First, the rule: you can't curb a mattress in Denver
Denver will not take a mattress with your regular cart trash — period. The only municipal route is Large Item Pickup, and even that comes with strings: the mattress has to be bagged and wrapped in plastic, it counts as one of your five large items, and the program only swings by about once every nine weeks. Set a loose mattress at the curb off-schedule and you're looking at a possible code violation, not a free pickup. So unlike a couch, where the city queue at least technically works, a mattress genuinely forces you to choose one of the three real options below.
1. Recycle it at a mattress recycler
Mattresses are one of the most recyclable big items there is — the steel springs, foam, and fiber all get reclaimed. Denver has dedicated recyclers like Spring Back Colorado that break them down and keep them out of the landfill, typically for a modest per-mattress fee if you drop it off. The trade-off is the same as any self-haul: you need a vehicle it fits in (a queen or king doesn't ride in a sedan), a way to strap it down, and the time to run it over. If you've got a truck and a free afternoon, it's the greenest DIY route. When we haul a mattress, we route it to recycling or donation the same way rather than defaulting to the dump.
2. Donate it — only if it's genuinely resellable
A clean, structurally sound, relatively new mattress can sometimes be donated — but be realistic. Most thrift operations and shelters have strict rules on mattresses for hygiene reasons, many won't take them at all, and none will take one with stains, sagging, tears, or any hint of bed bugs. If it's genuinely nice, call ARC Thrift Stores, Goodwill of Colorado, or a local shelter first and ask specifically about mattresses before you load it — a wasted trip is the usual outcome when people assume. An old, worn mattress is a recycling job, not a donation.
3. Flat-price pickup — carried out, recycled for you
Send a photo, get a set price — a twin is $82, a full $94, a queen $103, a king $114, a box spring $92, and a mattress-and-box-spring set $143 — and a crew carries it out from any floor. Up the basement stairs in Wash Park, down a Capitol Hill walk-up, out of a DU-area apartment on move-out day. We route it to recycling or donation, the load is tarped, and there's no Colorado sales tax on the service, so the photo-quote is the whole number. Often same-day. No wrapping in plastic, no nine-week wait, no strapping a king to your roof. See mattress removal in Denver for the full size ladder.
The options, compared
| Option | Cost | Speed | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular curb trash | — | — | Not allowed; possible code violation |
| Large Item Pickup | Free | Up to ~9 weeks | Must be bagged & wrapped; curbside; you carry it out |
| Recycle (Spring Back Colorado) | Small drop-off fee | An afternoon | You transport and strap it down |
| Donation | Free | Days | Resellable only; most won't take mattresses |
| JunkRabbit flat pickup | $82 (twin) – $114 (king) | Often same-day | Just book it |
JunkRabbit prices are flat and photo-quoted: twin $82, full $94, queen $103, king $114, box spring $92, mattress + box spring set $143. $75 minimum, disposal included, no Colorado sales tax on the service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave a mattress at the curb in Denver?
Not for regular trash. Denver won't take a mattress with your normal cart collection. The only city route is Large Item Pickup, which requires the mattress to be bagged and wrapped in plastic and comes around only about once every nine weeks. A loose mattress left at the curb off-schedule can draw a code violation.
How much does mattress removal cost in Denver?
With JunkRabbit it's flat and photo-quoted: a twin is $82, a full $94, a queen $103, a king $114, and a box spring $92. A mattress-and-box-spring set together is $143. The $75 minimum only applies to a very small single item; disposal is included and there's no Colorado sales tax on the service.
Where can I recycle a mattress in Denver?
Mattress recyclers such as Spring Back Colorado break mattresses down and divert the steel, foam, and fiber from the landfill, usually for a per-mattress fee if you drop it off. When we haul a mattress, we route recyclable and donatable pieces the same way rather than sending them straight to the tip.
Do you take the mattress and the box spring together?
Yes. A mattress and its box spring as a set is $143 flat, carried out together from any floor — a Capitol Hill walk-up, a Wash Park basement guest room, a DU-area apartment. Often same-day when a slot is open.