Mattresses are one of the biggest and most awkward household items to dispose of. Thankfully, there are several relatively straightforward ways to dispose of them. You may have to pay a bit of money to get rid of your mattress, unless you can take it to the tip yourself or sell it.
Here’s an overview of the different ways you can dispose of a mattress in the UK.
1. Buy a new mattress from a company with a disposal service
If you are replacing your old mattress, a convenient way to dispose of it is to buy a new mattress from a company that will take it away when they deliver the new mattress. Several companies offer this service. You will usually have to pay for this—Dreams currently charges £35-£50 depending on the size of the mattress.
2. Ask the council to collect it
Many local councils will collect large items of waste such as old mattresses. You will need to check with your local council to find out if they offer this service.
Councils usually charge around £20-£30 to pick up large items, and you may have to wait for several weeks for your mattress to be collected.
Depending on the local council, your mattress might be fully or partly recycled, or may end up in landfill.
3. Pay a company to collect it
There are lots of junk disposal companies in the UK who you can hire to collect and dispose of your mattress for you. Many of them will recycle as much of the mattress as possible. This usually costs in the range of £20-£50.
4. Take it to the local tip or recycling centre
If you have a big enough car or van to transport your mattress, taking it to the local tip or recycling centre is a quick way to dispose of it. Unfortunately, not all local tips will recycle mattresses—often they will end up in landfill instead.
5. Sell it
If your mattress is still in good condition, selling it is an eco-friendly way to get rid of it and earn a bit of extra cash. Sites such as eBay and Gumtree are good for selling second-hand items.
How not to dispose of a mattress
- Don’t burn your mattress – This will release harmful fumes that could be bad for both your health and the environment. Also, since mattresses are so big, they are hard to burn safely.
- Don’t put your mattress in a skip – Skip hire companies usually don’t allow you to put a mattress in a skip. If they do, they may charge around £40-£50 extra.
- Don’t leave it in the street – Fly-tipping is illegal and you could be fined hundreds or thousands of pounds if you are caught.
FAQs on mattress disposal
How much does it cost to dispose of a mattress?
It will usually cost around £20-£50 to dispose of a mattress. The price will depend on the size of the mattress, where you live in the country and whether you use the council or a private company.
Not all councils offer mattress recycling, but those that do usually charge £20-£30. The price can vary a lot from council to council, and can cost as much as £75.
Private companies usually charge £30-£50 to collect a mattress.
How can you dispose of a mattress for free?
If your local tip or recycling centre takes mattresses and you can drive the mattress yourself, you can dispose of it for free (except for the petrol costs, of course).
Another way to get rid of a mattress for free is to sell it. Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace can be good places to sell a mattress. If you’re lucky, the buyer will be happy to come and pick it up themselves.
Can you put mattresses in skips?
Skip hire companies usually don’t allow you to put mattresses in their skips. Some companies do allow it, but they usually charge extra for this. Check with the hire company and consider other alternatives before putting your mattress in a skip.
Laurence is the founder and editor of Naturaler. He’s been working in the online world for over 5 years and is trying to live a more natural and eco-friendly lifestyle every day.
