Option 1: Donate It (If It's Stain-Free)
A clean, structurally sound mattress can often go to charity. The catch is that hygiene standards have tightened over the years and acceptance policies vary by region:
- Salvation Army — many locations accept stain-free mattresses; call ahead
- Goodwill — some regions accept, many don't; varies by store
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore — most accept furniture but mattress acceptance varies
- Local homeless shelters — often actively need mattresses; ask your United Way or community services hotline for current need
- Family-services nonprofits — domestic violence shelters and refugee resettlement organizations frequently need bedding
Before you donate
- The mattress must be clean and stain-free (most charities will refuse stained mattresses)
- No structural damage — no sagging, broken springs, or torn covers
- Original law tag intact (some charities require it for resale)
- Call the organization before bringing the mattress over — many can't store rejected donations
Option 2: State Mattress Recycling Programs
Three states operate statewide mattress recycling programs funded by a small recycling fee added to new mattress purchases:
- California — Bye Bye Mattress program (operated by the Mattress Recycling Council)
- Connecticut — Bye Bye Mattress
- Rhode Island — Bye Bye Mattress
The Bye Bye Mattress website (byebyemattress.com) lists drop-off locations and curbside pickup options in those states. Drop-off is usually free; pickup may carry a small fee. The program processes mattresses for recycling — coils go to scrap steel, foam to carpet padding, cotton to industrial fiber uses.
Outside those three states, mattress recycling availability is municipal and uneven. The same Bye Bye Mattress site maintains a national directory of independent mattress recyclers; some major cities (Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston) have dedicated recyclers even without a state program.
Option 3: New-Mattress Brand Take-Back
Many mattress brands include old-mattress removal as part of the white-glove delivery service when you buy a new one. Coverage varies by brand and service area:
- Saatva — includes old mattress removal with delivery in most service areas
- Avocado — includes removal with white-glove delivery
- Casper — offers removal with their in-home setup service
- Nectar — old mattress removal included with delivery in supported areas
- Tempur-Pedic — includes haul-away with white-glove delivery
- Sleep Number — includes haul-away with white-glove delivery
Confirm at checkout. Not all brands offer removal in every region, and a few charge an extra fee for the service. If you're buying a new mattress anyway, this is the most convenient option — no separate haul-away needed.
Option 4: Municipal Bulk Pickup
Most cities offer bulk-item pickup through their sanitation department, sometimes monthly and sometimes by appointment. Typical requirements:
- Schedule pickup at least a week in advance through the city's sanitation services portal
- Wrap the mattress in plastic to discourage bed-bug transmission (some cities require this; check first)
- Set it out the night before pickup, not earlier (city ordinance violations otherwise)
- Some cities charge a small bulk-pickup fee ($10 to $30); others include it in residential service
Bulk pickup is the simplest option in cities that offer it. The downside: most municipally collected mattresses go to landfill rather than recycling.
Option 5: Junk Removal Services
Commercial junk removal services (1-800-GOT-JUNK, LoadUp, College Hunks Hauling Junk) will pick up a mattress for a fee. Typical pricing runs $75 to $150 for a single mattress, depending on size and region. Many of these services route mattresses to recyclers where available, but route to landfill if not. Confirm the destination if recycling matters to you.
What Not to Do
- Don't dump it illegally — fines for illegal dumping can run into the thousands of dollars
- Don't burn it — modern mattresses contain flame-retardant chemicals that release toxins when burned
- Don't try to resell a used mattress on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace — most platforms now prohibit used mattress listings due to hygiene and bed-bug concerns
- Don't curb it without scheduled pickup — municipal ordinances typically prohibit setting out bulk items without an appointment
What Happens to a Recycled Mattress
When a mattress goes through proper recycling, it gets disassembled into component materials. Steel coils are sold as scrap metal. Foam is downcycled into carpet padding or industrial cushioning. Cotton and wool fibers go to industrial fiber uses. Wood foundation frames are chipped for mulch or used as biomass fuel. Only the heavily glued composite portions and some quilted covers end up in landfill. The Mattress Recycling Council estimates that about 75 percent of a typical mattress is recoverable through their processing.
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