Short answer
In Jacksonville you have four realistic options for an old mattress: put it out on your scheduled city bulk-waste day, haul it yourself to a county solid waste facility, donate it if it is clean and undamaged, or have it picked up by a junk removal crew. Mattresses cannot go in your regular garbage cart.
A mattress is one of the most awkward things a household ever has to throw away. It doesn't fit in a cart, it doesn't fold, and most thrift stores won't take it. Here's how Jacksonville residents actually handle it.
Option 1 — City of Jacksonville bulk waste pickup
Residential customers in Duval County get scheduled bulk-waste collection for large items like mattresses, box springs, and furniture. Set the mattress at the curb — not blocking the sidewalk or storm drain — the evening before your bulk day. Placement rules, item limits, and your collection day are on the city's solid waste page, and they change by neighborhood, so confirm before you drag it out.
Wrap the mattress in plastic before it sits at the curb. Florida afternoon storms soak an unwrapped mattress in minutes, and a waterlogged mattress is twice as heavy and can be refused.
Option 2 — Haul it yourself
Duval County operates solid waste facilities that accept household bulk items, including Trail Ridge Landfill on the Westside. You'll need a truck or trailer, straps, and a second set of hands — and expect a disposal fee at the scale. Check current hours and residential rates before you drive out; a wasted trip costs more than the fee.
Option 3 — Donate it (only if it qualifies)
Florida charities are strict about used bedding, and for good reason. A mattress generally has to be clean, odor-free, structurally sound, and free of stains, tears, and any sign of pests. If it fails any one of those, no reputable organization will accept it — call first rather than showing up.
- Clean, no stains or odors
- No rips, exposed springs, or sagging
- No history of bed bugs — non-negotiable
- Frames and bed rails are often easier to donate than the mattress itself
Option 4 — Have it hauled away
If the mattress is upstairs, if you're on a deadline like a move-out or a tenant turnover, or if you simply don't own a truck, a junk removal crew is the fastest path. We come inside, carry it down, and the disposal fee is already inside the quote — you don't stop at a scale house.
What it typically involves
- Text us a photo of the mattress and the room it's in.
- We quote the job as one flat number — labor and disposal included.
- We pick a window, show up, and carry it out without scraping your walls.
- The mattress is routed for recycling or proper disposal, not dumped.
Want us to handle it instead?
Text a photo and get one flat number — labor, hauling, and disposal included.
Questions we get on this
Check the current rules
Municipal fees, hours, and collection rules change. Always confirm with the provider before you make a trip.