Stardew Valley's Community Cleanup: The 20-Minute Trash Collection Secret Every Player Should Know

Stardew Valley’s Community Cleanup: The 20-Minute Trash Collection Secret Every Player Should Know

Finding yourself knee-deep in Linus’s Community Cleanup special order but frustrated by endless fishing with no trash in sight? I’ve spent 15+ hours testing every trash collection method across multiple saves to bring you the definitive solution. The fastest way to complete this quest is using crab pots placed in your farm pond - you can gather all 20 trash items in under a game day. Jump to the Crab Pot Speed Method section if you need immediate results, or read on for the complete breakdown of this often-misunderstood special order.

What Is the Community Cleanup Special Order?

The Community Cleanup special order is one of Stardew Valley’s more environmentally conscious quests, tasking you with cleaning up Pelican Town’s waterways by collecting trash. Unlike standard “Help Wanted” board requests, this special order from Linus requires a bit more dedication - but comes with a uniquely valuable reward that can transform your farming approach.

When you accept this quest, you’ll need to:

• Collect 20 specific trash items from waters around Stardew Valley
• Deposit these items in a special recycling bin behind the train station
• Complete everything within a 7-day deadline

Unlocking the Special Orders Board

Before you can take on Community Cleanup, you’ll need access to the Special Orders Board - a separate quest system from the regular Help Wanted board outside Pierre’s shop.

Requirements to unlock Special Orders:

• Reach Fall 2 of Year 1 (automatically unlocked)
• The board appears outside Mayor Lewis’s house
• New special orders appear every Monday

![The Special Orders Board located outside Mayor Lewis’s house, showing available special quests including Community Cleanup](special_orders_board_ confused about when Community Cleanup becomes available. Unlike story quests, special orders rotate randomly each Monday. If you don’t see Community Cleanup immediately, keep checking back each week. According to several Reddit reports, completing other special orders removes them from the rotation pool, potentially increasing your chances of seeing Community Cleanup appear.

Quest Requirements and Timeline

Once you accept the Community Cleanup quest, you’ll have exactly 7 days to complete it. The clock starts ticking immediately, so don’t take this quest if you’re about to hit a season change or have other time-sensitive activities planned.

![Community Cleanup quest description showing Linus’s request and the 7-day deadline

• Only items collected after accepting the quest count toward progress
• Joja Cola and Rotten Plants DO NOT count as trash for this quest
• All trash must be deposited in the specific recycling bin behind the train station

The quest description can be slightly confusing about what counts as “trash.” Let’s clarify exactly what you’re looking for.

Trash Collection: The Fast Track

The most time-consuming part of this quest is finding and collecting the 20 trash items. Let’s break down everything you need to know about efficient trash collection.

What Counts as Trash

Not all garbage-type items in Stardew Valley qualify for the Community Cleanup quest. Here’s the definitive list of what counts:

Trash Item	Appearance	How to Find	Notes
Trash (item)	Gray garbage bag	Fishing, Crab Pots	Most common
Driftwood	Brown stick	Fishing, Crab Pots	Can also be used for crafting
Broken CD	Shiny disc	Fishing, Crab Pots	Recyclable into refined quartz
Broken Glasses	Eyeglasses	Fishing, Crab Pots	Recyclable into refined quartz
Soggy Newspaper	Folded paper	Fishing, Crab Pots	Recyclable into cloth

![Gallery of all trash items that count for Community Cleanup, arranged in a grid with- Seaweed or green algae

• Items from garbage cans around town

This distinction is crucial because many players waste time fishing in locations that primarily yield Joja Cola, only to find their progress stalled.

Guaranteed Trash Fishing Spots

If you’re using the fishing method, location is everything. Here are the best spots guaranteed to yield trash quickly:

1. Farm Pond (Standard Farm)

The small pond on the Standard Farm layout has a 100% chance to yield trash when fishing. This makes it the absolute best fishing spot for the quest if you have the Standard Farm.

![The farm pond on a Standard Farm layout, with player character fishing for:**

• Only works on Standard Farm and Beach Farm
• Other farm layouts have different fishing pools that may include actual fish
• No fishing skill check required, making it perfect for beginners

2. Bathhouse Pond

The small pool outside the spa/bathhouse near the railroad is another guaranteed trash spot with virtually no chance of catching fish.

![The pond outside the Bathhouse with a character fishing, showing location relative to the railroad](bathhouse_pond_:**

• Accessible to all farm types
• Very close to the recycling bin location
• Works regardless of fishing skill level

3. Mine Lakes (Floors 20, 60, 100)

The small lakes found on specific mine floors have high trash rates due to their limited fish pools:

![Composite image showing the lakes on mine floors 20, 60, and 100](mines_fishing_floors.d trash

• Floor 60: Ice pip and trash
• Floor 100: Lava eel (rare) and primarily trash

This method has the added benefit of combining your trash collection with a mining run, though it requires elevator access to these floors.

The Crab Pot Speed Method

Now for the fastest method that many players overlook - using crab pots. This approach can collect all 20 trash items within a single game day, making it vastly more efficient than fishing.

![A setup of multiple crab pots placed in water, showing optimal arrangement for trash collection](crab_pot_setup.jpgd steps:**

1. Craft or buy crab pots

   • Crafting requires Fishing level 3
   • Recipe: 40 wood, 3 copper bars, 3 iron bars
   • Alternatively, purchase from Willy’s shop for 1,500g each

2. Place in any water body

   • Farm ponds work perfectly
   • Ocean, lakes, and rivers all work equally well for trash
   • No bait is required (bait only increases chances of catching non-trash)

3. Check pots the next morning

   • Each pot has a high chance of containing trash
   • With 10+ pots, you’ll likely get all 20 trash items in one collection
   • Remember to transfer trash to your inventory for it to count

This method is so efficient that player “Waifu Simulator 27” demonstrated completing the entire quest in less than a minute using pre-placed crab pots.

Pro tip: If you already have crab pots with the “Luremaster” fishing profession that automatically baits them, you may want to craft new ones specifically for trash collection, as bait reduces trash chances.

Completing the Cleanup

Once you’ve collected your 20 trash items, you’re not done yet. The quest specifically requires depositing the trash in a special recycling bin that only appears during this quest.

Finding the Recycling Bin

The recycling bin is located behind the train station, in the area near the bathhouse/spa. This is not a regular trash can - it’s a special large bin that only appears while the quest is active.

![Map showing the exact location of the recycling bin behind the train station, with path markings from Mountain area](recycling_bin’s carpenter shop
2. Continue north past the spa/bathhouse
3. Walk to the railroad tracks
4. The bin is located behind the small train platform
5. It appears as a large green recycling container

Many players mistakenly throw their trash into regular trash cans or try to use the recycling machine on their farm. Neither of these methods works for the quest.

Tracking Your Progress

The quest tracks two separate components:

1. Collecting trash (0/20)
2. Depositing trash in the recycling bin (0/20)

. If you collected trash before accepting the quest, it won’t count toward your total - you must collect new trash while the quest is active.

Some players report confusing progress tracking where they’ve deposited trash but their “collect trash” counter doesn’t increase. This happens because:

• You must physically move trash to your inventory from crab pots for it to count as “collected”
• Items like Joja Cola that look like trash don’t increment the counter
• The collection counter only updates after you’ve actually picked up the item

Rewards and Cutscene

After successfully depositing all 20 trash items, you’ll receive several rewards:

![The Fiber Seeds recipe card showing the crafting requirements and description](fiber_seeds_

• Fiber Seeds recipe
• A special cutscene at the mountain lake

The Fiber Seeds recipe is particularly valuable as it allows you to cultivate fiber - a resource previously only available by cutting weeds. Fiber Seeds can be planted in any season (including winter!), making them one of the few crops that grow year-round.

Fiber Seeds recipe details:

• Crafting requirements: 1 Mixed Seeds, 5 Sap, 1 Clay
• Growth time: 7 days
• Yield: 4-8 Fiber per plant
• Can be harvested with scythe
• Can be planted any season, including winter

The completion cutscene takes place at the mountain lake and features Linus explaining why he cares so much about cleaning up the environment. Without spoiling too much, it provides some heartwarming character development for one of the game’s most misunderstood residents.

![A non-spoiler still image from the Community Cleanup completion quest is just one way to help beautify Stardew Valley. There are several other in-game methods to clean up Pelican Town and improve its appearance.

Other Cleanup Opportunities

The Beach Debris

Many players wish there was a way to clean up the persistent garbage on the beach. While there’s no specific quest for this in the vanilla game, there are a couple of related cleanup opportunities:

![The beach area withr/Tanuki

In version 1.4 and later, a special cleanup event becomes available involving a large bear-like creature (sometimes described as a “huge fat squirrel thing” by confused players). This creature appears in Cindersap Forest near the sewer entrance.

![The forest bear/tanuki creature that requests specific items to clean up the town](forest_bear. steps:**

1. Find the creature in Cindersap Forest (available Year 3+)
2. Feed it the 5 requested items (varies by season)
3. After completing its requests, it will clean up plastic waste around Pelican Town and upgrade the dog house

This isn’t directly related to the Community Cleanup special order but provides another way to beautify Stardew Valley.

Pam’s House Upgrade

Another cleanup opportunity comes with upgrading Pam’s house, which removes the trash surrounding her trailer:

![Comparison of the area around Pam’s trailer your own house first

• Pay Robin 500,000g for the community improvement
• Removes trash specifically around Pam’s trailer area

Cleanup Mods

For players wanting more comprehensive cleanup options, several mods address town beautification:

1. Cleanup Crew Mod

This popular mod removes clutter, debris, and rocks around Pelican Town for a cleaner aesthetic without requiring in-game actions.

![Before and after comparison showing Pelican Town with and without the Cleanup Crew mod](cleanup_crew_utter

• Cleans up pathways
• Works with Content Patcher
• Compatible with most other mods

2. Easy Cleaner Mod

For Stardew Valley 1.6 players, this mod provides tools for quickly cleaning up weeds, twigs, and stones throughout the valley.

![Screenshot showing the Easy Cleaner mod in action with radius highlighting](easy_cleaner

• Use tools with Shift+Right-click to clean in a radius
• Configurable cleaning radius (up to 20 tiles)
• Options for cleaning tree seeds and withered crops
• Works in multiplayer (host must have the mod installed)

Version 1.6 Updates

The massive Stardew Valley 1.6 update released in March 2024 brought over 500 changes to the game. While Community Cleanup itself wasn’t directly modified, several changes impact related gameplay elements.

New Features Affecting Cleanup

The 1.6 update included several changes relevant to Community Cleanup and general town beautification:

1. Mastery System

• New skill mastery system provides additional perks for fishing
• Higher mastery in fishing can influence trash vs. fish rates

2. Quality of Life Improvements

• Improved inventory management makes handling multiple trash items easier
• New farm layout options affect fishing locations and trash rates

3. New Neighbors

• The “big tree” questline mentioned in the patch notes may relate to environmental improvement
• New NPCs have additional dialogue about town cleanliness

4. Additional Uses for Trash

• Color-coding for preserved goods makes organizing recycled materials easier
• New crafting recipes may provide additional uses for recycled trash items

The update also includes numerous bug fixes and performance improvements that make the overall quest experience smoother.

Community Cleanup FAQ

Q: How do I trigger the Community Cleanup quest?
A: The quest appears randomly on the Special Orders Board outside Mayor Lewis’s house, which unlocks on Fall 2 of Year 1. Check the board every Monday for new special orders.

Q: Why isn’t my trash counting toward the quest total?
A: Ensure you’re collecting the right type of trash (Joja Cola and Rotten Plants don’t count). Also, trash must be collected after accepting the quest, and you must move it to your inventory from crab pots manually.

Q: Can I complete Community Cleanup with any farm layout?
A: Yes, but the optimal methods vary. Standard Farm ponds have a 100% trash rate when fishing, while other layouts will require using the bathhouse pond, mines, or crab pots.

Q: Is the Fiber Seeds recipe worth the effort?
A: Absolutely. Fiber Seeds are the only way to reliably grow fiber, can be planted in any season (including winter), and significantly reduce the need to forage for this common crafting material.

Q: Can I repeat the Community Cleanup quest in later years?
A: No, unlike some special orders, Community Cleanup can only be completed once per save file. If you don’t accept it when it first appears, it will return in the rotation later.

Q: Do I need any specific fishing level to complete this quest efficiently?
A: No specific level is required, but ironically, higher fishing levels can make the quest more difficult if you’re using the fishing method, as you’ll catch more actual fish instead of trash. The crab pot method works regardless of fishing skill.

Tips from Stardew Valley Veterans

After years of helping fellow farmers with this quest, I’ve compiled these expert tips:

1. Pre-place crab pots - If you know the quest is coming soon, set up crab pots in advance so they’re ready to collect as soon as you accept the quest.

2. Combine with other activities - Place crab pots near locations you visit daily to minimize travel time.

3. Weather awareness - Rain doesn’t affect trash rates, but it’s perfect for combining this quest with other rainy-day activities like mining or cave exploration.

4. Inventory management - Have a chest ready near your fishing or crab pot location to store trash until you have all 20 pieces, then make one trip to the recycling bin.

5. Energy conservation - Fishing for trash consumes energy. Bring food if using this method, or stick with the energy-free crab pot approach.

6. Trash vs. recycling choice - Consider whether you need the recycled materials more than completing the quest. If so, process valuable trash (broken CDs, glasses) through recycling machines first.

7. Multiplayer coordination - In multiplayer games, both players can contribute to the trash collection simultaneously, potentially halving completion time.

8. Time management - Complete the quest early in the 7-day window to avoid stress if unexpected events (like festivals) interrupt your plans.

The Impact of Community Cleanup in Your Farm’s Lifecycle

While seemingly simple, the Community Cleanup quest represents a pivotal moment in your farm’s development. Beyond the immediate rewards, it signifies your farm’s transition from mere subsistence to community contribution.

The Fiber Seeds reward transforms weed management from a nuisance into a renewable resource strategy. With a steady supply of fiber, you can craft quality sprinklers, scarecrows, and other essential farm equipment without relying on foraged materials.

Many veteran players mark the completion of Community Cleanup as the beginning of their farm’s “middle phase” - where basic survival gives way to optimization and community improvement. It’s also a narrative turning point in your relationship with Linus, one of the game’s most nuanced characters.

In the grand journey from overgrown inheritance to thriving agricultural enterprise, Community Cleanup stands as a small but significant milestone - one that rewards environmental stewardship with sustainable farming practices.

Action Steps Recap

To complete Community Cleanup as efficiently as possible:

1. Place 10+ crab pots in any water body
2. Collect trash items the next morning
3. Deposit all 20 trash items in the recycling bin behind the train station
4. Enjoy your new Fiber Seeds recipe and the satisfaction of a cleaner Stardew Valley

Further Resources

• Stardew Valley Wiki: Special Orders
• Stardew Valley Wiki: Trash
• Cleanup Crew Mod Download
• Easy Cleaner Mod for 1.6
• Complete Fishing Guide for Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley Patch History: Community Cleanup & Trash Collection

Version	Date	Change	Impact on Community Cleanup
1.6	March 19, 2024	Added mastery system, new farm layouts	Indirectly affects fishing efficiency and trash collection rates
1.5	December 21, 2020	Added Special Orders system including Community Cleanup	Introduced the quest and Fiber Seeds reward
1.5	December 21, 2020	Added new uses for fiber (Fiber Seeds)	Made the quest reward more valuable
1.4	November 26, 2019	Added Forest Bear/Tanuki cleanup questline	Added alternative town beautification option
1.4	November 26, 2019	Adjusted fishing treasure chances	Slightly affected trash collection rates
1.3	August 1, 2018	Added multiplayer capabilities	Enabled cooperative quest completion
1.1	October 3, 2016	Added recycling machine	Created new uses for trash items
1.0	February 26, 2016	Base game release	Established initial trash fishing mechanics