$5
per item at the Residential Drop-Off Center by appointment (mattresses priced separately)
About $31
for the first curbside burnable item through Casella, about $26 each additional
311
to book either option; pay when you schedule
Separate mattress rate
Worcester Residential Drop-Off Center, separate mattress rate
Every route for a mattress in Worcester, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Worcester guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Worcester, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Worcester paid bulk waste pickup and drop-off: mattresses
Paid pickup or $5 drop-offMattresses and box springs are priced separately at both the curb and the drop-off center (Massachusetts bans them from the trash). Check the current rate when booking.
Who qualifies: Worcester residents with city curbside service.
How to schedule: Worcester has no free bulky pickup. Curbside bulk is collected by Casella at city-negotiated per-item rates (burnables such as a couch about $31 for the first piece and about $26 each after), paid when you schedule through 311 or online, out by 7 a.m. The cheaper route is the Residential Drop-Off Center by appointment: most items a flat $5 each, mattresses priced separately.
Limits: Unlimited items per curbside appointment, each charged. Drop-off center by appointment on posted days.
Set-out: At the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day. Fees are non-refundable without 24 hours' cancellation notice.
Worcester Residential Drop-Off Center: mattresses
Separate mattress rateBy appointment.
Where: Millbury Street yard; appointments and address at worcesterma.gov
How it works: By appointment through 311 or online, on posted days. Most bulk items a flat $5 each; mattresses and box springs priced separately; appliances and white goods, electronics, and tires accepted with fees.
Donation pickup in Worcester (usable mattresses)
FreeSalvation Army Worcester, free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
Habitat for Humanity of MetroWest/Greater Worcester ReStore, free pickup for qualifying 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 Worcester: 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 Worcester: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Worcester, Massachusetts uses a pay-as-you-throw system where all regular household trash must go in official city yellow bags ($1.00 small, $1.75 large). Recycling is free. Bulk items cannot be left at the curb without an appointment, unlike many cities where curbside bulk is automatic. The main bulk pathway is the Residential Drop-Off Center at 1065 Millbury Street, open April through November by appointment, charging a flat $5 per item. Massachusetts’ mattress recycling law also applies citywide. This guide covers every disposal option for Worcester residents.
The Worcester rule for mattresses: Mattresses and box springs are priced separately at both the curb and the drop-off center (Massachusetts bans them from the trash). Check the current rate when booking.
Program basics: Unlimited items per curbside appointment, each charged. Drop-off center by appointment on posted days. At the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day. Fees are non-refundable without 24 hours' cancellation notice.
What the city will not take: Hazardous waste and construction debris. Electronics and CRTs are accepted for a separate per-item fee.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Worcester DPW: Bulk Waste Disposal. 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 Worcester households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Worcester area for upfront-priced pickup.
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 Worcester with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Worcester proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Worcester 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 Worcester: couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Worcester pick up mattresses for free?
Not free. Priced separately curbside or at the drop-off center.
Where can I donate a mattress in Worcester?
Salvation Army Worcester, free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
How much does paid mattress removal cost in Worcester?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single mattress pickup in Worcester starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Worcester households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Worcester area for upfront-priced pickup.
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 Worcester page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Worcester guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
