Mattress Removal Cost

Paid mattress removal runs $75–$175 for a single mattress, and most people don't need to pay it. Your city almost certainly collects bulky items free, and a transfer station will take a mattress for $10–$30. Here's every option, cheapest first, with the honest answer about when paying is actually worth it.

What every option costs

The honest version: the gap between free and $150 is usually a phone call and a week of patience. If you have both, don't pay. If you're moving on Saturday and the mattress is on the second floor, $150 is money well spent. We'll tell you which you are.

The free options, in the order worth trying

1. Your city's bulk pickup — the one most people don't know about

Most US municipalities run a free bulk or "large item" collection, commonly two to four times a year and in some cities monthly. Mattresses are almost always eligible.

It is scheduled, not automatic. You book a date — online or via 311 — and put the mattress out the night before. Leaving it at the curb unannounced usually gets it left there, and in many cities gets you a fine.

Two things that catch people out:

• Many cities require the mattress to be bagged or wrapped in plastic before collection — a bed-bug control measure. A mattress disposal bag costs a few dollars at a hardware store. Crews will refuse an unwrapped mattress in cities that require this.
• There's often a per-collection item limit, so a mattress plus a box spring may count as two.

Search your city name plus "bulk item pickup," or call 311.

2. Retailer haul-away when the new mattress arrives

If you're replacing the mattress, this is the cheapest and easiest route by a wide margin. Most mattress retailers and big-box stores will take the old one when they deliver the new one — often free, sometimes for a small fee.

You usually have to arrange it at the point of purchase, not on delivery day. Ask before you pay, and get it on the order. Delivery crews frequently can't add it on the spot.

Boxed online mattresses often don't include haul-away at all, which surprises people — worth checking before you buy.

3. Charity collection — only if it's genuinely good

This is more restricted than most people expect. Goodwill does not take mattresses at essentially any location. The Salvation Army sometimes will, and will often collect from your home free — but many local chapters have stopped over bed-bug concerns. Habitat ReStore generally declines them too.

The rule underneath all of it: charities need to be able to resell it. A stained, sagging or elderly mattress costs them money to dispose of, so they say no. If yours is genuinely near-new, call your local branch — not the national line, since policy varies chapter by chapter.

See our full matrix of who takes what for free.

The cheap options

Transfer station or landfill — $10–$30

If you have a truck, SUV or roof rack, this is the fastest cheap answer. Most facilities charge a flat per-mattress fee, commonly $10–$30. Some charge only their standard minimum load fee, which makes it worth combining with other junk in the same trip.

Call ahead on two points: whether they accept mattresses at all (a few don't), and their hours, which are often shorter than you'd expect and rarely include Sundays.

Mattress recycling — often cheaper, sometimes free

A mattress is roughly 75% recyclable — steel springs, foam, wood frame and fabric all have onward uses. Dedicated recycling facilities typically charge $0–$40.

If you live in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island or Oregon, you're in a state with a mattress stewardship programme funded by a fee already paid when the mattress was bought — which means drop-off at participating sites is generally free. That's worth knowing, because a lot of people in those states pay for removal unnecessarily.

What paid removal actually costs

Why a single mattress costs so much

National junk-removal companies price by how much of the truck you fill, and they have a minimum charge — commonly $100–$150. A mattress takes very little volume but still triggers the minimum, so you're paying for a truck slot rather than for the mattress.

This is why mattress-only specialists are usually cheaper: their pricing is built around single items rather than truckloads.

What pushes the price up

• Stairs — commonly $15–$40 per flight above the first
• Multiple items — though the per-item rate falls sharply
• King and California King — a small premium over twin or full
• Same-day service
• Rural addresses outside the standard service radius

When paying is genuinely the right call

We don't sell removal, so here's the straight answer. Pay for it when:

• It's above the ground floor and you'd be moving it alone. A queen mattress down two flights of stairs is a genuine two-person job and a real injury risk.
• You have no vehicle that fits it. Mattress on a car roof is how people lose mattresses on motorways.
• You're on a deadline — moving out, a closing date, new mattress arriving.
• You're clearing several items. The economics flip completely: one mattress at $150 is poor value, but a mattress, sofa, dresser and boxes for $250 is good value.
• The mattress has bed bugs. Wrap it, label it, and have professionals take it. This is not a DIY situation.

Things that are actually restricted

• Fly-tipping is illegal everywhere, and dumped mattresses are among the most commonly fined items because they're easy to trace and expensive for councils to collect.
• Several states and many cities ban mattresses from landfill, which is why facilities charge a specific handling fee rather than taking them as general waste.
• Many cities require plastic wrapping for kerbside collection.
• You can't put a mattress in a normal dumpster at most rental companies — it's usually an explicitly prohibited item carrying a surcharge.

Cutting it up yourself — usually not worth it

You can break a mattress down with a utility knife and a hacksaw: cut the fabric, pull the foam and batting, cut the frame, and the steel goes to a scrap yard. It reduces bulk enough to fit in regular waste in some areas.

It takes one to two hours, makes a great deal of mess, and saves perhaps $30 against a transfer station fee. Worth it if you have no vehicle and no collection service. Otherwise, don't.

Common questions

Will Goodwill take my mattress?

No — essentially no Goodwill location accepts mattresses, box springs or bed frames. Health regulations plus bed-bug risk. This is the single most common misconception we see.

Is it cheaper to remove a mattress and box spring together?

Per item, yes. In total, no. Most services charge roughly 40–60% of the first item's price for the second, so expect $100–$225 for the pair rather than double.

Can I put a mattress in a dumpster?

Usually not. Most dumpster rental companies list mattresses as prohibited or charge a specific surcharge, because landfills price them separately.

How much does 1-800-GOT-JUNK charge for a mattress?

Expect their single-item minimum, generally $100–$175 depending on your market. See our full pricing breakdown.

What if the mattress is infested?

Wrap it in plastic before moving it through your home, label it clearly, and tell whoever collects it. Many municipalities have a specific procedure. Don't donate it, and don't leave it unwrapped at the kerb.

Related

• Who takes your old stuff for free — the full matrix
• 1-800-GOT-JUNK prices explained
• Junk removal prices in 2026

Prices are typical US ranges for 2026 and vary considerably by metro, provider and access. Municipal rules — particularly wrapping requirements and bulk pickup limits — vary by city and change. Always confirm with your city or the facility before you go. Last verified August 2026.