Quick answer
A mattress cannot go in your wheelie bin. If you can get it outside, a council bulky collection or a tip run is usually cheapest; if you are buying new, ask the retailer to take the old one. For a mattress stuck upstairs or several beds in Portsmouth, a private collection is easier.
Your options at a glanceSection titled Your%20options%20at%20a%20glance
A mattress is too big for a wheelie bin, so the real choices for Portsmouth households are a council bulky collection, a trip to the Port Solent household waste recycling centre, retailer take-back when you buy a new bed, or a private collection. Prices and rules change, so recheck the official council pages before you book anything.
Portsmouth Council collection
Best for: One mattress that you can get outside before collection day.
- Cost
- Collections from £40
- Timing
- Booked by phone; collections run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Mattresses are on the council's list of items collected
- Left at ground level, easy to reach from the road, by 6am
- You carry it out of the house yourself
Recycling centre
Best for: You have a car or van that a mattress will fit in.
- Cost
- Check the council page for any charge
- Timing
- Visits are booked online
- Portsmouth HWRC at Port Solent
- Bookings and permits are digital; a van or trailer may need a permit
- A double mattress is awkward in a car - check it fits first
Private collection with House Clearance Portsmouth
Best for: Mattresses still upstairs, several beds, or when it needs to go quickly.
- Cost
- Priced by item and access
- Timing
- Usually the same week
- We carry it down from any room - no lifting for you
- Bed frames, headboards and other furniture in the same visit
- Licensed disposal, with recycling wherever possible
Book a Portsmouth Council bulky waste collectionSection titled Book%20a%20Portsmouth%20Council%20bulky%20waste%20collection
Portsmouth City Council collects larger household items from homes where the Council Tax is paid to the council. Its bulky waste booking page lists mattresses among the items it collects (waterlogged mattresses are not collected). Collections start from £40, and you book by phoning 023 9284 1105 for a quote. The page does not give a separate price for a mattress, so ask for one when you call.
Items must be put out by 6am on the collection day, at ground level and easy to reach from the road, such as on a forecourt. At flat-fronted properties, items go on the pavement after 7pm the evening before. Crews will not enter your house or back garden, and only items agreed at booking are taken. Items over 2 metres long are not collected. The collection terms and conditions also ask you to cover items against the weather, and note that wet items may be refused.
Portsmouth Council bulky collection costs
Collection of larger household items from your home, booked by phone. Collections run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Chargeable collection
Quoted when you book; mattresses are on the collected list
From £40
Council Tax Support recipients
One free collection in a rolling 12 months, up to 2m³; proof required
Free
Cancelling or amending within 2 working days
Deducted from any refund
£25
Council prices and rules change. Recheck the official Portsmouth Council page before booking.
Take it to the tip yourselfSection titled Take%20it%20to%20the%20tip%20yourself
Portsmouth residents use the Portsmouth Household Waste Recycling Centre at Port Solent. The council's Port Solent tip page says some items have restrictions or charges, and points to the Hampshire County Council site for the accepted and restricted items lists. We could not confirm from the council pages whether mattresses are accepted or charged, so check the accepted-items list before you load the car.
On the council's HWRC page, bookings and permits are digital: each visit is booked online and counts as one of the 12 visits included with a permit. Some vehicles, such as vans and trailers, need a permit. Residents of PO1 to PO6 and some PO7 addresses who cannot use the online system can call 023 9284 1105 (option 5).
Retailer take-back when you buy a new mattressSection titled Retailer%20take-back%20when%20you%20buy%20a%20new%20mattress
Bensons for Beds will recycle your old mattress when it delivers the new one. Its help article gives mattress recycling at £50 ("from as little as"), and it must be added up to 5 days before delivery through Manage My Order, by phone or by email.
Terms vary by retailer and by order, so ask about old-mattress collection before you pay for a new bed, and get the price in writing.
Can you donate or sell an old mattress?Section titled Can%20you%20donate%20or%20sell%20an%20old%20mattress%3F
Reuse is rarely an option for a mattress. The council's large household items page suggests charities such as Sue Ryder, British Heart Foundation and DEBRA for furniture, but we could not confirm that any of them take used mattresses. Sue Ryder's free furniture collection page says it does not accept furniture without a fire safety label, so a mattress would at the very least need an intact label and be clean. Contact the charity before offering one.
When a private collection makes senseSection titled When%20a%20private%20collection%20makes%20sense
Paying for a collection is worth it when the mattress is upstairs or in a flat, when there are several beds or a whole bedroom to clear, when nobody can lift it, or when the council's next slot is too far away. House Clearance Portsmouth carries it out and disposes of it through licensed routes.
Old mattress in the way?
We collect mattresses, bed frames and bedroom furniture across Portsmouth, carried out from any room, usually the same week.
Which route fits your situationSection titled Which%20route%20fits%20your%20situation
Match your situation
One mattress, already downstairs, no rush
Portsmouth Council collectionCollections start from £40, but the mattress must be outside by 6am on the day.
You have a van or a big car
Recycling centrePort Solent HWRC needs an online booking, and a van may need a permit.
You are buying a new mattress anyway
Retailer take-backAsk at checkout - the old one can often leave on the same delivery.
It is upstairs, there are several, or it needs to go now
Private collectionOne visit covers carrying, loading and disposal.
Common questionsSection titled Common%20questions
Can I put a mattress out with my bins in Portsmouth?Section titled Can%20I%20put%20a%20mattress%20out%20with%20my%20bins%20in%20Portsmouth%3F
No. Under the council's collection terms, only items agreed at booking are collected, so a mattress left out with your bins is likely to be left behind. Book a bulky collection instead.
Can I book the tip with a mattress in the car?Section titled Can%20I%20book%20the%20tip%20with%20a%20mattress%20in%20the%20car%3F
Visits to the Port Solent tip are booked online, as set out on the council's HWRC page. We could not confirm the mattress rules or any charge from the council pages, so check the Hampshire County Council accepted-items list or call the council on 023 9284 1105 first.
What happens to a mattress after it is collected?Section titled What%20happens%20to%20a%20mattress%20after%20it%20is%20collected%3F
Mattresses are generally taken apart so the springs, foam and fabric can be separated and recycled where possible, rather than going straight to landfill. The exact route depends on who collects it, so ask your collector how it will be disposed of. The council also advises checking that anyone you hire holds a waste carrier's licence, as set out on its large household items page.
Related servicesSection titled Related%20services
Want it gone without the lifting?
Tell us what needs to go and we will give you a free, no-obligation quote for Portsmouth and nearby areas.
