How to Get Rid of an Old Mattress: 5 Options Compared
Getting rid of an old mattress is harder than most bulky items because of its size, weight, and the fact that many donation centers won’t accept one at all. The five realistic options are city bulk pickup, retailer haul-away, donation, a DIY landfill run, or booking a hauler—each with different tradeoffs in cost, speed, and effort.
Why Is a Mattress Harder to Get Rid of Than Other Furniture?
A queen or king mattress is too large and awkward for most curbside trash pickup without a scheduled bulk-item appointment, too heavy for one person to move alone, and often refused by thrift stores and donation centers over sanitation and bed-bug concerns—even when it’s in good condition. That combination rules out the easiest routes people try first for other furniture, which is why a mattress often ends up sitting in a garage or spare room far longer than it should.
The 5 Ways to Dispose of an Old Mattress
- City bulk trash pickup: Many cities offer scheduled bulk-item pickup, but it usually requires signing up in advance, following specific placement rules, and waiting for a designated collection day rather than getting rid of it today.
- Retailer haul-away with a new mattress purchase: Some mattress retailers will remove your old one when they deliver a new one, but this only applies if you’re buying a replacement at that moment, and policies vary by retailer.
- Donation: Only an option if the mattress is clean, undamaged, and free of stains or odor, and even then, many donation centers decline mattresses outright regardless of condition.
- DIY drop-off at a landfill or transfer station: Requires a vehicle large enough to haul a mattress (a standard pickup bed fits one), plus a dump fee at the facility and the time to load, drive, and unload it yourself.
- Book a hauler: A flat-rate pickup service comes to your curb, driveway, or accessible garage and takes the mattress with no drop-off drive or advance scheduling window required.
How Do the 5 Options Compare?
| Option | Speed | Cost | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| City bulk pickup | Scheduled, often days to weeks out | Frequently free, varies by city | Low, but you must follow placement rules |
| Retailer haul-away | Tied to delivery date | Free or included, only with new purchase | Low |
| Donation | Depends on center availability | Free | Moderate—many centers refuse mattresses |
| DIY landfill drop-off | Same day, if you have a vehicle | Facility dump fee | High—loading, driving, unloading yourself |
| Book a hauler (EasyGig) | Same-day booking often available | Flat $150 per truckload | Low—just stage it at the curb, driveway, or garage |
Can Someone Pick Up an Old Mattress Today?
Often, yes. EasyGig’s flat $150 per-truckload rate covers a mattress and box spring along with anything else that fits in the same standard pickup-truck bed, and booking doesn’t require advance scheduling the way city bulk pickup does. Same-day availability depends on your area, so check at booking, but there’s no on-site pricing visit slowing things down—the price is set before the pickup truck leaves.
What Should You Do With the Mattress Before Pickup?
- Strip off any bedding, mattress covers, or protectors
- Lean or lay the mattress and box spring at the curb, driveway, or an easily accessible garage—haulers don’t enter the home or carry items down from upstairs
- Keep it dry and out of the way of vehicles until pickup
- If it’s still in usable condition, check the donations page first to see whether it can be routed to a donation partner instead of disposal
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a mattress cost extra to remove compared to other furniture? No. A mattress and box spring are included in the same flat $150 per-truckload rate as any other furniture, as long as it fits in a standard pickup bed.
Will a hauler come inside to get the mattress? No—pickup is curbside, driveway, or an easily accessible garage only. The mattress needs to be staged there ahead of time.
Can I combine a mattress pickup with other junk? Yes. A mattress typically doesn’t fill an entire truckload on its own, so pairing it with other furniture or clutter is a practical way to use the full $150 load. See what fits in a truckload for reference.
Do donation centers usually take old mattresses? Not always—many decline mattresses regardless of condition due to sanitation policies, so check with a specific center before counting on that option.
What if I have more than one mattress to get rid of? Two mattresses may still fit in one truckload depending on size and what else is included; if not, book a second truckload at the same flat rate.
Ready to get it out of the house? Book your pickup with EasyGig and get a flat rate with no on-site visit required.
