4
free bulk junk or yard waste collections a year, up to 20 cubic yards each
863-834-8773
or email Customer Service with your address and items to schedule
Special truck
appliances are collected separately for recycling; small Freon fee on refrigerators and ACs
Every route for a mattress in Lakeland, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Lakeland guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Lakeland, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Lakeland bulk junk, yard waste, and appliance pickups: mattresses
FreeMattresses are bulk junk.
Who qualifies: City of Lakeland Solid Waste customers.
How to schedule: Email Customer Service with your address and the items, or call 863-834-8773, to arrange a pickup. Customers get 4 free yard waste or bulk junk collections a year, up to 20 cubic yards each. Used refrigerators, air conditioners, water heaters, washers, and dryers are collected by a special bulk truck for recycling; refrigerant units carry a small Freon removal fee.
Limits: 4 free bulk junk or yard waste collections a year, 20 cubic yards each. Yard waste pieces under 8 feet. Extra collections are charged.
Set-out: Items at the curb before the scheduled pickup, clear of carts and obstructions; bend over protruding nails.
Donation pickup in Lakeland (usable mattresses)
FreeSchedules free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule online at satruck.org.
Free pickup for qualifying donations of furniture, appliances, and building materials.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Lakeland: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering mattresses, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Lakeland: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Lakeland, Florida provides 4 free bulk junk collections and 4 free yard waste collections per year, each up to 20 cubic yards, by appointment through the City’s Solid Waste Division. This is notably generous capacity for a city this size. You must call or email to schedule, not just set items at the curb. Important: City of Lakeland service is for city-limits residents only. If your garbage can is gray and your recycle can is black, you are a Polk County customer, not a City of Lakeland customer. This guide covers every option for City of Lakeland residents.
The Lakeland rule for mattresses: Mattresses are bulk junk.
Program basics: 4 free bulk junk or yard waste collections a year, 20 cubic yards each. Yard waste pieces under 8 feet. Extra collections are charged. Items at the curb before the scheduled pickup, clear of carts and obstructions; bend over protruding nails.
What the city will not take: Hazardous waste and electronics (Polk County drop-off), contractor debris, and tires.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Lakeland Solid Waste: Large Bulk Pickups. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why mattresses are different from ordinary bulk. Mattresses contain springs, foam, fabric, and wood, all recyclable individually but bonded together in a way that makes them hard to process. They’re also a notorious vector for bedbugs, which has led several cities to require plastic-wrapping before curbside pickup (NYC and Cleveland have explicit rules).
Three mistakes that get mattresses left at the curb:
When free options don’t fit your timeline or volume:
LoadUp paid mattress pickup
$80+For Lakeland households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Lakeland area.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your mattress. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book mattress pickup in Lakeland with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Lakeland proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Lakeland junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national mattress disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Lakeland: couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Lakeland pick up mattresses for free?
Yes, with a scheduled bulk junk pickup.
Where can I donate a mattress in Lakeland?
Schedules free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule online at satruck.org.
How much does paid mattress removal cost in Lakeland?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single mattress pickup in Lakeland starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Lakeland households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Lakeland area.
Can I just put a mattress in my regular trash?
No. Mattresses are too big for residential trash bins and are explicitly banned from regular trash collection in most U.S. cities. Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, and Oregon ban mattresses from landfills entirely under state law. Use one of the free or paid options above instead.
How much do paid mattress pickups cost?
Single mattress pickups typically range $80 to $200 depending on the service and your city. National services (LoadUp, 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks) cluster in the $80 to $130 range for one mattress. Local independent haulers can be cheaper ($50 to $100). Booking 2 mattresses together is often only marginally more expensive than booking 1, ask about bundled pricing.
What about box springs, are they treated the same?
Yes, box springs follow the same rules as mattresses in nearly every city, same pickup eligibility, same disposal channels, same bedbug-wrap requirements. State recycling programs (CT, RI, CA, OR) accept both. Most retailers haul both away together with new mattress delivery. King and queen splits typically count as 2 separate items, while single-piece box springs count as 1.
My mattress has bedbugs, what should I do?
Plastic-wrap the mattress fully before moving it (heavy-duty mattress disposal bags are sold at hardware stores for $5 to $15). Many cities require plastic-wrapping for ANY mattress disposal to prevent spreading bedbugs to other households along the route. Donation programs CANNOT accept mattresses with bedbug history. Use city bulk pickup (with proper plastic-wrapping) or paid hauler. Tell the hauler in advance, some services charge extra or refuse, while others handle bedbug mattresses routinely.
Is this Lakeland page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Lakeland guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
