Most pickup partners don't take used mattresses. Here is why, and where a mattress can go.
Our partners have told us they don’t pick up used mattresses, with a few taking one as part of a larger donation after a look at its condition. The reason is resale. In many states a used mattress can be sold only after it is sanitized and tagged, which most thrift stores aren’t set up to do, and stains or bedbugs can’t be checked at the curb. The bed frame, headboard and dresser are welcome; the mattress usually isn’t.
When a partner might take a mattress
- As part of a larger donation, such as a full bedroom set, and only after the partner agrees to it.
- Clean, with no stains, tears, sagging or odor, and no bedbug history.
- Box springs follow the same rules as the mattress.
- Ask the partner when they call. It is their decision, and it changes with what they have in stock.
When they won't
- A mattress on its own, with nothing else to pick up.
- Any stain, tear, sag or smell. Crews check at the door.
- Any history of bedbugs, even after treatment.
Where a mattress can go instead
Priority Pickup
Local haulers in our network take mattresses that no nonprofit will, with the fee quoted before you book. Choose it on the form, or after a free request goes unanswered.
State recycling programs
California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island fund mattress recycling through the Bye Bye Mattress program, with drop-off sites and collection events listed by zip code.
City bulk pickup
Many cities collect mattresses by appointment or on bulk days. Some, including New York City, require the mattress to be sealed in a plastic bag first. Search your city’s name with “mattress disposal.”
Retailer haul-away
If a new mattress is on the way, many retailers take the old one at delivery, sometimes for a fee. Ask before the delivery is scheduled.
Donating the rest of the bedroom
Bed frames, headboards, nightstands and dressers in clean, intact condition are among the most requested pickups, and a bedroom set is an easy yes for most partners. List the furniture on the form, note the mattress separately, and the partner can tell you whether it will take it. See what furniture qualifies for free pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Do you pick up mattresses?
Most of our pickup partners have told us they don’t. If a mattress is part of a larger donation, list it on the form and ask the partner when they call. Priority Pickup takes mattresses for a fee quoted before you book.
Do partners take box springs?
They follow the same rules as mattresses: usually declined on their own, sometimes accepted with a larger donation when clean and undamaged.
Do partners take bed frames?
Yes. Frames, headboards and footboards in intact condition are furniture, and furniture is what the trucks come for.
Does Salvation Army pick up mattresses?
In many areas, yes, when the mattress is clean and undamaged. See how Salvation Army pickup works.