$35
per Bulky Load (furniture, mattresses), up to 4 cubic yards, since April 2026
$70
per Special Load (appliances, exercise equipment)
Free
E-waste pickup, up to 4 items a week, by request
Every route for a mattress in Raleigh, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Raleigh guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Raleigh, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Raleigh Bulky Load, Special Load, and E-waste collection: mattresses
City pickup, $35 or $70 per loadMattresses and box springs are Bulky Load items, $35 per load (up to about three queen mattresses).
Who qualifies: Households with City of Raleigh curbside garbage service. Not available to businesses.
How to schedule: Call 919-996-3245 with your address and a description of the items; staff classify it as a Bulky Load ($35 per 4 cubic yards, since April 1, 2026), a Special Load ($70 per 4 cubic yards, for appliances and exercise equipment), or free E-waste collection (up to 4 items a week). The charge lands on your next utility bill.
Limits: A load is 4 cubic yards (about 6 by 3 by 4 feet, two couches, or three queen mattresses), charged in full-load increments. No limit on the number of loads. E-waste: 4 items per week.
Set-out: At the curb on the scheduled day only, on a flat area, 5 feet from mailboxes, poles, and cars, on the main street (no alleys). Items out before scheduling can draw fines under the city code. Cancel by noon the business day before for a refund.
Donation pickup in Raleigh (usable mattresses)
FreeRaleigh’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 Raleigh: 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 Raleigh: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Raleigh runs a tightly structured but generous system: one free Bulky Load (up to 4 cubic yards) every 90 days, plus free curbside e-waste collection up to 4 items per week on Tuesdays only. Critical update for 2026: a Bulky Load fee took effect April 1, 2026, so the formerly “free once every 90 days” now operates differently, check current fee structure before scheduling. Raleigh also has one of the most permissive holiday schedules in the country: only Thanksgiving causes a delay. Christmas, New Year’s, and Labor Day are all normal collection days. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Raleigh rule for mattresses: Mattresses and box springs are Bulky Load items, $35 per load (up to about three queen mattresses).
Program basics: A load is 4 cubic yards (about 6 by 3 by 4 feet, two couches, or three queen mattresses), charged in full-load increments. No limit on the number of loads. E-waste: 4 items per week. At the curb on the scheduled day only, on a flat area, 5 feet from mailboxes, poles, and cars, on the main street (no alleys). Items out before scheduling can draw fines under the city code. Cancel by noon the business day before for a refund.
What the city will not take: Tires, car parts, batteries, glass, mirrors, windows, construction and remodeling debris of any kind including toilets, sinks, carpeting, and cabinets, treated lumber, stumps, and contractor materials. Wake County facilities take most of those.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services: Bulky, Special, and E-Waste Collection (updated October 5, 2026). 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 Bulky Load 90-day limits, live in apartment buildings without included bulk service, have items the city won’t take, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in Raleigh 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 Raleigh with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Raleigh proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Raleigh 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 Raleigh: couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Raleigh pick up mattresses for free?
Not free. $35 Bulky Load.
Where can I donate a mattress in Raleigh?
Raleigh’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 Raleigh?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single mattress pickup in Raleigh 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 Bulky Load 90-day limits, live in apartment buildings without included bulk service, have items the city won’t take, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in Raleigh 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 Raleigh page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Raleigh guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
