By Gabriel Torres, Discard Junk Removal
Getting rid of a mattress in Sacramento, at a glance
STRAIGHT ANSWERS IN 10 SECONDS
- Free drop-off
- Bye Bye Mattress takes mattresses and box springs in any condition. The Sacramento Recycling & Transfer Station on Fruitridge Road takes them free if you can haul them there.
- Buying a new one?
- California retailers have to offer free take-back of your old mattress when they deliver the new one. Ask when you order, not on delivery day.
- Don’t do this
- A mattress doesn’t fit in your garbage cart, and leaving one on the sidewalk outside a scheduled pickup can count as illegal dumping.
- If you’d rather not lift it
- We pick up a single mattress from $74 and carry it out from any room, and it still gets recycled. You pay after the job, fuel is included, and there are no travel surcharges.
- How fast
- Same-day pickup is often available. We’re open 24 hours, 7 days a week, so call early for the best chance.
- Reviews
- ★ on Google across 506+ reviews.
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Mattresses are one of the most common things we haul, and one of the most awkward to get rid of on your own. They’re too big for a garbage cart, too floppy to carry alone, and a lot of charities won’t take them. The good news is that California has one of the best mattress recycling programs in the country, and Sacramento residents have several free or low-cost options. Here’s how each one works in 2026.
The short version: buying a new one? Have the store take the old one when it delivers. Have a truck? Drop it off free at the Fruitridge Road transfer station. Live in the city of Sacramento? Put it out for your free junk pickup. If none of those fit, we can carry it out for you, and it still gets recycled.
Option 1: Have the store take it when your new one arrives
Since January 2021, California law has required mattress retailers to offer to take back your used mattress and box spring at no charge when they deliver the new one. It doesn’t matter where you bought the old one. This is usually the easiest option, but it only works if you’re buying a new mattress and having it delivered.
- Ask about take-back when you order, not on delivery day.
- Strip the bed and have the old mattress ready near the door if you can.
- If you’re picking up your new mattress yourself, take-back usually isn’t part of the deal.
Option 2: Drop it off free through Bye Bye Mattress
Every new mattress sold in California carries a recycling fee, which rose to $18.00 per unit on April 1, 2026. That fee pays for Bye Bye Mattress, the state program that runs free drop-off sites. In California, sites accept mattresses and box springs regardless of their condition or when they were bought, and futon mattresses are accepted too.
In Sacramento, the listed drop-off site is the Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station at 8491 Fruitridge Road. It takes up to five units per vehicle at no charge for California residents, and it’s listed as open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours can change, so check before you go.
What you’ll need: a truck, a van or a trailer, some rope or straps, and a second person. A queen mattress is about 60 inches wide and catches wind like a sail on the freeway, so tie it down at the front and back, not just across the middle.
Option 3: Use your city’s bulky pickup
If you live in the city of Sacramento and have city garbage service, mattresses are on the accepted list for the free Household Junk Pickup. You get two appointments a year, from February through October, and the pile has to be on the street by 6:00 a.m. on your appointment day, no more than 24 hours early. We walk through all the rules in our guide to City of Sacramento junk pickup.
Other cities and the county run their own programs, with their own limits and seasons. Check with your city or hauler, and don’t leave a mattress out before your scheduled day.
Option 4: Donate it, if it’s in good shape
A clean, stain-free mattress without tears is sometimes wanted by shelters or families setting up a new home. Many thrift stores and charities don’t take used mattresses at all for health reasons, so call before you load it. If it’s stained, sagging, torn or has been around pets or pests, recycling is the right answer.
Option 5: Have it hauled away
If the mattress is upstairs, you don’t have a truck, or you’re clearing out a whole bedroom, a junk removal crew is the simplest option. We carry mattresses out from any room, including down stairs and out of apartments, and take them to Bye Bye Mattress recycling. A single mattress starts at $74; a mattress, box spring and frame together are priced by how much truck space they take. See mattress removal in Sacramento for details.
Some recent mattress jobs from our records, labeled with the customer’s city:
- Folsom, September: a mattress and box spring, and on another job a mattress with a wooden base.
- Citrus Heights, August: a king mattress and box spring, a dresser and three boxes of toys.
- Granite Bay, July: three queen mattresses along with bar stools, chairs, a mini fridge and bookshelves.
- Rancho Murieta, June: a single king-size mattress.
- Davis, September: two twin box springs, two floor lamps, a hanging light and a bike trailer.
Comparing your options
| Option | Cost | What you do | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store take-back | Free | Ask when you order; have it ready at delivery | Anyone buying a new mattress with delivery |
| Bye Bye Mattress drop-off | Free, up to 5 per vehicle | Load, tie down and drive to Fruitridge Road | People with a truck and a helper |
| City junk pickup | Free, twice a year | Carry it to the street by 6 a.m. | City residents with an appointment left |
| Donation | Free | Call ahead; deliver it yourself | Clean mattresses in good condition |
| Junk removal crew | From $74 | Point to it | Upstairs, heavy, several pieces, or no truck |
What happens to a recycled mattress
At a recycling facility, each mattress is taken apart by hand or machine. The steel springs go to scrap metal recyclers, the foam is shredded and reused, often as carpet padding, the wood from box springs is chipped, and the fabric and fibers are baled. Very little of a mattress needs to go to a landfill once it’s in the program, which is why it’s worth the trip.
A few practical tips
- Bag it for the trip. A mattress bag keeps it clean and makes it easier to grip. For a mattress with pests, bagging keeps them from spreading through the house or the vehicle; tell whoever is picking it up.
- Don’t bend a spring mattress to get it around a corner. Tip it on its side and walk it, one person at each end.
- Box springs are stiff and don’t bend at all. Measure the stairwell turn before you try.
- Frames and headboards aren’t part of the mattress program. They go as regular bulky items, or with a hauler.
- Never leave it on the sidewalk without a scheduled pickup. It gets rained on, can’t be recycled as easily, and can be treated as illegal dumping.
Moving out of an apartment?
Apartment move-outs are where old mattresses most often get left behind. Many complexes charge a fee for anything left in the unit or next to the dumpsters, and most apartment residents in buildings with five or more units aren’t on city bulky pickup. If you’re renting, plan the mattress into your move: ask your new mattress store about take-back, book a drop-off trip before the truck is returned, or have a hauler clear the mattress and anything else you’re not taking in the same visit. Getting a queen or king down a narrow stairwell is a two-person job; keep it on its side, go slowly at the landings and have the person below take the weight.
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Frequently asked questions
No. A mattress won’t fit in a garbage cart, and leaving one on the sidewalk outside a scheduled pickup can count as illegal dumping. Use a free drop-off site, your city’s bulky pickup, the store’s take-back or a hauler.
The Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station on Fruitridge Road takes mattresses and box springs free through the state’s Bye Bye Mattress program, up to five per vehicle, for California residents. Check the current hours before you go.
In California, a retailer that delivers your new mattress has to offer to take the old one back at no charge. Ask when you buy, because the pickup usually happens at delivery.
Yes. Mattresses are accepted in the city’s free Household Junk Pickup, which gives residential customers two appointments a year from February through October. The pile has to be at the street by 6:00 a.m.
A single mattress starts at $74, and we carry it out from any room. A mattress with a box spring or other items is priced by how much space it all takes in the truck.
Yes. In California, the springs, foam, wood and fabric are separated and recycled through the state program, which is paid for by the $18 fee on every new mattress sold.
Need a mattress gone without the lifting? Call Discard Junk Removal at (916) 866-1152, or see mattress removal and furniture removal. We answer 24/7.
