Mattress disposal in Pittsburgh
The short answer
If you live in the City of Pittsburgh and get City trash pickup, put the mattress at the curb with your regular weekly trash. It's free. You can set out up to two bulk items a week, between 6 p.m. the night before and 6 a.m. on collection day. If it has bed bugs or roaches, the City requires it to be sealed or wrapped in plastic. (City Bulk Pick Up, City 2026 recycling bulletin)
1. Free City curbside pickup
The City's Environmental Services division collects bulk items with your regular weekly trash pickup. You don't need to schedule anything. "Box springs, mattresses and dressers" are on the City's list of accepted bulk items. (source)
| Rule | What the City says |
|---|---|
| Who's covered | Single-family homes and small apartment buildings (5 or fewer units). (City Code Ch. 619) |
| Limit | Two bulk items per week (per unit in small apartment buildings). (source) |
| Cost | No charge for 2 or fewer bulk items per collection. (source) |
| When to set out | No earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before collection, no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day. (source) |
| Where | Your normal collection spot, without blocking the sidewalk or street, at the curb or no more than 5 feet back from it. (City Code §619.04) |
| Bagging | Leave bulk items whole and don't put them in trash bags. (source) Exception: anything with bed bugs or cockroaches, including mattresses, "must be sealed in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic." (source) |
Don't know your trash day? Look it up on the City's collection schedule map. Holidays can push pickup back a day.
Mattress plus box spring: the City doesn't say whether a set counts as one item or two. We couldn't confirm this. To be safe, count them as two, or ask 311.
Missed pickup or a question? Contact Pittsburgh 311: dial 311 inside the city or 412-255-2621 from outside, use the online form or the PGH311 app, or email PGH311@pittsburghpa.gov. Live operators answer Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (source)
2. More than two items
For more than two bulk items, call Environmental Services at 412-255-2773 to arrange a special pickup. The City charges $173 for the first hour (or part of an hour) and $54 for each additional hour. It accepts personal checks or money orders made payable to the City of Pittsburgh Treasurer. (source) The free alternative is to spread items over a few weeks of regular pickup.
3. Drop it off yourself
City drop-off sites don't list mattresses. The City's recycling drop-offs (Public Works 2nd, 3rd and 5th Divisions, the Strip District and Construction Junction) take recyclables, yard waste, tires and scrap metal. Mattresses aren't on their lists, so don't leave one there. (source)
Transfer stations: the City lists several Allegheny County transfer stations that accept bulky waste from residents and asks you to call ahead about costs and hours. (source) One of them, ABC-EZ Containers (1000 Island Ave, McKees Rocks, 412-331-3590), says that "all box springs and mattresses will require a $30 fee for each one" at its transfer station. (source) Call before you go, because fees can change.
The City's advice for hiring someone to haul it: "always demand they give you a receipt from the disposal facility afterwards before paying in full." (source)
4. Donate it (if it's genuinely clean)
- Off the Floor Pittsburgh (720 E. Lacock St, North Side). "Effective January 1, 2024, we no longer accept used mattresses." It still accepts box springs (twin, twin XL, full, queen) and bed frames in new or gently used condition, and you can request a pickup. (source)
- The Blessing Board (880 Butler St, Shaler, and 1200 Lebanon Rd, West Mifflin) lists twin, full and queen mattresses among acceptable donations. Items must be "clean, functional, and ready for immediate use." Drop-off is free, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no appointment. Pickup costs extra, and the fee is quoted after you request one. (donation page, FAQ) Their mattress list comes from their 2024 FAQ, so confirm before you go.
- Most thrift stores and charities won't take used mattresses for health reasons. Call before you load the car.
5. Recycling & retailer haul-away
Pennsylvania has no statewide mattress recycling program. The Mattress Recycling Council runs state programs only in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Oregon. (source) Allegheny County's recycling resources and drop-off finder is the place to look for a local recycler. We didn't find a public mattress-recycling drop-off in Pittsburgh that we could confirm.
Buying a new mattress? Many retailers offer to haul the old one away when they deliver, usually for a fee. Ask before you check out. Policies and prices vary by store, and we haven't listed specific ones.
6. Paid junk removal
If you can't get it to the curb, national services such as LoadUp and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? operate nationally. Check that your ZIP code is covered, and get a quote online or on site. We haven't published prices because they depend on the job. Get a quote, and ask where the mattress will end up.
Get a free mattress pickup quote
Tell us what you need hauled. We'll pass your request to a local Pittsburgh hauler who can quote you. No obligation.
Rather talk? Call (412) 525-7785
If we miss your call, leave a voicemail or text and we'll call you back the same day.
7. Suburbs, larger apartment buildings & landlords
The City only collects from single-family homes and buildings with 5 or fewer units. (source) Larger apartment buildings use private haulers, so ask your landlord or property manager. Suburbs in Allegheny County set their own bulk-item rules, limits and fees, so check your borough or township website or your hauler before setting anything out.
More on the City rules, what the curb won't take, and options for landlords: Pittsburgh Bulk Pickup Guide (2026). Clearing out a whole house after a death? See inherited house cleanout in Allegheny County.
FAQ
Will the City of Pittsburgh pick up my mattress?
Yes, if your home gets City trash collection (single-family homes and buildings with 5 or fewer units). Mattresses and box springs are on the City's list of accepted bulk items. Set them out with your regular weekly trash pickup. The limit is two bulk items per week.
Is there a fee for mattress pickup in Pittsburgh?
There's no charge for two or fewer bulk items per collection. If you have more than two, the City charges $173 for the first hour and $54 for each hour after for a special pickup, which you arrange by calling 412-255-2773.
Does my mattress need to be wrapped in plastic?
Only if it has bed bugs or cockroaches. Then the City requires it to be sealed in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic. Otherwise, the bulk pickup page asks you to leave bulk items whole and not put them in trash bags.
When can I put a mattress out?
No earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before your collection day and no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Does a mattress and box spring count as one item or two?
The City doesn't say. To be safe, count them as two, which uses your whole weekly limit, or ask 311.
Can I donate a used mattress in Pittsburgh?
Not to Off the Floor Pittsburgh, which stopped taking used mattresses on January 1, 2024. It still takes box springs (all sizes except king). The Blessing Board lists twin, full and queen mattresses as acceptable donations if they're clean and in good condition. Contact them first.
Does Pennsylvania have a mattress recycling program?
No. The Mattress Recycling Council runs statewide programs only in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Oregon.
Sources
- City of Pittsburgh, Bulk Pick Up (page updated 03/24/2026)
- City of Pittsburgh, Curbside Refuse
- City of Pittsburgh, 2026 recycling information bulletin (bed bug and cockroach wrapping rule)
- Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Chapter 619
- City of Pittsburgh, Collection Schedule
- City of Pittsburgh, Contacting 311
- City of Pittsburgh, Waste Disposal Resources (updated 10/16/2026)
- City of Pittsburgh, Recycling Drop-Off Locations (updated 03/25/2026)
- ABC-EZ Containers, Services & Pricing
- Off the Floor Pittsburgh, Items Accepted
- The Blessing Board, Donate Items and Donation FAQ (2024)
- Mattress Recycling Council, Program States
- Allegheny County Health Dept., Recycling Resources