San Diego residents can dispose of old mattresses through several eco-friendly options. These include the free statewide Bye Bye Mattress program, the City of San Diego’s bulky item pickup service, and Yawnder’s haul-away service when purchasing a new mattress. These methods ensure mattress components are recycled, reducing landfill waste.
Mattress Disposal San Diego (2026): Free Recycling, Pickup & Costs by City: quick answers
How can I dispose of a mattress in San Diego?
San Diego residents have multiple eco-friendly options for mattress disposal, including the free Bye Bye Mattress program, the City of San Diego’s bulky item pickup service, and Yawnder’s haul-away service for new mattress purchasers.
Is mattress recycling free in San Diego?
Yes, thanks to the Bye Bye Mattress program, it is free to drop off a mattress at designated recycling facilities throughout San Diego County. Some municipal pickup services may have associated fees.
Can I leave my mattress on the curb in San Diego?
No, you should not leave a mattress on the curb unless you have a scheduled bulky item pickup with your city’s waste management service. Illegal dumping can result in fines.
What happens when a mattress is recycled?
When a mattress is recycled, components like steel springs, foam, and wood are separated. Steel is melted, foam is shredded for padding or insulation, and wood is chipped for mulch or fuel.
San Diego residents have multiple eco-friendly options for mattress disposal, including the free statewide Bye Bye Mattress program, the City of San Diego’s bulky item pickup service, and Yawnder’s convenient haul-away service for new mattress purchasers. These methods ensure responsible recycling of mattress components, reducing landfill waste and conserving resources. Always verify specific local city guidelines for bulky item collection outside of the City of San Diego.
Getting a new mattress is exciting. But then comes the big question: what do you do with the old one? An old mattress is bulky and difficult to move. You can’t simply leave it on the curb with your regular trash. Luckily, San Diego County provides several convenient and eco-friendly options for mattress disposal. Whether you’re in North County, the South Bay, or anywhere in between, this guide will walk you through how to properly recycle or dispose of your old mattress.
Why You Can’t Just Throw Your Mattress Away
Tossing a mattress into a landfill is not an ideal solution. Mattresses take up a significant amount of space, and they don’t biodegrade easily due to their synthetic materials. They can also trap flammable gases, posing a risk. More importantly, up to 80% of the materials in a mattress, including steel springs, foam, wood, and fibers, can be recycled and repurposed. By recycling your mattress, you help conserve natural resources and reduce landfill waste. California has laws to ensure mattresses are disposed of responsibly, which is why you can’t put them out with your regular household garbage.
San Diego Mattress Recycling: The Bye Bye Mattress Program
California’s leading mattress recycling solution is the Bye Bye Mattress program, run by the Mattress Recycling Council. This statewide program makes it easy and free for residents to drop off old mattresses and box springs at designated collection sites and events. The program takes used mattresses and dismantles them, recycling the steel, foam, and wood into new products. This keeps thousands of mattresses out of San Diego landfills each year.
To find the nearest drop-off location or a collection event near you, the best resource is the Bye Bye Mattress website. Their online locator is always up-to-date with participating landfills, recycling centers, and collection events throughout San Diego County. Simply enter your zip code to see a map of your options. We recommend checking their website directly, as locations and hours can change.
City of San Diego Bulky Item Pickup
If you live within the city limits of San Diego, the Environmental Services Department offers a convenient bulky item pickup service for residents. This service is designed for items that are too large to fit in your standard trash bin, such as furniture, appliances, and mattresses. Each household is typically entitled to a certain number of free pickups each year. You can schedule a pickup for your old mattress by contacting the city’s Environmental Services Department. Be sure to schedule your pickup in advance, as there can be a waiting period.
For those living in other parts of San Diego County, such as Chula Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad, or Escondido, it’s best to contact your city’s specific waste management or public works department. Most cities offer a similar bulky item collection service, but the rules, scheduling process, and number of allowable pickups per year can vary. A quick call to your local city offices will provide the most accurate information.
Yawnder’s Mattress Haul-Away Service
The simplest way to handle an old mattress is to have it removed when your new one arrives. At Yawnder, we make the process seamless. When you purchase a new mattress from us, we offer white-glove delivery and old mattress haul-away. Our delivery team will set up your new mattress in your room of choice and remove your old one in a single trip. This service saves you the time and effort of figuring out disposal logistics on your own.
Our team ensures your old mattress is disposed of responsibly through local recycling partners. This service is available to all our customers in the San Diego area, from Oceanside and Carlsbad down to La Jolla and beyond. It’s part of our commitment to providing a premium, hassle-free experience from start to finish. You can rest easy on your new mattress knowing your old one was handled correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to recycle a mattress in San Diego?
Thanks to the Bye Bye Mattress program, it is free to drop off a mattress at a designated recycling facility in San Diego County. Some municipal bulky item pickup services may have associated fees, so it is always wise to check with your city first.
Can I leave my mattress on the curb?
No, you should not leave a mattress on the curb unless you have a scheduled bulky item pickup with your city’s waste management service. Illegal dumping can result in fines, and it creates a neighborhood eyesore. Always schedule a pickup or take it to a proper facility.
What happens to my mattress when it’s recycled?
Recyclers dismantle the mattress and separate its components. The steel springs are melted down to create new metal products. The foam padding can be shredded and repurposed for carpet padding or insulation. The wood frame is often chipped for mulch or used as fuel.
Can I drop off a mattress at the Yawnder showroom?
Our Encinitas showroom at 1441 Encinitas Blvd does not accept used mattresses for disposal. However, we do offer our convenient haul-away service for your old mattress when we deliver your new one.
Final Take
Disposing of a mattress in San Diego doesn’t have to be a chore. With the free Bye Bye Mattress program, city bulky item pickups, and Yawnder’s convenient haul-away service, you have plenty of responsible options. Choosing to recycle not only clears space in your home but also contributes to a healthier environment by keeping bulky, reusable materials out of our local landfills. It’s a simple action that makes a big difference.
Prefer donating instead of recycling? If your mattress is still in good shape (no stains, tears, or sagging), see our companion guide: Where to Donate a Mattress in San Diego — covers Goodwill, Salvation Army, Father Joe’s Villages, and local shelters that accept gently used bedding.
Next steps
San Diego mattress resources
Local guides from Yawnder, San Diego County’s independent mattress retailer.
- Yawnder San Diego showroom Address, hours and what is on the floor in Encinitas.
- San Diego mattress delivery Delivery windows, white glove setup and removal options.
- Donate a mattress in San Diego Charities that accept used mattresses and what they take.
- Current San Diego mattress deals What is discounted right now across the brands we carry.
- Shop today’s sale prices Every mattress currently marked down, sorted by popularity.
Mattress disposal by city: every San Diego County option
“San Diego” is not one waste program. The City of San Diego handles its own bulky item collection, and every surrounding city contracts a different hauler with different rules. Find your city below.
| Route | Cost | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bye Bye Mattress drop-off | Free | Same day | You have a truck or an SUV that folds flat |
| City bulky item pickup | Free (included with service) | 1–3 weeks | You can get it to the curb yourself |
| Junk removal company | $75–$150 per set | 1–3 days | Upstairs bedrooms, no truck, no help |
| White glove removal with a new mattress | $50–$100 per set | On delivery day | You are replacing the bed anyway |
| Transfer station self-haul | $25–$60 tipping fee | Same day | Mattress is soaked, infested or otherwise refused |
Mattress disposal in Poway
Poway contracts residential trash and bulky pickup through EDCO. Poway households get bulky item collection appointments included with service — call EDCO at (858) 745-3203 to schedule and set the mattress out the night before. Poway also sits about 25 minutes from the Miramar-area recycling drop-offs if you would rather haul it yourself the same day.
Mattress disposal in Chula Vista
Chula Vista service runs through Republic Services, and residential accounts include several free bulky pickups per year — a mattress and box spring normally counts as two items. Book the appointment online through your Republic account, and bag the mattress if rain is forecast, because soaked mattresses are frequently refused.
Mattress disposal in Oceanside
Oceanside residents get bulky item pickup through Waste Management with a scheduled on-call collection. There is also a Bye Bye Mattress drop-off within the city limits, which is the fastest option if you have a truck — no appointment, no fee, just proof you are a California resident.
Mattress disposal in Escondido
Escondido uses EDCO. Curbside bulky collection is available by appointment, and the Escondido Resource Recovery facility on Metcalf Street accepts mattresses. Escondido apartment dwellers should check with the property manager first, because multi-family accounts often route bulky items through the complex’s own dumpster schedule instead.
Mattress disposal in Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a Republic Services city with on-call bulky pickup. Palomar Transfer Station is the closest paid tipping option if you miss the pickup window, and there is free Bye Bye Mattress drop-off capacity nearby in Oceanside and Vista.
Mattress disposal in El Cajon
El Cajon and the surrounding East County communities are served by Waste Management, with bulky item pickup by appointment. The Sycamore Landfill and the Bye Bye Mattress participating sites in the Santee/El Cajon corridor cover the self-haul route.
Mattress disposal in La Mesa
La Mesa collection is EDCO. Residential accounts include bulky item pickups annually; the city asks that mattresses not be double-stacked with other furniture at the curb so the truck can grab them separately.
Mattress disposal in Vista
Vista residents use EDCO for on-call bulky collection, and there is a Bye Bye Mattress drop-off site in the city. Between the two, Vista is one of the easier North County cities to dispose of a mattress in without paying anything.
Mattress disposal in San Marcos
San Marcos service is EDCO with appointment-based bulky pickup. If you are replacing a bed and want the old one gone the same day, self-haul to the Vista or Escondido drop-off is usually faster than waiting for the next collection date.
Mattress disposal in Encinitas
Encinitas has its own recycling and disposal specifics, including EDCO collection and nearby free drop-off. We break the Encinitas process down separately in Mattress Recycling & Disposal in Encinitas.
What actually happens to a recycled mattress
A mattress is roughly 75% recyclable by weight, and the recyclers break it into four streams: the innerspring and border rod go to steel scrap, the foam is shredded into carpet padding, the wooden foundation frame becomes mulch or biomass fuel, and the quilted fabric is reprocessed into industrial filler. What is left — adhesives, mixed textiles, some coatings — is the fraction that still lands in the landfill. Sending a mattress to a drop-off instead of a dumpster keeps around 60 pounds of material out of Miramar per bed.
The cheapest way to get rid of a mattress you are replacing
If a new mattress is arriving anyway, removal on delivery day is almost always the right answer: nobody in your house carries a mattress down a staircase, the old bed never sits in the garage for three weeks, and the cost is lower than a junk-removal call-out. Add removal when you check out, and the crew takes the old set on the same trip.
Replacing the bed? Removal goes on the delivery
Shop current mattress deals and add old-mattress removal at checkout — the old set leaves as the new one comes in.
Shop Mattress Deals →Frequently asked questions
Is mattress recycling free in San Diego?
Yes, at participating Bye Bye Mattress drop-off sites. California charges a recycling fee on every mattress and box spring sold in the state, and that fee funds free drop-off for residents. You will need to show a California ID or a utility bill, and most sites cap you at a handful of units per visit.
Will the City of San Diego pick up a mattress from the curb?
City of San Diego households with city trash service can request bulky item collection at no extra charge, generally a few times a year. Everything outside city limits — Poway, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, La Mesa, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas — runs through that city’s hauler instead, usually EDCO, Republic Services or Waste Management.
How much does mattress removal cost in San Diego?
Free if you self-haul to a recycling drop-off or use your city’s included bulky pickup. Junk-removal companies typically charge $75 to $150 for a single mattress plus box spring. In-home white glove removal bundled with a new mattress delivery generally runs $50 to $100 per set.
Can I just leave a mattress at the curb?
No. Setting a mattress out without a scheduled pickup is illegal dumping in every San Diego County city and carries fines that dwarf the cost of doing it properly. Schedule the pickup first, then set it out the night before your collection date.
Do mattress stores haul away the old bed?
Many do, including Yawnder — removal is added to the delivery, so the old mattress leaves as the new one comes in. That is the only route where nobody in your household has to carry a mattress down a staircase.
What about a mattress with bed bugs or heavy staining?
Recycling facilities and haulers can refuse an infested or soaked mattress. Seal it in a mattress disposal bag before it leaves the bedroom, tell the hauler what they are picking up, and expect to pay for disposal rather than recycle it for free.
More San Diego disposal and delivery guides
- Free mattress pick-up in San Diego — the no-cost routes, ranked.
- Mattress recycling & disposal in Encinitas
- San Diego mattress delivery — delivery windows, white glove and removal.
Hauler contracts, drop-off locations and bulky pickup allowances change. Confirm details with your city’s hauler before you set anything at the curb.