bulky waste, waste wood, metal and electrical appliances) are possible. Collection usually takes place within eight weeks.
Rastatt follows the rules of the district of Rastatt.
When bulky waste is enough
Single pieces of furniture
An old sofa, a wardrobe, a bed – that is what the collection is for.
No fixed date
When it does not matter whether things are gone in two or eight weeks.
You can carry yourself
Everything has to be brought to the street by you.
When a clearance is better
Fixed handover date
End of tenancy, sale or start of renovation: the rooms must be empty on a specific day.
More than four cubic metres
A whole apartment or house quickly exceeds the maximum.
Small items, boxes, bags
Belongings, books, clothes and cellar clutter are not taken by the bulky waste collection.
Building parts
Doors, washbasins, tiles or fitted units are not bulky waste.
Carrying not possible
If you cannot carry yourself or the apartment is high up.
Broom-clean handover
After a clearance the room is empty and swept, not just rid of furniture.
The combination often saves the most
For many of our customers a mix makes sense: single large pieces go via the free bulky waste collection beforehand, and we take care of the rest. That reduces the volume and therefore the fixed price. How the price is made up is explained in What does a clearance cost in Karlsruhe?
Frequently asked questions
May I put bulky waste on the street without a date?+
No. Without booking nothing is taken, and waste left without permission can lead to a fine.
Does the bulky waste collection take electrical appliances?+
In the city of Karlsruhe, electrical appliances go to the recycling centre. In the district of Karlsruhe, metal and electrical items are a separate bulky waste category. During a clearance we dispose of appliances properly.
Where can I find the current rules?+
At Team Sauberes Karlsruhe (karlsruhe.de) and the waste management company of the district of Karlsruhe (awb-landkreis-karlsruhe.de). The information here reflects September 2026.
Too much for bulky waste?
We clear completely, dispose of everything properly and hand over broom-clean – at a fixed price.