Mattress Disposal Cost and Options
Mattress disposal is one of the most frustrating line items in any cleanout. The rules tightened a lot over the last three years. Fourteen states now ban mattresses from landfills outright, so setting one at the curb isn't an option in most metros. Here's what it actually costs to get rid of a mattress legally in 2026, and which path fits your situation.
Section 01
Curbside pickup (where it's still allowed)
Roughly 60 percent of US cities still take mattresses through bulk trash day, usually with a surcharge. Expect $25 to $60 per mattress on the utility bill, plus a required plastic wrap to slow bed bug spread. Check your city's bulk schedule before dragging anything out. Fines for illegal curbside mattresses run $100 to $500 in most metros.
Section 02
Retailer haul-away
Every major mattress retailer offers haul-away with a new mattress purchase. Mattress Firm, Casper, Tempur-Pedic, Costco, IKEA. Pricing runs from free (Costco, some promos) to $75 to $150 per piece. If you're replacing the mattress anyway, this is almost always the cheapest legal option. Two catches. They'll only take one old mattress per new one purchased, and they won't touch anything soiled or bed-bug infested.
Section 03
Mattress recycling drop-off
States with landfill bans (California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, Illinois, others) run mattress recycling programs. Drop-off runs $10 to $40 per mattress at a certified facility. You need a truck big enough for a queen or king, and the facility has to be open. In non-ban states, recycling centers are rare and mostly nonprofit-run.
Section 04
Full-service junk removal
Full-service pickup runs $95 to $175 for a single mattress. $150 to $225 for a mattress, box spring, and frame together. It's the priciest per-mattress option. It also makes sense when the mattress is part of a larger cleanout, when stairs and tight spaces are in play, or when you don't own a truck. Most haulers fold the state recycling fee into the quote.
Section 05
What doesn't work in 2026
Skip these. They cost more, risk fines, or just don't work anymore.
- Donation to thrift stores: Goodwill and Salvation Army stopped taking used mattresses in 2019 for sanitation reasons
- Dumping in a commercial dumpster: illegal dumping fines average $500
- Setting out without wrap in a banned state: automatic fine
- Curbside in HOAs: most HOAs ban curbside bulk items without prior scheduling
Frequently Asked
Questions, answered.
Can I put a mattress at the curb?
Only in cities that allow bulk trash pickup, on the scheduled day, usually wrapped in plastic. Fourteen states ban mattresses from landfills entirely, which often means curbside isn't allowed at all.
Does Mattress Firm take your old mattress for free?
Mattress Firm charges $45 to $65 for haul-away with a new mattress purchase as of 2026. Costco is the main retailer still offering free haul-away, and only on Costco-purchased mattresses.
Can you donate a used mattress?
Almost no thrift store takes used mattresses anymore because of bed bug and sanitation concerns. A few local nonprofits and shelter programs accept mattresses under 2 years old in near-new condition, usually with proof of purchase.
Is there a cheap way to get rid of multiple mattresses?
Bundle them into a single pickup. Most haulers drop the per-mattress price on the second and third unit, and you only pay one crew fee.
Need the job done?
Book a crew that knows the work.
Titan Group runs Junk King across six markets. Free on-site estimates. Volume-based pricing. Same-day and next-day availability.