For mattress disposal in Pensacola you have four real options: curbside bulk pickup from ECUA or the City of Pensacola, a trip to Perdido Landfill, donation (rarely accepted for used mattresses), or a hauler who carries it out for you. Mattresses have a few special rules the other bulky items don't, so it pays to know them before you drag one to the curb. Everything below is as posted by the agencies in October 2026; check the linked pages for changes.
Curbside bulk pickup for mattresses
ECUA customers in unincorporated Escambia County can put mattresses and box springs out as bulk waste. Requests go in online or through the MyECUA app by 1:59 p.m. the day before your scheduled pickup day, and you should list every item you are putting out. ECUA takes one pile per week, no larger than 6 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet.
ECUA has also posted a newer rule: mattresses must now be kept separate from other bulk items when they are delivered for disposal. Crews try to sort them during collection, but in some cases the pickup happens in two steps, with the mattress or the rest of the pile collected first and the crew returning for the remainder. Setting the mattress a little apart from the rest of your pile is an easy way to help. Our ECUA bulk pickup guide covers the full request process.
City of Pensacola customers use the city's Special Collection service for bulky items. There is a fee, and scheduled collection costs significantly less than unscheduled, so arrange it first by calling 850.435.1890 or using the city's online form.
City of Milton residents should know that Milton's regular sanitation service lists mattresses and other furniture among the items it cannot pick up. The city's annual Community Cleanup, which ran in March, April and May in 2026, did accept furniture and mattresses at the curb. Our Santa Rosa County bulk trash guide covers Milton, Pace and the rest of the county.
Taking a mattress to the landfill
Escambia County's fee schedule lists a limit of 4 mattresses per household at Perdido Landfill, charged at the solid waste rate of $45.06 per ton. Business and commercial mattress loads fall under separate processing fees and must be scheduled in advance. Every load has an $11.64 minimum, and an uncovered individual load can be charged a $7.02 uncovered load fee, so strap it down and cover it.
A mattress is not heavy for its size, but it acts like a sail on the highway. Tie it down flat, with straps over the top, not just a rope through the handles.
In Santa Rosa County, the Central Landfill rate page lists bulk mattress disposal from commercial and retail loads as special waste that needs approval first. For one or two household mattresses, call the scale house at 850.981.7135 before you go.
Can you donate a mattress?
Usually not a used one. The Pensacola Habitat for Humanity ReStore says in its FAQ that it can't accept used mattresses for legal reasons, and it also turns down bedding and pillows. Other charities set their own rules, so call before you load a mattress into your car. A bed frame, headboard or dresser in good shape has much better odds than the mattress itself.
Can you throw a mattress in a dumpster?
Only if whoever owns or manages the dumpster allows it. Apartment complexes, HOAs and businesses often post rules about large items, and a mattress left beside a dumpster is still your problem until someone hauls it away. If you live in an apartment, ask the office how they want mattresses handled before move out day. If the answer is "not here," curbside bulk at a house or a hauler is the next step.
Box springs and bed bugs
Box springs count as their own bulky item. ECUA lists them separately from mattresses in its accepted items, so include both when you list what is going to the curb. They are also the piece most likely to hide bed bugs.
If bed bugs are involved, follow the EPA's advice. It recommends sealed covers for mattresses and box springs you are keeping. For items you are getting rid of, it suggests destroying them so no one else is tempted to bring them home, such as ripping the cover, and marking furniture with spray paint that says "Bed Bugs." It also says to have infested items picked up as soon as possible. The EPA's guide also uses sealed plastic bags to contain infested items, so wrapping the mattress in plastic before it leaves the bedroom is a sensible step. And tell anyone carrying it before they arrive.
Get the mattress out without carrying it
If you can't get the mattress to the curb, can't wait for your pickup day, or have stairs in the way, text us photos for a price. One mattress, or a mattress and box spring, is a normal job. If you have a couch to go with it, our couch removal guide covers that too.
Text photos to (850) 273-8546 with your ZIP code and whether there are stairs. We reply with a price and the soonest pickup time, same day when available, and the price is confirmed with you before we load anything. Mention the website for $20 off your first pickup.