Mattress Disposal Cost and Options
Mattress disposal cost is one of the most frustrating line items in any cleanout, and the rules have tightened significantly in the last three years. Fourteen states now ban mattresses from landfills outright, which means you can no longer just set one at the curb in most metros. Here is what it actually costs to get rid of a mattress legally in 2026, and which option makes sense for your situation.
Section 01
Curbside pickup (where allowed)
Roughly 60 percent of US cities still allow mattress curbside pickup as part of bulk trash day, usually with a surcharge. Expect $25 to $60 per mattress on your utility bill, with a required wrap in plastic to prevent bed bug spread. Check your city's bulk trash schedule before dragging anything to the curb. Fines for illegal curbside mattresses run $100 to $500 in most metros.
Section 02
Retailer haul-away
Every major mattress retailer (Mattress Firm, Casper, Tempur-Pedic, Costco, IKEA) offers haul-away with the purchase of a new mattress. Pricing ranges from free (Costco, some promos) to $75 to $150 per piece. This is almost always the cheapest legal option when you are replacing the mattress anyway. The catch: they will only take one old mattress per new mattress purchased, and they will not touch anything soiled or bed-bug infested.
Section 03
Mattress recycling drop-off
States with landfill bans (California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, Illinois and others) run mattress recycling programs. Drop-off is $10 to $40 per mattress at a certified facility. The catch is that you need a truck big enough to haul a queen or king, and the facility has to be open. In the non-ban states, recycling centers are rare and usually 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 plus box spring plus bed frame. This is the most expensive per-mattress option, but it makes sense when the mattress is part of a larger cleanout or when stairs, tight spaces, or lack of a truck make DIY impossible. Most full-service haulers include the state recycling fee in the quote.
Section 05
What does not work in 2026
Skip these options. They cost more, risk fines, or flat out do not work anymore.
- Donation to thrift stores: Goodwill and Salvation Army stopped accepting 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 any curbside bulk item 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, and usually only when wrapped in plastic. Fourteen states ban mattresses from landfills entirely, which often means curbside is not allowed.
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 currently the main retailer offering free haul-away, and only for Costco-purchased mattresses.
Can you donate a used mattress?
Almost no thrift store accepts used mattresses anymore because of bed bug and sanitation concerns. A few local nonprofits and shelter programs take mattresses less than 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 junk removal pickup. Most haulers drop the per-mattress price significantly on job two and three, and you still only pay one crew fee.
Need the job done?
Book a crew that knows the work.
Titan Group operates Junk King across six metros. Free on-site estimates, volume-based pricing, same-day and next-day availability.