$30
per large item (furniture, appliances, TVs) for SPU Special Item Pickup
$38
per refrigerator or freezer containing CFCs (pre-2005)
2 free
special item pickups a year for Utility Discount Program customers
$30 minimum
Seattle North and South Transfer Stations, $30 minimum per load
Every route for a mattress in Seattle, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Seattle guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Seattle, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Seattle Public Utilities Special Item Pickup: mattresses
SPU pickup, $30 per itemMattresses and box springs are $30 each through SPU Special Item Pickup. Washington has no free statewide mattress program, so the alternatives are a transfer station ($30 minimum) or a paid recycler.
Who qualifies: SPU solid waste customers (the utility account holder must make the request). Seattle has no free bulky program; this is a per-item fee service billed to your utility bill. Utility Discount Program customers in single-family homes get 2 free special item pickups a year and up to 2 free transfer station passes.
How to schedule: Schedule online through your SPU account or call 206-684-3000. Items go out at your normal collection point by 7 a.m. on the collection day given; SPU sends preparation instructions when you book.
Limits: $30 per item for large furniture, appliances, and TVs larger than 2 by 2 by 2 feet. $38 per item for CFC appliances such as refrigerators and freezers made before 2005. $20 for a special items box of small electronics and appliances. $5 for CFLs, batteries, and small propane canisters.
Set-out: At your normal solid waste collection point by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day; if that spot is behind a locked gate, put the item outside it. Leaving bulky items on the planting strip without a scheduled pickup is illegal dumping, and items found next to your cart are collected and billed.
Seattle North and South Transfer Stations: mattresses
$30 minimum per loadSelf-haul alternative.
Where: North: 1350 N 34th St. South: 130 S Kenyon St. Open daily; check hours.
How it works: Self-haul for a fee: $30 minimum per load, appliances $32 each (limit 2 per load, refrigerators empty with doors removed). Utility Discount Program customers can get 2 free passes a year.
Donation pickup in Seattle (usable mattresses)
FreeSeattle’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 Seattle: 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 Seattle: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Seattle takes a different approach than most major U.S. cities: bulk pickup is fee-based, not free. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) charges per-item fees for its Special Item Pickup, $30 for furniture, $38 for CFC-containing appliances like fridges and freezers. The catch is that Utility Discount Program (UDP) customers get up to 2 free pickups per year, and starting April 2026, all SPU customers will get 1 free Special Item Box per year. Mandatory composting has been in place since 2015. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Seattle rule for mattresses: Mattresses and box springs are $30 each through SPU Special Item Pickup. Washington has no free statewide mattress program, so the alternatives are a transfer station ($30 minimum) or a paid recycler.
Program basics: $30 per item for large furniture, appliances, and TVs larger than 2 by 2 by 2 feet. $38 per item for CFC appliances such as refrigerators and freezers made before 2005. $20 for a special items box of small electronics and appliances. $5 for CFLs, batteries, and small propane canisters. At your normal solid waste collection point by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day; if that spot is behind a locked gate, put the item outside it. Leaving bulky items on the planting strip without a scheduled pickup is illegal dumping, and items found next to your cart are collected and billed.
What the city will not take: Nothing is free, and construction debris and hazardous waste are not part of the program. Electronics can instead go free through E-Cycle Washington drop-off sites.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: Seattle Public Utilities: Special Item Collections (fees), Seattle Public Utilities: Transfer Station Rates. 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, want full-service hauling (no curbside drag-out required), or live in apartment buildings without property manager Special Item Pickup coordination, LoadUp offers professional removal in Seattle 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 Seattle with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Seattle proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Seattle 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 Seattle: couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Seattle pick up mattresses for free?
Not free. $30 per mattress or box spring through SPU, or a transfer station.
Where can I donate a mattress in Seattle?
Seattle’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 Seattle?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single mattress pickup in Seattle 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, want full-service hauling (no curbside drag-out required), or live in apartment buildings without property manager Special Item Pickup coordination, LoadUp offers professional removal in Seattle 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 Seattle page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Seattle guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
