Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for DeSoto
Texas residential services run Monday through Friday. Please refer to your neighborhood's specific zoning map for your exact day.
State Mandate
Bag all trash to prevent pests.
Blue cart with a Black lid Bin (Trash)
Trash must be bagged inside the 95-gallon cart. The lid must be completely closed. Place at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your designated service days.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Cooled and securely bagged charcoal ashes
Blue cart with an Aqua (light blue) lid Bin (Recycling)
Place recyclables loosely inside the cart without bagging them. Collection occurs citywide every Wednesday. Ensure the cart is at the curb by 7:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and mixed paper
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass jars and bottles
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard (like greasy pizza boxes)
- ✕Tanglers and hoses
- ✕Yard waste
Yard Waste Bin
Small yard waste (up to 3 cubic yards) can go out on your second weekly trash day. Brush must be bundled (max 4 feet long, 6 inches in diameter, under 50 lbs). Large brush requires an on-call bulk request.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tree limbs
- ✓Brush and twigs
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
12 times per year (On-Call) for large bulk; weekly for small bulk.
Placement
Place large bulk items at the front curb, as close to the street as possible, by 7:00 a.m. after scheduling your pickup. Do not place bulk in alleyways.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and mattresses
- ✓ Large furniture items
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerators must have Freon removed)
- ✓ Unbundled brush
- ✓ Bagged yard waste
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials (wood, toilets, cabinets)
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Batteries
- ✕ Contractor-generated waste
If a resident uses all 12 on-call large collections and needs additional service before the next calendar year, a $50 brush fee will apply for the 13th request.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling collection for that day and all subsequent days of the week will be pushed forward by one day (e.g., Monday routes run on Tuesday).
Yard Waste Exception
Small bulk and brush piles set out on the second service day will experience the exact same one-day delay as standard household garbage.
If the Fourth of July falls on a weekend, standard residential routes operate on their normal weekday schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Bag Ashes and Biological Waste
Unlike some cities that allow loose trash, DeSoto strictly requires you to bag all biological waste and cooled charcoal ashes before placing them in your black-lidded trash cart. This prevents hazardous dust from blowing onto the streets when the automated trucks empty the bins.
Break Down Extra Cardboard
If your aqua-lidded recycling cart is full, you do not have to throw perfectly good cardboard in the trash. You can break down large boxes until they are completely flat and neatly stack them directly next to your recycling cart for Wednesday collection.
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Aqua Lid
While your regular household garbage should be bagged, your recycling must always remain loose. Never place your recyclables inside standard plastic garbage bags, as they will severely tangle the sorting machinery at the Republic Services facility.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryDeSoto makes holiday tree disposal simple. You can place your live, completely bare Christmas tree (no ornaments or lights) right next to your trash cart on your second collection day of the week. It naturally counts toward your 3-cubic-yard small bulk allowance.
Spring
March - MaySpring cleaning often turns up old chemicals and wet paints that cannot go in standard bulk piles. Utilize the Home Chemical Collection Center in nearby Dallas to safely dispose of these hazardous household materials.
Fall
September - NovemberDuring peak leaf-raking season, you can set out multiple bags of leaves on your second trash day (Thursday or Friday) as long as the entire pile stays under 3 cubic yards. If you generate more, initiate one of your 12 annual on-call bulk requests.
About DeSoto Waste Management
DeSoto's Automated 95-Gallon Cart System
Starting in June 2024, the City of DeSoto fully transitioned to a modernized, automated cart collection program in partnership with Republic Services. Every residential address is now equipped with two distinct 95-gallon poly carts. To ensure your household waste is successfully collected, carts must be placed at the curb or alleyway by 7:00 a.m. with their wheels facing the curb. Carts from other haulers, neighboring cities, or personal hardware store bins will no longer be serviced under this new automated protocol.
Decoding Your Twice-Weekly Service Days
Trash collection in DeSoto is split geographically by Hampton Road. If you live west of Hampton Road, your trash days are Tuesday and Friday. If your home is situated east of Hampton Road, you are serviced on Monday and Thursday. Regardless of your location, the entire city receives curbside recycling service every Wednesday. Keep in mind that for standard trash collection, biological waste and loose debris must be bagged securely inside the cart to prevent neighborhood litter.
The Small Bulk Bonus on Your Second Service Day
You don't always need to schedule a specialized heavy pickup for moderate cleanup projects. DeSoto residents are granted a convenient 'Small Bulk' allowance on their second weekly trash day (either Thursday or Friday). On this specific day, you can set out up to 3 cubic yards of extra items next to your trash cart. This allowance is perfectly sized for bags of leaves, securely tied bundles of brush, boxes of loose items, or a single piece of small furniture.
On-Call Large Bulk and Brush Removals
Instead of waiting for a confusing monthly quadrant schedule, DeSoto gives homeowners control over their massive yard and home cleanouts. Every residential account receives 12 on-call large bulk pickups per calendar year. You can request a massive 10-cubic-yard collection by calling the DeSoto Action Center or submitting a ticket through the My DeSoto app. Once requested, Republic Services will clear the designated pile from your front curb within five business days.
Drop-off Facilities
Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center
11234 Plano Rd, Dallas, TX 75243
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What size and color are the new trash carts in DeSoto?
DeSoto utilizes large 95-gallon carts. The household trash cart is blue with a black lid. The recycling cart is blue with an aqua (light blue) lid. These are the only carts Republic Services will service.
Can I use my own personal trash can for extra garbage?
No. Republic Services uses automated trucks and will only service the officially issued 95-gallon carts. If you place a personal hardware store bin on the curb, it will either be ignored or mistakenly hauled away as a bulk trash item.
How do I throw away large furniture or massive brush piles?
Every DeSoto household is entitled to 12 on-call large bulk collections per year. If your pile is up to 10 cubic yards, call the DeSoto Action Center at 972-274-2489 to schedule your pickup. The items will be collected within five business days.
When can I put out extra bags of trash or bagged leaves?
You can place up to 3 cubic yards of extra items—such as bagged trash, bundled brush, bagged leaves, or a small piece of furniture—next to your black-lidded trash cart on your SECOND collection day of the week (Thursday or Friday).