Cheap Mattress Delivery and Old Mattress Disposal: The Fees Nobody Lists

Updated October 2026 · Prices are typical US ranges and estimates; check the seller before you buy.

The mattress price is one line on the bill. Getting it into the bedroom and the old one out of the house can add $0 or $250, depending on choices made at checkout.

Delivery options and typical fees

Estimates for a queen in the continental US; rural addresses, upper floors without a lift and same-day slots cost more.

Free delivery on a budget boxed mattress is genuinely free; it is built into the price. For a store mattress, ask for the out-the-door total including delivery, setup and haul-away, because those three lines can add $150–300 to a $400 mattress.

Five ways to get rid of an old mattress

Mattresses are bulky, and many landfills charge extra for them. Ranked from usually cheapest:

1. City bulky-item pickup. Often free a few times a year or $10–50 per item. Many cities require the mattress to be wrapped in plastic because of bed bugs. Book ahead; slots fill.
2. State recycling program drop-off. A few states run mattress recycling programs funded by a small fee charged when you buy a new mattress. Drop-off at a participating site is then free or cheap.
3. Donation. Some charities collect mattresses in good condition, without stains or tears, and with the law label. Many won't take them at all for hygiene reasons; phone first.
4. Retailer haul-away. $0–50 when bundled at a store, $50–150 when added to a boxed order. Convenient, and it happens on the same visit.
5. Junk-removal company. $75–175 for a single mattress, less if they collect other items on the same trip.

Leaving it next to a dumpster or on the curb outside collection day can bring a fine, and landlords often charge tenants for removal.

Worked example: two routes to the same queen

The gap shrank from $60 to $35 once fees were included, and the store buyer also got to lie on the mattress first. Without the negotiated extras, the store route would have cost about $500. Put your own figures into the delivery and haul-away boxes of the mattress cost calculator; it spreads them over the mattress's life.

Unboxing a compressed mattress

• Carry the box to the bedroom before opening it; an expanded mattress is much harder to move.
• Put it on its base, then cut the plastic carefully with the blade pointing away from the cover.
• Give it 24–48 hours to expand fully and air before judging the feel or the smell.
• Keep the law label and order confirmation for the trial and warranty.

Moving soon? The renters guide compares moving a mattress with replacing it. If the new one doesn't work out, see trial and return costs for how pickup returns work.