Vacuum Leaf Pickup FAQs
Tell me about your Leaf Vacuum Service.
At Really Clean Streets, our goal is to create a world-class leaf collection program that exceeds the expectation of our customers.
Our program is on-demand, and our promise is to pick up your leaves within a week of the order being placed (weather permitting). You can book online or give us a call when you’re ready.
The biggest difference between Really Clean Streets and other leaf removal programs is that we work around your schedule instead of making you work around ours.
What does “weather permitting” mean?
One of the biggest factors that determines how smoothly a municipal leaf collection program goes is the one thing we can’t control…weather. Our team can work in the rain - just not heavy rain. And if leaf piles are wet and then freeze - or there’s a significant amount of snow - it’s near impossible for us to vacuum. We’ll try our best to push the limits on what we can do in bad weather and promise to communicate if your order is impacted. We appreciate your patience!
Can I request a specific day for pickup?
Because we’re navigating weather and resulting leaf volume fluctuations, we can’t guarantee a specific day for pickup right now….but we’re working on it!
How do I get my leaves ready for pickup?
Please rake your leaves to the curb or property line (but not in the street or gutter).
If your neighborhood has ditches, place your leaves on the ROADSIDE of the ditch (but not in the ditch).
To ensure our vacuum trucks can remove your leaves, make sure they’re accessible from the street (4-5ft max) and at least 15 ft from parked cars. And for the love of Pete, don’t pile your leaves on top of gas or water caps - our vacuums WILL suck those up!
We ask that your loose leaves do not block traffic lanes, parking, or storm sewers. City and county ordinances often restrict the placement of leaves in these locations.
Keep leaf piles away from signposts, light poles, trees, tiny libraries and mailboxes.
Unfortunately, we cannot take mulched or composted leaves. Leaves that contain trash, sticks, rocks, dirt, grass clippings or other yard debris won’t be removed because they can damage our equipment. So make sure your landscaper isn’t putting any of that stuff in your leaf pile!
Can my neighbors and I combine leaves and make one big pile?
You can…if you all place orders. Because our crews are paid per pickup, they end up getting the short end of the stick if they’re picking up leaves from multiple addresses but there’s just one order. If we suspect that leaves have been combined, we’ll skip your order until we can get in touch with you and sort it out…and we’d hate for you to miss your pickup. If you and your neighbor would like to combine leaves because it’s easier (i.e. you live on a cul-de-sac and have limited road frontage) give us a call.
Are pine needles and pine cones eligible for pickup?
Yes, pine needles and pine cones can be picked up by our leaf vacuum trucks.
You must have your leaves ready and at your property line the Sunday evening before your pickup week. Unfortunately, we can’t refund pickup fees if your leaves aren’t ready when our operators arrive.
What happens if I don’t have my leaves ready when your crew arrives?
Where do the leaves go?
All of the leaves we collect get mulched or composted at local facilities - unlike bagged leaves which go to the landfill.
How do I pay?
Our online booking platform is a secure, quick and easy way to place your order and pay via credit card (the charge will appear on your statement as “Really Clean Streets”). After booking your order, you’ll receive an email confirmation (make sure to check your spam folder!) with details about your scheduled pickup week.
What is your refund policy?
To keep our crews working efficiently, we are unable to refund pickup fees if your leaves aren’t ready when they arrive, if they can’t access your leaves from the street, if your leaves contain trash, sticks, rocks or other debris or if you’ve combined your leaves with your neighbors (without booking separate orders).