Where to Dispose of a Mattress in San Diego

Learn where to dispose of a mattress in San Diego, including free mattress recycling, retailer take-back, local drop-off options and paid mattress pickup.

San Diego residents who need to get rid of an old mattress or box spring have several possible options, and the right one depends mostly on the condition of the mattress and whether you can transport it yourself. The main paths are free mattress recycling through the City of San Diego, retailer take-back when a qualifying new mattress is delivered, other recycling locations through the statewide Bye Bye Mattress network, and hiring a pickup service when you cannot or do not want to move the mattress yourself.

Where Can You Drop Off a Mattress for Free in San Diego?

The City of San Diego Environmental Services Department participates in the Mattress Recycling Council's Bye Bye Mattress program. The City accepts qualifying mattresses and box springs for free at its mattress collection site:

• Location: Mattress Collection Site, east side of the Miramar Landfill entrance, 5161 Convoy St., San Diego, CA 92111.
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.
• Drop-off limit: The City's current mattress recycling page states there is no drop-off limit for qualifying mattresses and box springs.

The free program applies to qualifying mattresses and box springs accepted through the mattress collection program — it is not free landfill disposal. If mattresses are brought in mixed with other waste, landfill fees may apply. Confirm the current details on the City of San Diego mattress recycling page.

What Mattresses Does the City Accept?

Under the City's program, qualifying mattresses include sleep surfaces covered with ticking or fabric, including foam mattresses. Box springs and foundations are included, and futon mattresses can qualify if they are removed from the frame or base.

The City states that items must not be severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled, or infested with bedbugs. The free mattress program also does not include items such as mattress pads and toppers, sleeping bags and cots, pillows and loose bedding, crib mattresses and listed juvenile products, waterbeds, camping air mattresses, foldout sofa beds, futon frames and bases, or other household furniture. For the complete current list, check the City of San Diego mattress recycling page.

What If the Mattress Is Wet, Soiled or Infested with Bedbugs?

The City's mattress recycling collection program does not accept mattresses or box springs that are severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled, or infested with bedbugs. According to the City, mattresses and box springs that are severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, or soiled must be discarded as trash.

If an item is not eligible for the free recycling program, check the current City guidance or WasteFreeSD for appropriate disposal options before transporting it anywhere.

Will a Mattress Retailer Take Your Old Mattress?

Under California's mattress recycling law, retailers must offer to take back a used mattress at no additional charge when delivering a new mattress to a final California consumer. If the retailer or its third-party contractor delivers the new mattress, the retailer must offer take-back at the time of delivery. If the new mattress is delivered by common carrier, the retailer must offer to arrange take-back within 30 days of delivery. The take-back requirement is tied to a new mattress delivery — it is not a blanket requirement that any store pick up any mattress. Details are available from CalRecycle's mattress take-back information.

How Do You Find Other Mattress Recycling Locations?

The City directs residents to the Mattress Recycling Council's Bye Bye Mattress program to find other mattress recycling locations. Bye Bye Mattress is a network of collection points and recyclers; use the Bye Bye Mattress facility finder to search for participating sites. Rules, hours, and any fees can vary by location, so verify the details with a specific site before going. Bye Bye Mattress itself does not provide curbside pickup to individual consumers, and the City of San Diego's current mattress page states that the City does not provide bulky-item pickup or curbside mattress pickup. (This applies to the City of San Diego specifically — other municipalities in San Diego County may have different rules.)

Can You Have Someone Pick Up the Mattress for You?

Someone who cannot transport a mattress, has an upstairs mattress, has multiple bulky items, or simply wants the lifting and hauling handled can hire a private mattress removal service. Junk Seekers offers full-service mattress removal in its San Diego County service area, and the crew handles the loading and removal rather than requiring you to transport the mattress. See our Spring Valley mattress disposal article for a hyperlocal look at pickup in East County.

Which Mattress Disposal Option Makes the Most Sense?

• If the mattress is eligible and you can transport it: the City's free collection site may be the simplest option.
• If a new mattress is being delivered: ask the retailer about California's no-additional-charge take-back requirement.
• If Miramar is inconvenient: use Bye Bye Mattress to search for another participating location and verify that location's current rules before going.
• If you cannot transport the mattress: a paid pickup service may be more practical.
• If the mattress is wet, heavily soiled, severely damaged, or otherwise excluded: check current disposal guidance before transporting it.

City of San Diego vs. San Diego County

Disposal and collection programs can differ depending on where someone lives. The Miramar information in this guide comes from the City of San Diego. Readers elsewhere in San Diego County should verify the rules and options that apply to their own jurisdiction. You can also check our areas we serve page for context on the communities Junk Seekers covers.

If a paid pickup is the better fit for your situation, qualifying Junk Seekers full-service removal jobs have a $125 minimum — see the pricing page for current tiers. This pricing applies only to Junk Seekers paid pickup; it does not apply to City recycling or retailer take-back.