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Mattress removal in Melrose, MA

A mattress and box spring bagged in plastic against a Melrose, Massachusetts Victorian house in autumn drizzle

The three legal ways to get rid of a mattress in Melrose

  • Curbside through Tough Stuff Recycling, $65 per item. You schedule and pay on Tough Stuff's website. Each mattress and each box spring counts as one item.
  • City Yard, $40 per item. 72 Tremont St, Saturdays April to December, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You must pay on a weekday first, because no payment is taken at the yard on Saturdays. Bring the receipt, bag the mattress in plastic, and show a City Yard sticker.
  • JUNKRUN, flat price by size. Twin $89, full $99, queen $109, king $129; box springs $59 to $99. The Massachusetts recycling fee is included, and the $159 minimum applies to the whole pickup.

The $65 figure is from the city's fee schedule dated August 12, 2026. An older city notice listed $55, so check the price when you book.

Why mattresses are harder in an older Melrose house

Many older houses near the Highlands, Cedar Park and Wyoming stations have narrow back stairs and tight basement turns, and a queen box spring is stiff and does not bend around a corner. Measure the stairwell and doorways before you start.

Massachusetts banned mattresses from disposal as of November 1, 2022. If yours is moldy, soiled, infested, or is a pad, topper, futon or sofa bed, ask the pickup service before booking, because these items may not be handled as mattresses.

If the mattress is still good

Habitat for Humanity ReStore's list of accepted items does not name mattresses or box springs. Most reuse shops decline them for hygiene reasons, so call before you drive anywhere with one on the roof.

Zero Waste Melrose, a volunteer group, keeps a mattress page on its website with local guidance. For a bed in good condition, a recycler is the realistic option, and the City Yard drop-off at $40 is the cheapest if you have a sticker and a vehicle that can carry it.

Get a mattress out of a Melrose house, step by step

  1. Check the type

    Futons, sofa beds, pads, toppers and mattresses with mold, bodily fluids or insects may not be handled as mattresses. Ask the pickup service before booking.

  2. Pick the route by date

    From January to March the City Yard Saturday drop-off is closed, so the choices are Tough Stuff curbside or a private pickup.

  3. Prepay if using the City Yard

    Pay on a weekday, online or at the yard office, and keep the receipt or work order.

  4. Bag it

    Mattresses at the yard must be in a plastic mattress bag.

  5. Clear the path

    Measure the stairwell and doors first, and tell the pickup service if the box spring will not turn a corner.

Local resources in Melrose

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Quick answers

Can I put a mattress out with Melrose's regular trash?

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No. Massachusetts has banned mattresses and box springs from disposal since November 1, 2022, so they have to be recycled through a program like Tough Stuff or by a hauler that recycles them.

How much is the Melrose City Yard mattress drop-off?

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$40 per mattress or box spring, paid on a weekday in advance, then dropped off on a Saturday between April and December, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You need the receipt, a plastic bag and a City Yard sticker.

Does JUNKRUN charge extra for stairs on a mattress?

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No. Prices are by size, from $89 for a twin to $129 for a king, and carrying from any floor and the Massachusetts recycling fee are included. A $159 minimum applies to the whole pickup.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Melrose before you go.

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