Houston Mattress Disposal: Heavy Trash Set-Out Rules

Item: Used mattresses, box springs and foundations in any size, plus the bedroom cleanout items that often leave with them: metal bed frames, bedding, carpet, a TV or old electronics, and paint or chemicals Jurisdiction: City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department service area only — occupied residential units inside the incorporated City that receive City curbside collection and can reach a City drop-off center. Not the independent suburbs, and not unincorporated Harris County Official sources: City of Houston Solid Waste Management (Heavy Trash, Residential Drop-Off Centers, Environmental Service Centers, Household Hazardous Waste, residential garbage), Houston 3-1-1, City of Houston BFA Committee 2026 collections update, The Furniture Bank, Mattress Firm, IKEA, Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Harris County Precincts 1, 2 and 4, TCEQ Last verified: September 2026 · Next review: December 2026

Quick answer: Houston mattress disposal at a glance

A mattress does not fit in the green cart, so Houston mattress disposal runs on two official routes: curbside Heavy Trash (Bulk & Tree Waste) and the free Residential Drop-Off Centers. One question settles most cases — how many units are at your property — and the City's pickup schedule is mid-change, so confirm before anything goes outside.

Inside the City of Houston service area, used mattresses, box springs and foundations are accepted junk waste in Heavy Trash and are accepted as bulk items at the Residential Drop-Off Centers. The garbage cart is never an option.

• Eligibility. Occupied residential units receiving City services only — not multi-residential structures with more than eight (8) units.
• Curbside. Set out between 6:00 p.m. the Friday before and 7:00 a.m. on the assigned collection day, behind the curb line, within 8 cubic yards per set-out (about a minivan load).
• Drop-off. Six centers, Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., up to four visits a month, with proof of a matching Houston address.
• Cost. No dollar fee is published for curbside heavy trash, and the drop-off service is described as free "in addition to regular curbside collection" — which is not the same as free for everyone.
• Wrapping. No wrapping, bagging or taping requirement is published for Houston. A clean, dry mattress is simply easier to set out, donate and have accepted.
• Confirm first. An on-demand 311 model was announced, then put on hold; the official page still shows the legacy every-other-month schedule.

Quick facts

Why a mattress is junk waste, not household hazardous waste

Mattresses and box springs are listed as accepted junk waste on the heavy trash page and as accepted bulk items on the depository page, which settles the routing. Household garbage service excludes bulky items, so the cart is not an option, and apartment complexes and businesses receive private collection rather than City curbside service.

A mattress is not a household hazardous waste (HHW) or electronic scrap item either, so the Environmental Service Centers — ESC North, 5614 Neches St., 77026, and ESC South, 11500 S. Post Oak Rd., 77035 — will not accept it. They matter here only to prevent a wasted trip and to route the paint, chemicals and electronics from the same cleanout. Send those to an ESC instead; never into a mattress pile. For the item-by-item detail, see the site's Houston e-waste disposal and paint disposal guides.

The eight-unit eligibility line

Heavy trash is limited to occupied residential units receiving City of Houston services, and collection is not available to multi-residential structures with more than eight (8) units. A house, duplex, fourplex or building of eight units or fewer with City service qualifies; at nine units or more the City route closes and the property arranges private hauling.

Eligibility and jurisdiction are two different questions — a qualifying building can still sit outside the City service area, which the jurisdiction section below covers. The eight-unit rule is shared across the site's bulk-item guides; see Houston furniture disposal for how it applies to couches and other large items.

Curbside route: the Heavy Trash set-out rules

• Window. To the curb between 6:00 p.m. the Friday before and 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day; earlier is a set-out violation, not an early start.
• Placement. Just behind the curb line in front of your home — not in the street or on a sidewalk, under wires, signs or mailboxes, on meters or hydrants, or blocking pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
• Volume. 8 cubic yards per set-out covers the mattress plus anything else going out; up to 4 cubic yards of resident-generated building material may be collected, excluding shingles, brick, plaster and concrete.
• Refusals. Contractor debris is not collected, and a pile mixing authorized and unauthorized items may be refused entirely.
• Keep out. Garbage, electronics, paint and chemicals, dirt and soil, roofing and shingles, construction debris, and appliances still holding refrigerant unless a certified technician tagged them.
• Wrapping. No wrapping is required; keep the mattress dry anyway, because a dry, pest-free bed is easier to donate.

Ready to swap the bed itself? The site's appliance disposal guide covers the refrigerator, washer or water heater that may be leaving the same room, and tire disposal covers curbside tire limits.

Is heavy trash on a schedule or on demand right now?

This is the part that changes fastest, and it is unresolved. Both states are on the record:

• Legacy schedule, still shown on the official page: every-other-month pickup on an assigned day, up to six (6) collections per calendar year, with no mention of 311 scheduling when the page was checked in September 2026.
• Announced on-demand model: call 311, the request is reviewed and scheduled, the resident is notified, collection is completed within five (5) working days, and each address may request up to four (4) collections per year. The first pickup was targeted for March 2, 2026.
• Pause: on March 5, 2026 the program went "on hold until further notice" with regular pickup continuing. Reporting described heavy trash roughly a week and a half behind, about 2,600 missed-pickup reports in four weeks, and no new timeline. A May 2026 neighborhood newsletter calls it "scrapped" — a signal, not proof.

Because both states cannot be current, plan no frequency and no booking method. Check your assigned day on the City service lookup or HTX Collects, then call 311 and ask which model runs, what your day is, and whether your address qualifies. Missed collections: 832-394-1453.

The six Residential Drop-Off Centers

Mattresses are accepted under bulk items, and the City calls the centers a free service in addition to regular curbside collection.

Hours and visits: Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday; up to four visits a month; arrive at least 30 minutes before closing.

Proof of address: a current Texas-issued ID (license, DPS ID, LTC or consulate ID) plus a current City utility bill or lease agreement, addresses matching. Out-of-state primary-home owners use a property tax bill with a matching name; recycling-only trips need just a Texas-issued ID.

Vehicles: pickup trucks and small trailers up to 10 ft. with sideboards up to 4 ft. Refused: U-Hauls, box trucks, sprinter vans, contractor vehicles or vans, dump trailers, trailers with compartments over 10 ft., a truck bed load plus trailer, and propane trucks.

On site: unload your own items within about 20 minutes, bag loose material, break down fencing, shelving and large toys, no salvaging, no tips.

City pages limit furniture at the depositories to two large items such as couches without saying how a mattress and box spring count against that limit, so confirm at your center before you load the truck.

Which Houston mattress route fits your situation?

The two official routes cost nothing beyond your own effort for an eligible address, and neither requires wrapping; scheduling is the catch. A clean, dry mattress is better recycled, retailer haul-away suits readers already buying a bed, and private haulers serve complexes over eight units and car-free households.

What each route costs, and how firm the number is

• City curbside heavy trash: no published dollar fee for eligible residents.
• City Residential Drop-Off Center: described as free for residents — eligibility applies.
• The Furniture Bank drop-off: a $20–$25 donation per piece is requested, and the charity's own pages show both figures.
• The Furniture Bank pickup: a donation is requested and the amount varies; confirm directly.
• Mattress Firm: removal is typically bundled with delivery; service tiers list at $99.99 / $149.99 / $199.99, with promotional free / $49.99 / $99.99 shown alongside.
• IKEA: in-store removal starts at $30 with a qualifying purchase and in-home delivery, in select markets.
• Private hauler example: $65 (1 piece), $75 (2), $85 (3) from one Houston company.
• Harris County Precinct 1: no fee stated for the published drop-off day.

Every figure other than the City routes is a company's or nonprofit's own published number, and promotions and locations change it. Confirm before you load.

Recycling and donation for a usable mattress

The Furniture Bank, a Houston nonprofit, recycles mattresses at 8220 Mosley Rd., Houston, TX 77075, open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. Good mattresses are sanitized and given to families, and the charity says over 80% of mattress components can be recycled. Foundations count as a separate piece, and wet or pest-exposed mattresses are refused.

The amount is a donation request, not a City fee, and the charity's own pages disagree: $20 and $25 per piece both appear for drop-off, and pickup amounts vary. Plan on $20–$25 per piece for drop-off, more for pickup, and confirm before loading. The Furniture Bank also says depository mattresses come to it for recycling — attribute that to the nonprofit, not to City policy.

There is no state safety net: Texas has no mattress stewardship program, "Bye Bye Mattress" runs only in California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island, and TCEQ publishes general recycling guidance with no mattress-specific program.

Retailer haul-away and private mattress haulers

• Mattress Firm Red Carpet Delivery removes a set equal to the pieces purchased. Tiers list at $99.99 / $149.99 / $199.99, with promotional free / $49.99 / $99.99 shown alongside. An adult must be present, and a missed window costs a $99.99 redelivery fee. The free one-for-one form is California-only, and crews refuse soiled, wet, pest-infested or outdoor beds.
• IKEA removal starts at $30 in store when buying a mattress or box spring with in-home delivery, in select markets — not with online orders, and not guaranteed on the delivery date.
• Private hauler example. Mattress Pickup Houston / Mattress B Gone publishes $65 (1 piece), $75 (2), $85 (3), serves the metro including Cypress, Katy, The Woodlands, Sugar Land and Spring, and removes items from inside a home or apartment. It does not take bed-bug items. Other haulers publish no rates here.

Texas is not one of the states with a retailer take-back mandate, which is why haul-away here is generally a paid add-on. Each figure is the company's own published price and shifts with promotions and location; confirm at purchase.

Apartment and renter edge cases

• Rented houses and buildings of eight units or fewer with City service can use heavy trash on the assigned day, subject to confirming the current model.
• Complexes over eight units get no City heavy trash — ask the leasing office who arranges disposal and whether it has private hauling.
• Drop-off stays open to renters: a current lease with the matching address works alongside a Texas-issued ID, which matters when the utility account is in the landlord's name.
• If you cannot move the bed to a curb, some haulers pick up inside a home or apartment; confirm access, stairs, elevator limits and price — one published example refuses bed-bug-infested items.
• Moving-out cleanouts: mover or contractor debris is not collected, and a mixed pile can be refused.
• Unincorporated county renters have no county curbside service; use a private hauler or a Precinct drop-off day.
• Landlords and HOAs can add their own rules about where a mattress may be left.

Prep before the mattress leaves the building

1. Verify first: address inside the incorporated City, assigned day from the City lookup or HTX Collects, and the current scheduling model from 311.
2. Meet the window: 6:00 p.m. the Friday before to 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
3. Place it correctly: behind the curb line, clear of wires, signs, mailboxes, meters, hydrants and traffic.
4. Stay within 8 cubic yards for the whole set-out.
5. Separate the streams: no garbage, electronics, paint or chemicals, dirt, roofing, untagged refrigerant appliances or contractor debris.
6. Do not wrap it expecting a rule — keep it dry instead, since charities and retail crews refuse wet beds.
7. For drop-off: matching ID plus utility bill or lease, an allowed vehicle, arrival 30 minutes before closing, loose items bagged, unload within about 20 minutes.
8. Strip the frame and bedding: scrap the metal frame separately and keep sheets and pillows out of the load.
9. Before a replacement bed arrives: clear the path to the truck and confirm the haul-away fee.

Common mistakes that cost Houston readers a trip

• Bagging or wrapping the mattress for the curb because another city requires it. Houston publishes no such rule — you gain nothing.
• Putting the mattress in the garbage cart. Household garbage service excludes bulky items, and the cart is not a fallback.
• Driving it to an Environmental Service Center. Those sites take HHW and electronic scrap only.
• Assuming a big apartment complex has a City bulk pickup. Over eight units, it does not — the property arranges private hauling.
• Counting on a pickup day you have not confirmed. The scheduling model was announced, then placed on hold, so the frequency and the booking method must both be checked.
• Mixing paint, chemicals or contractor debris into the pile. A mixed pile can be refused in full.
• Hauling a wet or pest-exposed mattress to a charity. It will be turned away.
• Planning a drop-off trip in a U-Haul, sprinter van or box truck. Those vehicles are not allowed at the centers.

Safety and cleanout caveats

• Never take a mattress to an Environmental Service Center — HHW and electronic scrap only.
• Keep HHW, e-scrap, dirt, shingles and contractor debris out of the pile; mixed loads can be refused entirely, and business waste is not accepted at HHW facilities.
• A soiled, wet or infested bed will be refused by a charity or retailer crew.
• No salvaging at drop-off centers, and employees may not accept tips.
• Get help lifting — a mattress and box spring down stairs is a real injury risk.
• Treat third-party claims with care: fees, wrapping rules and pickup frequency circulating online are unverified unless they appear on a City page.

Official verification checklist

1. Confirm your address is inside the incorporated City of Houston and receives City curbside service.
2. Count the units: more than eight means no City heavy trash.
3. Look up your assigned heavy trash day on the City service lookup or HTX Collects.
4. Call 311 (service request status line 832-394-1453, weekdays 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) and ask whether pickups are on demand or by assigned day.
5. Ask whether mattresses and box springs are accepted at your address and whether any charge applies.
6. Confirm the set-out point and window before placing anything outside.
7. For drop-off, bring a matching Texas-issued ID plus utility bill or lease and check current hours.
8. Check your vehicle against the drop-off rules — no U-Hauls, box trucks, sprinter vans, contractor vehicles, dump trailers or propane trucks.
9. Route paint, chemicals and electronics to an Environmental Service Center instead.
10. If donating, call the Furniture Bank first to confirm the donation and condition rules.
11. Outside City limits, check your Precinct drop-off day or dumpster program, or book a hauler.
12. Re-check the program status on the City's solid waste pages before acting.

Jurisdiction: what this guide covers — and what it does not

This covers the City of Houston Solid Waste Management service area only: occupied residential units inside the incorporated City that receive City curbside collection and can reach a City drop-off center.

• Independent suburbs — Bellaire, Katy, Pasadena, Pearland, Sugar Land, Spring, Humble and similar — run their own collection and rules.
• Unincorporated Harris County has no county curbside program. Precinct 1 publishes a free heavy-trash drop-off on the third Saturday monthly, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., at Miller Road Service Center, 15530 Miller Road, taking furniture and mattresses, one load per household, no trailers; information line 346-286-2125. Precinct 2 publishes third-Saturday heavy trash days at Hardy Aldine Camp and Wade Camp, and Precinct 4 runs dumpsters in Hockley and Tomball for homeowners only, without listing mattresses.
• Harris County's HHW facility at 6900 Hahl Road serves only residents outside the incorporated City.
• Kingwood appears on City facility lists as an annex area.
• Buildings, landlords and HOAs can add their own set-out and hauling rules.

Program terms, schedules and fees change — treat the City pages and 311 as the final authority.

Frequently asked questions

Will the City pick up my mattress at the curb? Yes, if you live in an occupied residential unit inside the City service area that receives City curbside collection. Mattresses and box springs are accepted junk waste within the 8-cubic-yard limit and the set-out window. Confirm your day with 311.

Can a mattress go in the regular garbage? No. Household garbage service excludes bulky items, so the green cart is not an option at any point.

Do I have to book a pickup? Depends on which model is running — the City announced an on-demand 311 system and put it on hold on March 5, 2026, while the official page still shows the assigned-day schedule. Ask 311.

How many heavy trash collections do I get a year? Official sources conflict: the heavy trash page says up to six, the February 2026 council presentation says up to four under the new model. Confirm with the City rather than planning around a number.

Does Houston charge for mattress pickup or drop-off? No dollar fee is published, and drop-off is described as free for residents — but eligibility applies, so it is not free for everyone.

Do I need to wrap or bag a mattress that goes to the curb? No. Houston publishes no wrapping requirement. Keep it clean and dry instead, which matters for donation and for any crew that carries it out.

Where can I recycle a mattress in Houston? The Furniture Bank recycles mattresses at 8220 Mosley Rd., Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and asks a $20–$25 donation per piece for drop-off. Texas has no state mattress recycling program, so local options like this are the whole network.

Does a box spring or foundation count as a separate piece? Curbside and at the City drop-off centers, a box spring is bulky junk waste like the mattress. At the Furniture Bank, a foundation counts as a separate piece — so both the piece count and any donation rise.

My building has more than eight units. What now? Ask the property manager who arranges disposal. You can still use a drop-off center with a matching ID and lease, arrange a donation pickup, or book a hauler.

Can I take a mattress to an Environmental Service Center? No — those centers take household hazardous waste and electronic scrap only, which is where paint, chemicals and old electronics from the cleanout belong.

Sources

1. City of Houston — Heavy Trash Collection: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/treewaste.html
2. City of Houston — Residential Drop-Off Centers: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/depository.html
3. City of Houston — Residential Drop-Off overview: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/dropoff.html
4. City of Houston — Solid Waste Management: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/
5. Houston 3-1-1: https://311.houstontx.gov
6. City of Houston — Residential Garbage and Yard Waste: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/garbage.html
7. City of Houston — Environmental Service Centers: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/esc.html
8. City of Houston — Household Hazardous Waste: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/hhw.html
9. City of Houston — 2026 Solid Waste Collections Update (Feb 3, 2026): https://houstontx.gov/council/committees/bfacommittee/20260203-joint-govtops/swd-collections-updates.pdf
10. Houston Public Media — on-demand heavy trash on hold (2026-03-05): https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2026/03/05/545286/houston-heavy-trash-pickup-on-demand-service-delay/
11. ABC13 — City delays new heavy trash system (2026-03-06): https://abc13.com/post/city-houston-delays-launch-new-heavy-trash-pickup-system/18681983/
12. The Furniture Bank — Mattress Recycling: https://houstonfurniturebank.org/programs-and-services/mattress-recycling/
13. The Furniture Bank — Donate Items: https://houstonfurniturebank.org/get-involved/donate-items/
14. Mattress Firm — Red Carpet Delivery: https://mattressfirm.com/red-carpet-delivery.html
15. Mattress Firm — Removal Request Form: https://mattressfirm.com/haulawayrequestform
16. IKEA — Removal Services: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/customer-service/services/removal/
17. Mattress Pickup Houston — Residential: https://mattresspickup.com/residential
18. Bye Bye Mattress — FAQ: https://byebyemattress.com/faq/
19. TCEQ — Recycling: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/recycle
20. Harris County — Household Hazardous Waste: https://oce.harriscountytx.gov/Services/Household-Hazardous-Waste
21. Harris County Precinct 1 — Free Heavy Trash Drop-Off: https://www.hcp1.net/Connect-With-Us/Newsroom/free-heavy-trash-drop-off
22. Harris County Precinct 4 — Public Dumpsters: https://cp4.harriscountytx.gov/Public-Dumpsters

City, county and state pages are the final authority on eligibility, collection rules, hours, documents and fees. Terms and schedules change — confirm on the official pages, or call 311 (service request status line 832-394-1453, weekdays 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.), before you set anything out or load a vehicle. If your address is in a neighboring city or in unincorporated Harris County, use that jurisdiction's own solid waste program instead of these City of Houston rules.