National CleanUp Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
The official National CleanUp Day organization states that the observance takes place every year on the third Saturday in September.
About National CleanUp Day
National CleanUp Day is a U.S.-based volunteer cleanup campaign held on the third Saturday in September. Its official site says the first National CleanUp Day was held in 2017.
The organization invites individuals, community groups, businesses and public partners to organize or join cleanups in parks, trails, streets, waterways and other shared spaces.
Why National CleanUp Day matters
The day is about voluntary community stewardship: reducing litter, improving shared outdoor spaces and making cleanup participation easier to organize.
A cleanup campaign does not replace municipal sanitation rules or create authority to enter restricted property. Volunteers should use permitted locations and follow local disposal instructions.
History of National CleanUp Day
National CleanUp Day traces its origin to Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby, whose trail-cleaning efforts led to the nonprofit Clean Trails.
The official organization says Clean Trails began in 2013 and the first National CleanUp Day followed in 2017.
National CleanUp Day is scheduled for the third Saturday in September; the organizer also supports cleanup activity throughout September.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby
National CleanUp Day identifies Jewett and Willoughby as founders and describes the trail-cleaning work that led to the campaign.
Clean Trails, Inc. / National CleanUp Day
The organization says National CleanUp Day launched through Clean Trails in 2017.
First documented observance
The official organization says it held the first National CleanUp Day in 2017.
National CleanUp Day
The current official site organizes registration, resources and annual cleanup activity.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Clean Up Day, National CleanUp Day
How to Observe National CleanUp Day
Join an organized cleanup with a clear meeting point, permitted site and disposal plan.
Wear suitable footwear and gloves, stay visible near roads, and follow organizer guidance for weather, water and terrain.
Do not pick up needles, chemicals, unknown containers, dead animals or other hazardous material by hand; flag them for the responsible local service or trained organizer.
Respect wildlife and habitat while removing litter, and do not enter private, closed or unsafe areas without permission.
National CleanUp Day Facts
The first National CleanUp Day was held in 2017.
Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby are identified by the organization as founders.
The recurring date is the third Saturday in September.
National CleanUp Day grew from the Clean Trails nonprofit initiative.
Participation is voluntary and must follow local property, waste-disposal and safety rules.
National CleanUp Day Messages
Happy National CleanUp Day—thank you to everyone giving time to care for shared spaces.
Here’s to cleaner trails, parks, streets and waterways, one safe cleanup at a time.
Wishing every cleanup crew a productive day with good planning, safe practices and plenty of community spirit.
Thank you to the volunteers and organizers helping communities care for the places people share.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
National CleanUp Day — How to + Safety (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit Event Organizer
National CleanUp Day — official organizer (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit Event Organizer
National CleanUp Day — Our Story (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit Event Organizer
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National CleanUp Day?
Third Saturday in September The documented recurrence rule is: Third Saturday in September.
Does National CleanUp Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is National CleanUp Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / organizer-led volunteer cleanup campaign. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National CleanUp Day?
The reviewed sources identify Clean Trails, Inc. / National CleanUp Day as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as National CleanUp Day.
Is National CleanUp Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / organizer-led volunteer cleanup campaign.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-19.
When is National CleanUp Day?
It is held on the third Saturday in September.
When did National CleanUp Day start?
The official organization says the first National CleanUp Day was held in 2017.
Who founded National CleanUp Day?
The organization identifies Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby as founders, building on their Clean Trails work.
Can volunteers pick up any kind of waste?
No. Hazardous, sharp, chemical or otherwise unsafe material should be handled according to organizer and local-authority guidance rather than picked up casually.
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A/RES/74/142
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