Tentative deals with union locals representing outside and inside workers do not mean an immediate end to the five-week municipal strike, Torontonians are being warned. (Canadian Press)

Word of tentative deals with Toronto's two striking municipal unions already has some residents celebrating, but it will be a while before the piles of trash disappear.

The outside workers, members of CUPE Local 416 who include Toronto's garbage collectors, said Monday morning they wouldn't hold a ratification vote until the inside workers, represented by CUPE Local 79, also had a tentative deal.

Local 79 announced Monday afternoon they had also reached a deal. Both ratification votes will be held Wednesday.

That means workers likely won't be back on the job any earlier than next Monday, Mayor David Miller said, given that city councillors must also meet to approve the deals after they are ratified by the unions.

Despite the looming delay, some union members were expressing optimism.

"It's a good day on the line because the end of the strike is in sight, and that's what we all wanted," said Local 79 member Barry Henaulth. "Five weeks is a long time to go without a paycheque."

Others, like Len Healey, said the return to work will be hard for some.

"I'm sure there's going to be some hard feeling for some of the men who've been out this long without any pay," he said.

City officials have said they have plans to start the cleanup as soon as the contracts are ratified and the picket lines come down.

City of Toronto spokesman Rob Andrusevich says getting services back to normal is not like flicking a switch.

Swimming pools have to be treated, the island ferries need to be serviced and the mountains of garbage piled up at various temporary depots around the city will take days to move.

It took about 36 hours to clean up the city after a strike in 2002. The 2009 strike has lasted more than twice as long, so city officials say they hope people will be patient.

Andrusevich said the city will give more details about how the city plans to get its services back to normal later this week.