Mattress removal in Watertown, MA
What the ban means on a Watertown street
MassDEP's disposal ban means a mattress left beside the tote is not a trash item and will not be taken. The city page is blunt that it is up to residents to book their own recycling. HandUp Mattress does curbside collection at 774-271-8744 or through its website. A 2022 city post quoted $46 each with monthly pickups; the current page says $50 and doesn't promise a schedule. A mattress and box spring set is then $100, which compares with JunkRun's queen at $109 plus a queen box spring at $79, $188 total.
Damp basements and rental turnover
Old two-family basements are often damp, and mattresses stored there pick up moisture and mildew. Recyclers want them dry, so move any basement mattress to a covered porch before the pickup day. Many mattresses come out of rental flats, so book a few days ahead around lease changes at the end of May and end of August. Moving the mattress to a dry porch the night before pickup prevents a refusal, and keeping a bag-free surface helps the driver check it.
Why donation rarely works
Not every mattress can be given away. Habitat for Humanity's ReStore does not take mattresses, sofa beds or futons, and most charities refuse them for hygiene reasons. Treat a used mattress as recycling, not donation, unless it is new and sealed. The ReStore West Roxbury page says no mattresses, sofa beds or futons. A bed frame and dresser are a different case: Sister Thrift on Pleasant St sells household goods and the ReStore takes working furniture, so a bed frame in good shape is worth a call.
Mattress cost comparison for Watertown
| Item | HandUp curbside | JunkRun menu price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin mattress | $50 | $89 (min $159 applies to a lone item) |
| Full mattress | $50 | $99 |
| Queen mattress | $50 | $109 |
| King mattress | $50 | $129 |
| Queen box spring | $50 | $79 |
| Queen set (mattress + box spring) | $100 | $188 |
Local resources in Watertown
Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.
- Mattress recycling
HandUp Mattress curbside recycling
Accepts: Mattresses and box springs, $50 each
The mattress recycler the city names; book at handupmattress.com or 774-271-8744.
Curbside service; no walk-in site listed - Habitat ReStore
Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Greater Boston (West Roxbury)
Donation drop-off Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm; phone for furniture pickup. About 7 miles from Watertown (straight line), in West Roxbury.
1580 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132
Quick answers
Will the city take my mattress with bulky items?
+
No. The city's solid waste page says it does not collect mattresses or box springs.
Can I put a mattress in the trash tote?
+
No, because of the state ban in effect since Nov 1, 2022.
Sources
Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Watertown before you go.
- City of Watertown: Mattress Recycling: “They offer curbside collection for $50 per mattress and $50 per box spring” · accessed October 31, 2026
- Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston: ReStore: “Mattresses/box springs ... Sofa beds” · accessed October 31, 2026
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