2026 LOCAL GUIDE
How to get rid of a mattress in South Milwaukee, WI.
6 local options.
Compare mattress pickup, recycling, and disposal options—with costs, conditions, and sources below.
See all 6 local optionsMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 27 options, 9 free · checked Nov 7, 2026
Researched from each provider's own pages and approved for publication by Tim Sumerfield, who has worked in mattress recycling for over a decade. How we check these listings
6 ways to get rid of a mattress in South Milwaukee
Everything we could find for this city. Click any one of them for the full details.
- 1A Bedder World Mattress Recycling - South Milwaukee (our South Milwaukee mattress recycling partner)Easily book a curbside or in-home pickup for mattress recyclingBook pickup online
- 2City curbside pickup in South MilwaukeeBook a date with the city and leave it at the curbFree
- 3Drop-off options near South Milwaukee1 place that takes mattresses, nearest 14 miles awayFee not published
- 4Junk removal options serving South Milwaukee4 national companies that come to your doorQuoted by address
- 5Store haul-away options in South Milwaukee20 retailers remove the old mattress on deliveryFree at 8
- 6Donation options in South Milwaukee2 charities checked, 1 will not take a mattressFree
Also on this page: South Milwaukee rules · Milwaukee County · Wisconsin rules · common questions · what to check first
2City curbside pickup in South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee’s own collection service takes the mattress from outside your home. You normally have to book a date in advance and follow their wrapping rules.
City of South Milwaukee monthly bulk item pickup (Johns Disposal Service)
Residents of the City of South Milwaukee on the City's contracted collection. Johns Disposal Service Inc took over garbage and recycling collection for the City starting Monday, June 29, 2026. Pickups are booked with the contractor, not the City, by calling 262-473-4700 or emailing office@johnsdisposal.com, Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 8am to 12pm.
The last date published for this was Jul 1, 2026, so it has passed.
Conditions and source
Starting July 1, 2026, residents may schedule one bulk items collection per month at no charge. Collections must be scheduled in advance and the City tells residents not to place items out early. The City's list of what counts is open-ended — 'Bulk items include, but are not limited to:' — and names furniture, carpeting cut into 4-foot sections rolled and bundled, flattened large cardboard boxes, appliances including those containing freon, automotive batteries, tires up to 2 per pickup and a maximum of 8 per year, sealed and labeled drain oil and antifreeze in 1-5 gallon containers, empty and dry paint cans, construction materials in 32-gallon or smaller containers with boards cut to 4 feet, and larger items such as hot tubs and pianos cut up or disassembled with parts weighing no more than 50 lbs. The contractor adds that all items must weigh no more than 50 lbs and be easily manageable by one person. Yard waste and hazardous materials are the only categories named as not to be placed out for bulk. A mattress and a box spring are not named on either list, in either direction, and no price is published for a second collection in the same month.
Not confirmed: No mattress or box spring is named on the accepted or the excluded list.
Not confirmed: No price is published for a second or later bulk collection in the same month.
From the provider’s own page, checked Nov 6, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Free
Visit site3Drop-off options near South Milwaukee
Places that accept mattresses if you can get it there yourself. Distance is measured from the center of South Milwaukee. Some accept residents of their own city or county only, so check before you drive.
Nearest
GFL Emerald Park Landfill self-haul mattress drop-off
No residency rule is published. Waukesha County names the site for its residents without restricting it, and the operator publishes no eligibility rule for the location.
Conditions and source
Waukesha County lists this site under the heading "Furniture, Mattresses, Boxsprings" as a "Disposal Option" — "GFL Emerald Park Landfill — Muskego, Wisconsin: 414-529-1360" — and again under "Trash" as one of "2 privately-owned landfills if your hauler will not pick up your type of trash: Emerald Park (GFL) Muskego: 414-529-1360". The street address comes from the county's household hazardous waste page, which lists its Muskego collection site as "W124S10629 South 124th St" and adds "(at the GFL Emerald Park Landfill)". The operator's branch page for Emerald Park carries no address, no hours, no fee schedule and no accepted-materials list, so nothing beyond the county's referral and the address is published about taking a mattress here. The hazardous waste collection held at the same address on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, February through November, is Waukesha County's program and is not a route for a mattress.
Not confirmed: No scale hours are published for self-haul at Emerald Park; the Saturday 8 a.m. to noon hours on the county page belong to the hazardous waste collection, not to the landfill
Not confirmed: No mattress fee, minimum charge or per-ton rate is published by Waukesha County or by the operator
Not confirmed: Whether a self-hauling household may use the scale, and whether proof of residency is required, is not published
Not confirmed: Whether a mattress taken here is recycled or buried is not stated
From the provider’s own page, checked Nov 7, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Waukesha County mixed furniture mattress directory
Waukesha County, Wisconsin — Household Hazardous Waste (permanent and one-time sites)
Fee not published
Visit siteNo way to move it yourself? See pickup services →
4Junk removal options serving South Milwaukee
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.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? mattress removal
Franchise network; coverage varies by ZIP (some ZIPs not serviced).
Conditions and source
In-person estimate before work; single items priced by size, minimum charge applies (amount not published). Donates or recycles where possible.
Not confirmed: Coverage varies by ZIP.
Not confirmed: No published mattress price.
Not confirmed: Recycling/donation not guaranteed per job.
From the provider’s own page, checked Sep 22, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Ask provider
Visit siteCollege HUNKS mattress removal
Franchise network; coverage varies by ZIP.
Conditions and source
Free estimate at start of job; price depends on location and job. Mattress recycled or disposed of; few donation centers take mattresses.
Not confirmed: Coverage varies by ZIP.
Not confirmed: No published price.
Not confirmed: Recycling vs landfill not stated per location.
From the provider’s own page, checked Sep 22, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Ask provider
Visit siteJunk King mattress disposal
100+ franchise locations in U.S. and Canada; coverage varies by ZIP.
Conditions and source
Free onsite/photo/phone estimate; pricing varies by location. Works with local recyclers and donation partners.
Not confirmed: Coverage varies by ZIP.
Not confirmed: No published mattress price on primary pages.
Not confirmed: Per-location recycling outcome not stated.
From the provider’s own page, checked Sep 22, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Ask provider
Visit siteThe other 1 companies
The Junkluggers mattress removal
Franchise network; find a local Junkluggers; coverage varies by ZIP.
Conditions and source
Free up-front estimate; most locations offer same-day pickup. Donates/recycles/repurposes when possible.
Not confirmed: Coverage varies by ZIP.
Not confirmed: No published price.
Not confirmed: Disposal of non-reusable mattresses not described.
From the provider’s own page, checked Sep 22, 2026. Not confirmed by phone.
Ask provider
Visit site5Store haul-away options in South Milwaukee
If you are replacing the mattress, the shop will often take the old one when they deliver. Usually one old mattress per new one, and only if it is dry and clean.
- Casper
- Free
- Casper mattress order with In-Home Delivery & Setup ($249), continental US; one used mattress per mattress ordered. Sanitary condition judged on site; box springs must be removable intact. Source
- Purple
- Free
- Non-California: free with Rejuvenate mattresses; $200 add-on for select Essentials/Restore mattresses. Mattress only (no box springs); unsanitary mattresses may be refused. Source
- Raymour & Flanigan
- Free
- New mattress purchase with delivery; free with mattress set of $500+. Safe, sanitary, free of rips and tears. Source
- Rooms To Go
- Free
- New mattress with full service delivery. Not heavily soiled; not with Doorway Delivery. Source
The other 15 retailers
- Saatva
- Free
- New Saatva mattress with white glove delivery; select removal at checkout; continental US. Clean, undamaged mattress/foundation only; no adjustable bases, frames, waterbed or Sleep Number bases. Source
- Sam's Club
- Free
- Select mattresses with White Glove Delivery; free White Glove for Plus members buying online; not PR/AK/HI. Haul-away on request; biohazard items refused. Source
- Tempur-Pedic direct
- Free
- Mattress (not TEMPUR-Cloud), power base or foundation bought directly from Tempur-Pedic; like-for-like. Adult 18+ present; bedding removed; unsanitary/heavily soiled items may be refused. Source
- Amazon
- $79.99
- Purchased with an eligible mattress; available in select cities. One mattress or box spring; no bodily fluids or bed bugs; adult present. Source
- Avocado Green Mattress
- Ask provider
- Avocado In-Home Delivery & Setup order in select areas; must buy the equivalent item. Subject to local health regulations; no bed frames/furniture. Source
- Bob's Discount Furniture
- Ask provider
- New mattress/foundation delivered via BOBtastic White Glove Delivery. Safe and sanitary condition. Source
- Costco
- Ask provider
- Costco mattress delivery in select areas; one-for-one like item. Not damaged, soiled or infested; ready at delivery; additional fees may apply. Source
- Helix Sleep
- $219
- Helix order with In-Home Setup & Removal selected at checkout; contiguous 48 states. Stained/soiled items may be refused. Source
- IKEA
- $30
- Mattress or box spring bought in store with in-home delivery, in select markets / ZIP codes in the continental US; not online orders. Removal may be on a different date from delivery. Source
- Living Spaces
- Ask provider
- Full Service Delivery; request at checkout. Stained/soiled mattresses not eligible. Source
- Macys
- $25
- Macy's mattress with White Glove ($125) or Room of Choice ($75) delivery; one-for-one. No stained, soiled or bed-bug items; no frames/adjustable bases/furniture. Source
- Mattress Firm
- Ask provider
- Mattress ordered for delivery from Mattress Firm; one-for-one. Box spring removed only if new order includes one; no wet, unsanitary or infested bedding; no furniture. Source
- Mattress Warehouse
- $29.99
- With delivery of a new purchase; add before delivery date. Mattresses/box springs only; stained items excluded. Source
- Resident (Nectar, DreamCloud)
- $199
- Nectar or DreamCloud order with paid White Glove Delivery, where offered. Removal at the provider's discretion; may be unavailable in some areas; CA/RI/CT add a state-mandated fee. Source
- Sleep Number
- Ask provider
- With a Sleep Number bed delivery: included with Ultimate delivery ($350) or added for $100 with Premium/Doorstep; one disposal per Smart Bed delivered. Adult 18+ present; no bed bugs/extreme soiling; Doorstep customers must put the old bed outside. Source
6Donation options in South Milwaukee
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 South Milwaukee itself says
What we established about this city in particular — including where it runs nothing of its own and residents have to look elsewhere.
- Not an option: The City of South Milwaukee runs a Self-Deposit Station at 1106 Blake Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI 53172, but it is no longer a place to take a mattress. The City's page restricts it to 'Organic waste only' and lists leaves, grass, branches, soil, cardboard, concrete, logs, stone and brick as what it takes, with waste oil and antifreeze under 'Will still accept.' Under what is not accepted the City names trash, recycling, furniture, electronics, hazardous waste and metal. The City's own code confirms the narrowed scope: Chapter 26, adopted August 4, 2026 by Ordinance No. 26-10, heads § 26.23 'Regulation as to the self-deposit of yard waste and organics at the City of South Milwaukee Self-Deposit Station,' and sets the hours as 'Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., annually from March 1 through December 30, unless temporarily modified by the Street Superintendent for operations, weather, staffing or emergency reasons.' The site is open only on Saturdays as of June 29, 2026, closed in January and February, and may close in bad weather. Use is limited to residents: 'You have to be a resident of South Milwaukee (cannot be Contractor)' and 'You must provide proof of residency (ID check required).' The page says 'No fees for the service,' with the one exception of loader help for large materials at a 'Base fee starting at $100.00.' Because furniture is refused by name and the station is confined by ordinance to yard waste and organics, a resident should not haul a mattress here. Source Not confirmed: The City refuses furniture by name and confines the station to yard waste and organics by ordinance, but it does not name a mattress or a box spring in its not-accepted list, so the refusal is by scope rather than by an itemized exclusion.
- South Milwaukee rewrote its waste ordinance in 2026, and the new chapter sets the local rules a resident with a mattress runs into. Chapter 26, 'Recycling, Refuse Collection and Self-Deposit Station,' was adopted August 4, 2026 by Ordinance No. 26-10 and repealed the chapter in force since 1994. Section 26.22B(4) is the rule that sends a mattress to bulk pickup rather than the cart: 'Any refuse which cannot be placed in a cart due to its size and/or weight shall not be collected as part of normal garbage collection.' Cart weight is capped at 200 pounds and 'All garbage must fit into the provided tipper cart with the lid closed for pickup.' The set-out window is tight and runs both ways: carts and containers go out 'no later than 6:00 a.m. on the date of collection, but no sooner than 7:00 p.m. on the day preceding collection,' and must be taken in 'no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day after collection.' Section 26.24 makes it unlawful for anyone not authorized by the owner 'to pick through, sort, scavenge, or remove recyclable materials and materials assembled for special pick up,' so an item set out for a bulk run is not free for the taking. Section 26.22L sets the forfeiture for violating any provision of the chapter: 'First offense: $50 plus costs,' 'Second offense: $200 plus costs,' and 'Third offense and additional offenses: $2,000 plus costs.' A police officer, health officer, Public Health Administrator, the Street Superintendent, the City Administrator or their designees may issue the citation. Section 26.07 also notes that from January 1, 2027 the City will place collection costs on the property tax roll as a special charge on residential properties. Source Not confirmed: Chapter 26 never names a mattress or a box spring, and it sets no fee schedule for bulk collection; it leaves the bulk program to the City's contractor. Not confirmed: Section 26.25C(2) breaks off mid-sentence as published ('Any person who violates a provision of this chapter except § 26.21.'), so the forfeiture relied on here is the one stated in § 26.22L.
What Milwaukee County offers
Established for the county as a whole, so it applies across South Milwaukee and its neighbors.
- Milwaukee County runs no waste service a household can use. The county's only solid waste office is Environmental Services, inside the Department of Administrative Services, and the county describes it as a unit that "provides technical and managerial services concerning environmental and sustainability issues for Milwaukee County's building and infrastructure assets and natural resources." It lists "Recycling" and "Solid waste" among the areas in which it provides "guidance and expertise to Milwaukee County Departments," beside underground storage tanks, asbestos, air quality and brownfields. That is compliance work on county buildings, parks, the airport and the transit system. The county publishes no landfill, no transfer station, no drop-off site, no bulky item collection, no clean-up day and no mattress route of any kind, and it sets no fee. In Milwaukee County every answer is municipal: the city or village a reader lives in runs or contracts the collection, and that is where their answer is. Source Not confirmed: City and village programs are out of scope at the county layer and are researched on their own pages; the City of Milwaukee's drop-off centers and bulky collection are already recorded there. Not confirmed: No county-wide free dump day, amnesty event or disposal voucher appears anywhere on Milwaukee County's own pages.
- The one drop-off program open to every household in Milwaukee County is the Home Haz Mat Collection, and it is run by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District rather than by county government. MMSD's eligibility is stated as "MMSD can only accept waste that is generated by households or apartments in Milwaukee County"; businesses, contractors, schools, churches, non-profits and government agencies are excluded. Three sites take drop-offs year round at no charge: 6060 S. 13th Street, Milwaukee, just north of College Avenue, open Tuesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 3879 W. Lincoln Avenue, Milwaukee, open Thursday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and W124 N9451 Boundary Road, Menomonee Falls, open Monday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. What it takes is household chemicals: automotive fluids, gasoline, oily rags, latex paint up to 20 gallons per visit, non-latex paint, thinners and solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals, drain cleaners, mercury thermometers, batteries, certain light bulbs and propane cylinders. Its not-accepted list names clothes dryers, refrigerators, washing machines, microwaves, computers, televisions and tires. This is the county-wide program a reader will be sent to, and it is not a mattress route. Source Not confirmed: Mattresses and furniture appear on neither MMSD's accepted list nor its not-accepted list, both of which cover chemicals and appliances. That is an absence from the list, not a published refusal.
- The only landfill inside Milwaukee County will not let most of the county through the gate. Waste Management's Metro Recycling and Disposal Facility sits at 10712 S. 124th Street in Franklin, and the landfill regulations the City of Franklin publishes, effective January 2021, limit self-haul to "Franklin, Town of Norway, Town of Raymond residents only" - Norway and Raymond are in Racine County, so Franklin is the only Milwaukee County municipality covered. The rules add that "Metro will be tracking all loads using a handheld ID scanner. This system will verify residency, usage, tire allowance, and frequency," and that "Norway Residents can still show their dump pass, but a valid ID must accompany it." Loads are "Residential Waste Only-NO COMMERCIAL WASTE!" with a "2 Cubic Yard Maximum for Garbage," five regular car or truck tires per year, and no boats, jet skis, paddle boats or hot tubs, no hazardous waste, no electronics including televisions, no microwaves, no compressed cylinders or propane tanks, and no salvaging. "Waste Management reserves the right to reject any self-hauled load." A reader in Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa, Oak Creek or any other municipality in the county cannot self-haul here at all, which is why the county has no shared dump answer. Source Not confirmed: The Franklin regulations set no disposal price, so no fee is recorded for this landfill. Not confirmed: Mattresses are named neither as accepted nor as prohibited in the regulations. The prohibition list is specific rather than exhaustive, and an absence from it is not permission.
- Not an option: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity's ReStore will not take a mattress. Its own Items We Accept page puts "Mattresses or Box Springs" under the heading "Items We Cannot Resell," beside sleeper sofas, large entertainment centers or armoires, hospital beds, pool tables, pianos and used cultured marble vanity tops. The same page accepts "Sofas, Chairs (e.g., living room, recliner), Tables, Dressers, Bed Frames" and says upholstered furniture "cannot have any stains, tears, excessive wear, pet damage or odors." So a bed frame can be donated and the mattress that sat on it cannot, and a reader planning a donation run should not load the mattress. Source
Wisconsin mattress disposal rules
- 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
Questions people ask about South Milwaukee
Is there free mattress disposal in South Milwaukee?
Yes: City of South Milwaukee monthly bulk item pickup (Johns Disposal Service); Casper removal with In-Home Delivery & Setup; Havertys complimentary mattress removal. Check eligibility and conditions before you go.
How much does mattress pickup cost in South Milwaukee?
Published starting prices: A Bedder World mattress pickup from $89. Stairs, box springs, and extra items can add fees.
Will the store take my old mattress when I buy a new one?
Several retailers offer haul-away with a new mattress delivery, usually with conditions: Casper, Havertys, Purple, Raymour & Flanigan, Rooms To Go, Saatva.
Are there state rules for mattress disposal in Wisconsin?
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.
What to check before you go
- Say if the mattress is wet, stained, or has any sign of pests — that is the usual reason one is turned away.
- Ask what the total will be. Box springs, stairs, and extra items are often charged separately.
- Check you qualify. Many sites serve only residents of their own city or county.