How to get rid of a mattress in Salem Lakes, WI.

Companies that come to your home and carry the mattress out, so you need no vehicle. The prices below are starting prices unless stated — stairs, box springs and extra items add to them.

Most charities will not take a used mattress. These are the ones we checked, including the ones that say no.

• The Salvation Army (satruck.org): accepted-items list includes 'Mattresses' and beds; also says local ordinances and need vary by location and to call 1-800-SA-TRUCK to confirm what a local center accepts. Source
• Doesn’t take mattresses. Habitat for Humanity national ReStore guide: 'Mattresses and box springs are not accepted.' Source

Policies vary by branch. Call before you carry one over — we asked each of the big three directly: Goodwill, the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity.

What we established about this city in particular — including where it runs nothing of its own and residents have to look elsewhere.

• The hauler's own Salem Lakes page itemizes what the monthly bulk collection takes and a mattress is not on the list, which is a gap rather than a refusal. Johns Disposal Service's page headed "Salem Lakes" lists furniture; carpeting cut into 4-foot sections, rolled and bundled; large cardboard boxes emptied and flattened; appliances including those containing freon; automotive batteries; tires up to two per pickup and eight per year; drain oil and antifreeze sealed in 1 to 5 gallon containers and clearly labeled; larger items such as hot tubs and pianos cut up or disassembled into parts of 50 lbs or less; paint cans empty and dry or solidified; and construction materials in containers of 32 gallons or less with boards cut to 4 feet or shorter. "All items must weigh no more than 50 lbs and be easily manageable by one person." Yard waste, hazardous materials and electronics are not part of the bulk program, and electronics need a separate pickup for a fee. Scheduling is by calling 262-473-4700 or emailing the office, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to noon. Neither a mattress nor a box spring appears anywhere on the list, in either direction. Source Not confirmed: Whether a mattress qualifies for the monthly bulk collection is not established: the hauler's itemized Salem Lakes list neither names nor excludes mattresses, and every item it does name must weigh no more than 50 pounds and be manageable by one person
• Not an option: Salem Lakes has only one drop-off site of its own and it is a yard waste site, so it is not a place to take a mattress. The Village's yard waste drop-off is at the "old Highway Department building, located at 11200 - 258th Court in Trevor," open "Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m." plus Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. from April 5 to December 1. It is for Village of Salem Lakes residents only, proof of residence may be required, and "Contractors are NOT permitted to use this facility." The published accepted list is "Yard waste, grass clippings, small twigs, brush and tree branches," with logs and branches "less than 6" (six inches) in diameter and less than 8' (eight feet) in length." Section 447-5 of the Village code enumerates what the compost dropoff site accepts in the same terms: bundled branches, garden waste, grass clippings, leaves, stumps 50 pounds or less, tree trimmings and other yard waste. No bulky household item appears anywhere in either list. Source

• 7 Rivers lists W6833 Industrial Blvd., Onalaska WI 54650 and phone (507) 205-2082. Operator describes recovering steel, foam and fibers from mattresses. Name and full address support the original national-directory facility identity; directory phone 608-783-6727 x103 differs. Source
• DNR RID=104 Rodefeld record FID 113127300 lists 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison 53713-1400, while county landfill page gives customer location 7102 Maahic Way, Madison 53718. Preserve both; registry address may be administrative but that explanation is not verified. Source
• La Crosse FAQ directs arrivals to 3240 Berlin Drive; DNR RID=104 FID 632063630 lists 3200 Berlin Dr, La Crosse 54601-1818. Keep source-address discrepancy explicit rather than overwriting either. Source
• Wisconsin DNR list of materials banned from landfills/incinerators (containers, cardboard, paper, #1-2 plastics, electronics, lead-acid batteries, major appliances, oil filters/waste oil, tires, yard waste) does not include mattresses. Source
• Wisconsin DNR: residents find their local recycling 'responsible unit' via an RU contact list, an RU map (experience.arcgis.com/experience/e2a75fccdc834fd5be13acd9fede067f) or a municipality-to-RU lookup. Source