How to Dispose of a Mattress in Florida (Legally, in 2026)

In Florida you have four legal options for a mattress: put it out on your city's scheduled bulk trash day (free, but you wait for the cycle), drive it to a county transfer station (roughly $10–$20 a load plus your time), donate it only if it is clean and stain-free, or pay a hauler about $75–$125 to take it same day.

What you cannot do is leave it at the curb on a random day, drop it beside a dumpster that isn't yours, or slide it into a commercial container behind a plaza. All three are illegal dumping in Palm Beach and Broward County, and code enforcement traces them regularly — the citations in this market commonly start near $175 and get added to your utility bill.

Every city in Palm Beach and Broward County runs a bulk collection cycle. Most are weekly or every other week, a few are monthly or by appointment. A mattress counts as one bulk item almost everywhere, and there is usually no extra charge.

Two rules trip people up. First, timing: most cities want the item at the curb the evening before, not days early — set it out on a Sunday for a Thursday pickup and you risk a warning. Second, condition: a mattress soaked by rain or sprinklers is heavier and some crews will skip it, which leaves you with the same mattress and a notice.

Both counties operate transfer stations that accept household bulk from residents. Bring proof of residency, expect to pay a small minimum-load fee, and plan for the mattress to be strapped down — Florida law requires loads to be secured, and an unsecured mattress on I-95 is both a ticket and a genuine hazard.

Do the math honestly before you choose this route. A truck rental or a borrowed pickup, gas, the gate fee, and ninety minutes of your Saturday usually lands close to what a flat-rate pickup costs, and you still have to lift it twice.

Most Florida charities will not take a used mattress. Health codes and the state's bedding regulations make resale difficult, so Habitat ReStores, thrift shops, and shelters generally decline them — even ones in good shape.

Frames, headboards, and box springs are a different story and are often accepted. If your set is genuinely clean, call before you load it; a wasted trip helps no one.

A single mattress removal in Palm Beach or Broward County runs about $75–$125 from All Out Rubbish, quoted flat before we lift anything. Stairs, a second-floor walk-up, or a mattress plus box spring do not change a quoted price once it is set.

The fastest way to a number is a photo. Text one picture to (561) 345-9808 and you get a flat price back, usually within a few minutes during business hours. Same-day pickup does not cost extra.

A mattress is mostly steel, foam, and wood. Where a recycling outlet is available we route it there; otherwise it goes to the county transfer station with the rest of the load. Either way you get a receipt trail, which matters if you are a landlord or property manager documenting a turnover.