If you need to get rid of an old mattress in Brisbane, you've got five real options: council kerbside collection, a resource recovery centre drop-off, donation, recycling, or a professional pickup. Which one makes sense depends mostly on the mattress's condition and how quickly you need it gone.
Here's what each option actually involves, including what Brisbane City Council charges if you're taking it yourself. If you'd rather skip straight to professional removal, you can get a free quote online or call 1800 811 046.
Your Options at a Glance
| Option | Cost | Effort | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council kerbside collection | Free | Low (once you're in the collection window) | Once a year only |
| Resource recovery centre drop-off | $36.60 per mattress (or 1 of your 10 free annual vouchers) | Medium, you load and drive it there | Any day the centre's open |
| Donation (charity pickup or drop-off) | Free | Low to medium, condition rules apply | Depends on charity availability |
| Recycling | Varies by provider | Medium | Depends on provider |
| Professional removal | From $95/m³ | None, they do the lifting | Same-day available |
Brisbane City Council's Free and Paid Options
Annual kerbside collection. Brisbane City Council runs kerbside collection once each financial year, over one scheduled week per suburb, and mattresses are accepted. Items need to go out no earlier than 2 days before your collection period starts, and Council won't collect piles larger than 2 cubic metres, so a mattress on its own is fine, but check what else you're stacking next to it. Check the kerbside collection calendar for your suburb's dates. If your mattress is ready to go now and collection week is months away, this won't be fast enough on its own.
Resource recovery centres. If you don't want to wait for kerbside collection, Brisbane's four resource recovery centres (Nudgee, Willawong, Chandler and Ferny Grove) take mattresses for $36.60 each. Council also gives residents 10 free waste vouchers a year, and one voucher covers up to 3 mattresses, so if you've still got vouchers left, this can be free. You'll need to load and transport the mattress yourself.
Donating a Mattress in Good Condition
If the mattress is clean, free of stains and structurally sound, a few Brisbane charities will take it:
- Lifeline Queensland runs a furniture pickup service, including good-quality mattresses, either through an online booking form or by contacting their Brisbane warehouse in Geebung.
- The Salvation Army (Salvos) accepts furniture including mattresses at most stores.
- Vinnies accepts furniture such as beds with clean mattresses, but won't take stained bedding.
Acceptance depends on the mattress's condition and varies store to store, so call ahead before you commit to a donation as your plan, especially if there's any visible wear.
Recycling a Mattress
Around 1.8 million mattresses go to landfill in Australia each year, according to the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council, even though most of the materials in a mattress can be recovered. Soft Landing, a not-for-profit mattress recycler, recovers around 75% of a mattress by weight: foam becomes carpet underlay, steel springs go into new steel products, and timber frames are turned into weed matting or mulch. If keeping a mattress out of landfill matters to you, a recycler is the option built for that, rather than a side effect of donation or council disposal.
Reselling or Giving It Away
For a mattress still in decent condition, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree are the usual routes for reselling or giving one away for free. Be upfront about its age and condition in the listing, since buyers will ask, and you'll still need to manage pickup with whoever takes it.
Hiring a Professional Removal Service
If you'd rather not deal with council timing, drop-off logistics or lining up a charity pickup, a professional removal team takes the mattress straight from wherever it is, no matter the condition. We charge from $95/m³ (dropping to $89/m³ for loads over 10m³), all-inclusive of labour, GST and dump fees, with same-day service available depending on booking time. It's also the option that makes sense if the mattress is coming out alongside other furniture or general rubbish, since it's all removed in the one visit. For more information on furniture disposal or what we take, feel free to contact us online or call 1800 811 046 for a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my mattress on the kerb outside collection week?
No. Brisbane City Council only collects kerbside items during your suburb's scheduled collection week each year. Outside that window, a mattress left on the kerb is illegal dumping.
Will charities take a stained or damaged mattress?
Generally not. Vinnies won't take stained bedding, and most charities will only take mattresses that are clean and free of rips or sagging. If it's not in donation condition, recycling, drop-off or professional removal are the better options.
How much does it cost to get rid of a mattress in Brisbane?
Council resource recovery centres charge $36.60 per mattress. Professional removal starts from $95/m³. Kerbside collection and eligible donations are free.
Do you recycle mattresses?
Yes. We sort collected items to recycle as much as possible, mattresses included, and donate anything still in usable condition where we can. For more on how we handle disposal, feel free to check our FAQ page or contact us online.
Ready to Have It Gone Today?
Whether it's just the mattress or a full room clearout, we'll handle the lifting and take it straight from wherever it is. For more information on residential rubbish removal, feel free to contact us online or call 1800 811 046 for a free quote.
