What to Do With an Old Mattress in Portland

You have four real options for an old mattress in Portland: haul it to a transfer station or mattress recycler yourself, arrange a bulky-item pickup if your garbage hauler offers one, donate it if it is clean and in good shape, or have a junk removal company carry it out and take it away. If the mattress is upstairs, you do not own a truck, or you would rather not spend a Saturday on it, the last option is the one most people end up choosing. At Junk Rush a mattress is a minimum load, $175, carried out from wherever it sits and gone the same trip.

Here is how each option actually works so you can pick the one that fits.

Can you put a mattress on the curb in Portland?

Not with your regular trash. Standard garbage service does not take mattresses, and leaving one on the curb without arranging a pickup is a good way to get a notice from the city. Some haulers offer bulky-item pickups for a fee, usually scheduled in advance, and the mattress has to be at the curb on the right morning. Check with your hauler for what they offer in your area.

If the mattress has bed bugs, bag it before it goes anywhere. Most recyclers will not accept an infested mattress, and it is not something you want to hand to a neighbor.

Where to recycle a mattress in Portland

Mattresses are mostly steel springs, foam, cotton and wood, and a fair amount of that can be recovered. The Portland area has facilities that accept mattresses for recycling, some for a fee. The catch is the same either way: you have to get it there. That means a truck or a large SUV, a second person for the stairs, and a trip during business hours.

When we pick up a mattress, we route it to recycling where a facility will take it. That is part of the job, not something you need to arrange.

Can you donate an old mattress?

Sometimes. Charities that accept mattresses generally want them clean, dry, free of stains and tears, and from a smoke-free home. Many do not accept them at all because of sanitation rules. If yours is a few years old and in good shape, it is worth a call. If it has been in the garage since the last move, it is probably a recycling candidate.

Box springs and bed frames follow the same logic. Usable pieces get donated where possible, metal frames get recycled.

How much does mattress removal cost in Portland?

With Junk Rush, one mattress is a minimum load at $175. That includes the crew carrying it down the stairs, loading it, hauling it and the disposal or recycling fee. Add a box spring, a bed frame, a dresser or an old couch and you are usually still inside a minimum or quarter load ($265). The number is in writing before we arrive and does not change once you have it. See the full tiers on our junk removal prices page.

What you do not pay for:

• Stairs, tight hallways or a long carry to the truck

• Moving it to the curb first (you do not have to)

• Weekend or same-day pickup

• Fuel or a separate dump fee

How mattress pickup works

• Send a photo. Text a picture of the mattress and anything else going with it to 971-484-8909, or use the Request an Estimate form. Mention which floor it is on.

• Get a price. You get a written quote, usually the same day.

• We haul it. The crew carries it out, loads it, sweeps up and leaves. Same-day is often possible for a single item if you reach us early.

Mattresses and box springs are one of the most common single-item pickups we do. If you are replacing a whole bedroom set, our furniture removal page covers what else can go on the same trip, and the what we take list covers everything else in the house.

Quick answers

Can I put a mattress in a dumpster?

Some dumpster rental companies allow it and some charge extra or prohibit it, so check the rental agreement. If the mattress is the only thing you need gone, a dumpster is more than you need. A minimum-load pickup handles it in one visit.

How do I get rid of a mattress with bed bugs?

Wrap it in plastic and seal it before it moves. Tell us when you send the photo so the crew is prepared and it is kept separate from anything that could be donated. Infested mattresses go to disposal, not recycling or donation.

Do you take box springs and bed frames too?

Yes. Mattress, box spring, frame and headboard together are usually still a minimum load. Metal frames are recycled. If the frame is in good shape it may be donated.

Ready to get the mattress out of the hallway? Text a photo to 971-484-8909 or use the Request an Estimate form. You get a price first, and the crew does the carrying.