Mattress Removal in Texas: Cost and Every Way to Get Rid of One (2026)

Having a junk removal company haul away one mattress costs about $68 to $155 in Texas, according to Junk Cost Calculator's Texas page (checked November 2026). A box spring adds about $60 or more. If you're clearing out other things at the same time, the mattress usually just becomes part of a bigger load, priced by how much of the truck you fill.

There are cheaper ways too. Many Texas cities pick up mattresses with bulky trash at no extra charge, many stores will haul away the old one when they deliver a new one, and some mattresses can be donated. This guide covers what each option costs, the Texas rules that apply, and what to do with a mattress that has bed bugs.

Quick answer: In Texas, junk removal costs about $68–$155 for a mattress and from about $60 for a box spring (Junk Cost Calculator, November 2026). The cheapest options are your city's bulky trash pickup, a free drop-off at a city site, or the store's haul-away when you buy a new mattress. Texas has no statewide mattress recycling program, and few charities take used mattresses. Leaving one by a dumpster or on an empty lot is illegal dumping under Texas law. These are typical figures, not quotes.

This post is part of our complete guide to junk removal in Texas, which covers how junk removal works from start to finish.

How much does mattress removal cost in Texas?

Junk removal companies price a single mattress as one item, or include it in a load priced by truck space. Junk Cost Calculator's Texas figures:

Source: Junk Cost Calculator, Junk removal cost in Texas, checked November 8, 2026. "A bedroom's worth" is our rough guide to what a quarter truck holds, not the source's. Prices vary by company, city and how hard the items are to reach.

HomeGuide's national guide puts mattress removal at about $70 to $100, inside the Texas range. For prices across every kind of junk and each big Texas metro, see our guide to junk removal costs in Texas.

What pushes the price up

• The minimum charge. Most companies won't come out for less than their minimum, about $97 to $170 in Texas. One mattress on its own often costs the minimum, so it's worth adding a box spring, bed frame or anything else you've been meaning to get rid of.
• Size and weight. A king or a heavy hybrid or latex mattress is harder to carry than a twin. Some companies price by size.
• Stairs and long carries. A mattress from a third-floor apartment with no elevator takes more work than one at the curb. Ask whether the quote includes it.
• Bed bugs or heavy staining. Some companies charge extra or won't take a mattress with bed bugs. Tell them up front.
• Wet mattresses. After a flood, a soaked mattress weighs far more than a dry one and can't be resold or recycled.

Ways to pay less

• Put it at the curb or in the garage yourself. Some companies charge less for a curbside pickup.
• Book it with other items. If the mattress is one of several things going, ask for a load price rather than per-item prices.
• Get two or three quotes. Prices for one item vary a lot between companies.

What are your options for getting rid of a mattress?

Junk removal price: Junk Cost Calculator, Texas, November 2026. Other costs vary by city, store and charity, so check before you rely on them.

Hire a junk removal company

It's the easiest option. A crew of two carries the mattress out from wherever it is, loads it and takes it away, usually in one short visit. You don't need a truck, and you don't have to get it down the stairs yourself.

Ask what happens to it afterward. Depending on the company, mattresses in good shape may be donated, some go to a recycler, and the rest go to a landfill or transfer station. Most companies can tell you which.

If the bed frame, a dresser or other furniture is going too, our guide to furniture removal in Texas covers what each piece costs and the cheaper ways to get rid of it.

Let the store take the old one

If you're buying a new mattress, ask about haul-away when you order. Many retailers offer to take the old mattress when they deliver the new one, sometimes free and sometimes for a fee. It's often the simplest option, since the delivery crew is already carrying a mattress into your bedroom.

A few things to check when you buy:

• Is haul-away included, or is there a charge?
• Does it cover the box spring and frame too?
• Does the old mattress need to be stripped, bagged or ready by the door?
• Will they take a mattress with stains or signs of bed bugs? Many won't.

Some online mattress brands that ship in a box don't offer haul-away, or offer it only for a fee. Check before you order if you're counting on it.

Use your city's bulky trash pickup

Most big Texas cities pick up mattresses at the curb with bulky trash, usually at no extra charge to residents. The rules and schedules differ a lot between cities:

• Dallas picks up brush and bulky items once a month on a set schedule, and mattresses and box springs are on its accepted list. You can set out up to 10 cubic yards. Our guide to bulk trash pickup in Dallas covers the schedule, the limits and the rules.
• Austin moved to on-demand bulk collection: you book an appointment through the Austin Recycles app, online or by calling 3-1-1, and can schedule up to three bulk collections a year. Items have to be at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on the day. Mattresses aren't named on the city's list of accepted bulk items, so check the city's "What Do I Do With" tool before you book.
• Houston collects heavy trash every other month, up to six times a year, for homes with city curbside service. Mattresses and box springs are on its accepted list. Set them out between 6 p.m. the Friday before and 7 a.m. on your collection day, just behind the curb, with no more than 8 cubic yards in the pile. Look up your day with the city's service lookup tool or the HTX app. Between collections, residents can use the city's drop-off sites with proof of address.
• San Antonio collects bulky items at the curb twice a year, and mattresses are on the accepted list. A door hanger arrives 7 to 10 days ahead. Have the pile out by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your collection week, within 8 feet of the curb and no bigger than 8 cubic yards. The city's four bulky waste collection centers also take mattresses from residents, but not mattresses with blood stains or bed bugs.

In smaller cities and towns, and in unincorporated areas, the rules vary even more. Some towns have a bulk day, some contract it out, and some have none. Your city's website or your trash hauler's customer service will tell you.

Two things go for every city. Don't put a mattress out early, because many cities tag or fine piles set out before the allowed window. And check whether the city wants mattresses wrapped or bagged, which some ask for to keep them clean and stop pests spreading.

Drop it off yourself

If you have a pickup truck or trailer, you can take a mattress to a city drop-off site, transfer station or landfill. Some cities let residents drop off household items free. Dallas, for example, lets residents drop off their own household waste free at its landfill and transfer stations, with a driver's license and proof of Dallas residency. San Antonio's bulky waste centers are free for residents who pay the city's environmental fee: bring a recent CPS Energy bill and a photo ID, and keep bulky items to 4 cubic yards.

Elsewhere, expect a gate fee, often based on the size of your load or your vehicle. Call ahead to check the fee, whether mattresses are accepted and whether the site wants them kept separate.

Strap it down well. A mattress catches the wind like a sail, and anything that blows out of your truck onto the road is litter you're responsible for.

Donate it

Few charities take used mattresses. Many thrift stores and furniture banks turn them down because of hygiene rules and the risk of bed bugs. Some do accept them if they're in very good condition, with no stains, rips or sagging, and sometimes only if they're still in the original plastic or come with a law tag.

If yours is nearly new, call local charities, furniture banks and shelters before you load it up. HomeGuide notes many nonprofits collect furniture and household goods free, so a mattress may go along with other donations if the charity accepts it. Ask for a donation receipt if you plan to claim a tax deduction.

If no charity will take it, try listing it free online or giving it to someone you know. A clean mattress in good shape often finds a home quickly.

Recycle it

Most of a mattress can be recycled: the steel springs, the foam, and the wood frame of a box spring. But Junk Cost Calculator notes that Texas has no statewide mattress recycling program. States with one, such as California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island, charge a small fee at purchase and run free drop-off sites. Texas doesn't.

That leaves recycling to private recyclers and a few local programs, and they aren't everywhere. To find one, search for mattress recycling in your city, ask your city's solid waste department, or ask junk removal companies whether they take mattresses to a recycler. Recyclers often charge a fee per piece, and they usually won't take a mattress that's wet, badly soiled or infested.

What if the mattress has bed bugs?

A mattress with bed bugs needs extra care, so it doesn't spread them to your neighbors or the next person who picks it up.

1. Treat the room first. Getting rid of the mattress alone rarely gets rid of the bugs. Talk to a pest control company before you move anything.
2. Wrap it completely in heavy plastic sheeting or a mattress bag, and tape it shut. Do the same for the box spring.
3. Mark it. Write "bed bugs" on the plastic in large letters so no one takes it home.
4. Carry it out carefully, without dragging it through other rooms.
5. Tell whoever is taking it. Junk removal companies, stores and city crews need to know. Some won't take it, some charge extra, and some have their own wrapping rules.
6. Don't donate or give it away.

The City of Dallas asks residents to wrap mattresses with bed bugs in plastic and label them before setting them out for bulk collection. San Antonio's bulky waste centers don't accept mattresses with bed bugs or blood stains at all. Check your own city's rules before you set one out.

Is it illegal to dump a mattress in Texas?

Yes. Leaving a mattress on the side of the road, on an empty lot, behind a store or next to an apartment dumpster that isn't meant for it is illegal dumping under the Texas Litter Abatement Act (Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 365). The law also covers leaving waste in a dumpster you're not allowed to use. The penalty depends on how much is dumped:

Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §365.012, current through the 2025 legislative sessions. Dumping for a commercial purpose moves up a level at lower weights, and a second conviction moves up one level.

A mattress weighs well over 5 pounds, so leaving one where it doesn't belong is at least a Class B misdemeanor. Under the Texas Penal Code, that carries a fine of up to $2,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both, and the dumping law adds required community service on conviction. Even a single mattress isn't worth the risk when the city will usually pick it up for free.

If you live in an apartment, ask the office how residents are supposed to get rid of furniture and mattresses. Many complexes have rules about what can go next to the dumpster, and some charge a fee for bulky items left there.

How to get a mattress ready for pickup

Whichever way it's going, a little prep makes the pickup faster and cheaper.

• Strip it. Take off sheets, mattress protectors and toppers.
• Measure the doorways and stairs if it's going out by hand. A king or a stiff hybrid won't bend around corners.
• Clear a path from the bedroom to the door.
• Take the bed frame apart if it's going too. Keep the bolts in a bag taped to the frame if it's being donated.
• Bag or wrap it if your city asks, or if rain is forecast for a curbside pickup. A wet mattress is heavier and harder to recycle.
• Mention anything unusual when you book: stairs, a long carry, stains or bed bugs. It keeps the price you're quoted close to the final one.

Mattress removal or a dumpster?

For one or two mattresses, junk removal is almost always simpler and cheaper than a dumpster. A 10-yard dumpster costs more than a single pickup, and many dumpster companies restrict mattresses or charge extra for them because some landfills do.

A dumpster can make sense when the mattress is one small part of a big cleanout, such as a move-out or an estate cleanout, and you're doing the loading yourself. If you go that way, ask the dumpster company whether it accepts mattresses and what it charges for each. Our guide to junk removal vs dumpster rental compares the two in detail.

Questions to ask before you book a mattress pickup

• Is the price for the mattress alone, or does it include the box spring and frame?
• Is there a minimum charge?
• Does the price include carrying it down stairs?
• Do you charge extra for a king, a heavy mattress, stains or bed bugs?
• Where does the mattress go: a donation center, a recycler or a landfill?
• Can you come today or tomorrow, and is there a charge for same-day pickup?

To compare companies in your area, pick your city on our junk removal page. You can call a company directly or send one free quote request.

Sources

Prices in this guide come from third-party cost guides. They are typical ranges, not quotes from any company. City rules come from the cities' own websites and can change, so check yours before you set anything out.

• Junk Cost Calculator, Junk removal cost in Texas (2026 figures), checked November 8, 2026. Texas mattress and box spring prices, minimum charge, prices by load size, and the note that Texas has no statewide mattress recycling program.
• City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, Heavy Trash Collection (Bulk & Tree Waste), as published October 2026. Every-other-month schedule, six collections a year, accepted items including mattresses, set-out window, 8 cubic yard limit and drop-off sites.
• City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department, Curbside Brush & Bulky Item Collection, as published August 2026, and its Bulky Waste Collection Centers page (sa.gov), October 2026. Twice-yearly collection, door hangers, set-out rules, 8 cubic yard limit, accepted items, and the centers' ID, bill, 4 cubic yard and bed bug rules.
• City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery, On-Demand Bulk, Brush and Household Hazardous Waste Collection (austintexas.gov/ondemand), checked November 8, 2026. Austin's appointment system, three collections a year, set-out rules and accepted items.
• HomeGuide, How Much Does Junk & Trash Removal Cost? (homeguide.com), last updated May 2024, checked October 26, 2026. National mattress removal price and nonprofit pickup.
• City of Dallas Sanitation, Brush and Bulky Item Collection; Landfill and Transfer Stations (dallascityhall.com), checked November 7, 2026. Dallas schedule, 10 cubic yard limit, accepted items, free resident drop-off and the bed bug wrapping rule.
• Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 365 (Texas Litter Abatement Act), §365.012, current through the 2025 legislative sessions. Illegal dumping offenses by weight, dumpsters, repeat offenses and community service. Texas Penal Code §12.22 for the Class B misdemeanor fine and jail limits.