Carpet is one of the most awkward household items to get rid of. It’s deceptively heavy once rolled, almost impossible to recycle in the usual sense, and leaves behind gripper strips, staples, and underlay crumbs. Industry figures suggest only around 2% of UK carpet is actually recycled – the rest goes to incineration because the face fibres are bonded to a backing that can’t cleanly be separated.
Need a Same-Day Collection in London?
We’re a fully licensed London waste carrier covering all 32 boroughs. Fixed prices from photos, two-person lift included, and a waste transfer note emailed after the job.
Cost: free in nine boroughs, at least once a year; elsewhere a first booking costs anything from £5 per item in Lewisham to £85 for up to 5 items in Richmond. Carpet usually one item; underlay either bundled or a second item.
Max length: most councils cap at 1.8m per roll – living-room carpet needs cutting in half.
Start at a corner with pliers to lift off the gripper.
Cut into 1m strips from the back with a utility knife.
Roll tightly pile inwards, tie both ends.
Lift underlay separately into rubble sacks.
Lift gripper strips with a wide chisel or pry bar.
Sweep for staples with a magnet.
Wrap gripper strips in flattened cardboard, tape shut.
Double bedroom takes 45–90 minutes solo.
Wet, Mouldy, Flood-Damaged Carpet
Contact insurer first – some policies require documentation.
After 48 hours wet = biohazard: FFP3 mask, gloves, windows open.
Double-bag underlay in heavy-duty sacks.
Weight roughly doubles – 50 kg+ per bedroom of saturated carpet.
Sewage contamination – specialist contractor.
Underlay Types and Trade Waste
PU foam (crumbles), rubber crumb (heavy, clean), felt (lightest). Very old foam (pre-2000s) occasionally had flame retardants – mention to disposer.
Fitter’s offcuts and rip-out waste are commercial waste, not household – need a duty-of-care transfer note via licensed trade-waste collection.
What You Should Not Do
Leaving rolled carpet next to bin store – fly-tipping, £400+ FPN.
Cash man-with-a-van without licence check.
Burning in the garden – toxic smoke, statutory nuisance.
Stuffing rolls into communal chute or bin.
Gripper strips in plastic sacks – injures crew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, all London HWRCs accept domestic carpet and underlay, usually directed to general bulky waste. Rolled pile-inwards and tied both ends; underlay often preferred bagged separately. Some sites cap at one-room equivalent per visit.
Very little – around 2% per Carpet Recycling UK figures. Synthetic fibres bonded to latex backing are hard to separate economically. Most carpet ends up in energy-from-waste incineration.
Yes. All 32 boroughs accept carpet under bulky waste. Usually one item rolled. Most cap rolls at 1.8m long, both ends tied. Free in nine boroughs; elsewhere a first booking costs anything from £5 per item in Lewisham to £85 for up to 5 items in Richmond, and you take the next free slot.
Standard 4×3m bedroom: 15–20 kg carpet + 8–12 kg underlay. Living room 30–50 kg combined. Wool adds ~30%. Wet can double.
With us, from £45 for a single roll (up to 30kg). A whole flat’s carpets are priced by the size of the load – £120 for an average load. No per-floor surcharge; extra time beyond the labour included is £10 per additional 10 minutes. All prices are subject to VAT.
Usually yes. HWRCs and council crews prefer carpet rolled alone, underlay in rubble sacks. Foam underlay crumbles; keeping it separate saves mess and helps stay within 1.8m length limit.
Need Help?
Speak to our team for a free, no-obligation quote.
