How to Get Rid of an Old Mattress in NYC

You can't just leave a mattress on the curb in most of New York City — it has to be wrapped in plastic and follow specific bulk-pickup rules, or the Sanitation Department can leave it behind or issue a fine. The fastest way around all of that is having a junk removal crew pick it up directly, no wrapping or waiting required.

Why You Can't Just Put a Mattress on the Curb

NYC requires bulky items like mattresses to be wrapped in plastic before bulk pickup, largely to prevent the spread of bed bugs between households. Pickup is also scheduled by sanitation district, not on-demand, so timing depends on your building's assigned bulk collection day.

Option 1: NYC Department of Sanitation Bulk Pickup

This is free, but it requires scheduling ahead, wrapping the mattress in plastic yourself, and working around your building's specific pickup day — which can mean waiting anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Option 2: Retailer Take-Back or Delivery Haul-Away

If you're buying a new mattress, many retailers offer to haul the old one away when they deliver. It's convenient if the timing lines up, but it only works if you're already replacing the mattress through that retailer.

Option 3: Same-Day Junk Removal Pickup

A junk removal crew handles the wrapping and hauling themselves, with no scheduled bulk-pickup day to wait for. This works whether or not you're buying a replacement, and it's the fastest option if you need the mattress gone today.

What Happens to the Mattress After Pickup

Where possible, mattress materials — foam, metal springs, and fabric — are separated for recycling rather than sent straight to a landfill. How much gets recycled depends on the facility handling that specific load.