2 + 2
large items every week: 2 on garbage day, 2 recyclable items on recycling day
'For Solid Waste'
tag every large item with that note
6 + 2
cleanup vouchers and tire vouchers a year for the South Transfer Station
Every route for a mattress in Minneapolis, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Minneapolis guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Minneapolis, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Minneapolis weekly large item collection: mattresses
FreeMattresses and box springs are recyclable large items: set out up to 2 on recycling day, tagged, and covered from rain.
Who qualifies: Residential buildings with fewer than 4 units served by Minneapolis Solid Waste and Recycling. Larger buildings use private haulers.
How to schedule: No appointment. Each week you can set out 2 large non-recyclable items (furniture, carpet) on garbage day and 2 large recyclable items (appliances, mattresses, electronics, metal) on recycling day, next to your carts, each tagged with a note reading 'For Solid Waste'. Call 612-673-2917 with questions.
Limits: 2 non-recyclable items on garbage day plus 2 recyclable items on recycling day, every week. Customers also get 6 cleanup vouchers and 2 tire vouchers a year for the South Transfer Station.
Set-out: At your alley or curb collection point by 6 a.m. on the right day, tagged 'For Solid Waste'. Couches under 6 feet, no hide-a-beds on garbage day (those go on recycling day). Cover mattresses from rain.
Donation pickup in Minneapolis (usable mattresses)
FreeMinneapolis’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you’re unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
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 Minneapolis: 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 Minneapolis: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Minneapolis quietly runs one of the most generous bulk pickup systems of any major U.S. city: up to 2 large items per week, every week, free, with no annual cap. The catch is the “For Solid Waste” note rule, if you don’t attach a label, crews may not collect. Mattresses and appliances must go out on recycling week, while furniture goes on garbage week. Plus you get up to 6 free cleanup vouchers per year at the South Transfer Station for additional disposal. Minneapolis also has the unusual ABE/CD recycling rotation (not a simple A/B), and bagging yard waste in regular plastic bags is illegal under Minnesota state law. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Minneapolis rule for mattresses: Mattresses and box springs are recyclable large items: set out up to 2 on recycling day, tagged, and covered from rain.
Program basics: 2 non-recyclable items on garbage day plus 2 recyclable items on recycling day, every week. Customers also get 6 cleanup vouchers and 2 tire vouchers a year for the South Transfer Station. At your alley or curb collection point by 6 a.m. on the right day, tagged 'For Solid Waste'. Couches under 6 feet, no hide-a-beds on garbage day (those go on recycling day). Cover mattresses from rain.
What the city will not take: Tires (voucher at the South Transfer Station), construction and demolition debris, paving materials, items that held hazardous waste, and anything from a business.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Minneapolis: South Transfer Station drop-off items and fees (vouchers), City of Minneapolis Solid Waste and Recycling fact sheet (large item collection), City of Minneapolis: Large items. 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 households who need same-day service, exceed both the 2-per-week curbside limit AND the 6 annual cleanup vouchers, or live in 5+ unit buildings (where city service doesn’t apply), LoadUp offers professional removal in Minneapolis with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
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 Minneapolis with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Minneapolis proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Minneapolis 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 Minneapolis: couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Minneapolis pick up mattresses for free?
Yes, free, on recycling day, up to 2 per week, tagged and protected from rain.
Where can I donate a mattress in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
How much does paid mattress removal cost in Minneapolis?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single mattress pickup in Minneapolis starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day service, exceed both the 2-per-week curbside limit AND the 6 annual cleanup vouchers, or live in 5+ unit buildings (where city service doesn’t apply), LoadUp offers professional removal in Minneapolis with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
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 Minneapolis page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Minneapolis guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
