How to Get Rid of a Mattress in Owensboro, KY

The short answer

You have four realistic options in Owensboro: ask the city's Sanitation Department about a bulky pickup, haul it to the county yourself, ask a retailer if you are buying a new bed, or have a hauler take it. Which one is right depends mostly on one thing: do you have a truck and a spare hour, or not?

One honest note first. We went through the official City of Owensboro and Daviess County pages (checked 2026-10-30) and none of them names mattresses as an accepted or refused item. So for every public option below, we say "call ahead to confirm" and give you the official number. We are not going to guess for you.

Why a mattress is harder to get rid of than it looks

Deciding to toss the mattress takes about a minute. Getting it out is the hard part. A queen mattress is awkward, heavy, and does not fold. It does not fit in most sedans. It needs to come down a hallway, maybe a staircase, and onto something with a roof rack or a truck bed. Then it needs to be tied down and tarped for the drive. That is why so many old mattresses sit in a spare room for months. It is not laziness. It is logistics.

Will the city pick up an old mattress? (Owensboro Bulky Collections)

The City of Owensboro Sanitation Department offers a "Bulky Collections and Special Loads" service. Its page lists typical items as excess household waste, old furniture, TVs and rugs, appliances such as washers and refrigerators, and tires. Mattresses are not mentioned.

What the page does say:

• Call in advance and give a good description of your items, so staff can estimate the cost. The city prices by the size of the load.
• Items go at the curb. Crews cannot drive into alleys or onto your property.
• Keep items at least 4 feet from vehicles, poles, fences and mailboxes, and out from under trees and power lines.
• The city notes it has one truck for this service, so you may see delays.

Call: Sanitation Department, 270-687-8760. After 3:30 p.m., City Action at 270-687-4444. The pages list slightly different office hours, so confirm when you call.

Source: City of Owensboro, Bulky Collections and Special Loads, checked 2026-10-30.

Neighborhood cleanup days

The city also runs neighborhood cleanups in spring and early summer. The 2026 page lists junk furniture, appliances, tires and bagged or boxed small trash as accepted. Construction debris, yard waste, dirt, paint and liquids are not. Mattresses are not mentioned, so ask before you set one out. Items go at the curb on the Friday night before your neighborhood's date.

The 2026 schedule has finished, so watch the city site for next year's dates. Contact for questions: 270-687-8561, or the city main line at 270-687-4444.

Source: City of Owensboro, Neighborhood Cleanups 2026, checked 2026-10-30.

Taking it to the Grimes Ave Transfer Station or the landfill yourself

Grimes Ave Transfer Station & Convenience Center 2129 Grimes Avenue, Owensboro, KY 42303 Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to noon Phone: 270-688-8138

The county page says other waste is hauled on to the West Daviess County Landfill and that every trailer must be tarped for the entire route. It does not name mattresses. The county posts its current fees on a separate Transfer Station Rates page, and fees can change, so check it before you go.

West Daviess County Landfill 7772 KY 815, Owensboro, KY 42301 Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to noon Phone: 270-229-4484

The landfill's acceptable-waste page lists residential solid waste, appliances, yard waste and metal. It does not mention mattresses. Call before you drive out.

Sources: Grimes Ave Transfer Station, West Daviess County Landfill, Landfill acceptable waste, all checked 2026-10-30.

Retailer take-back when you buy a new bed

If you are replacing the mattress, ask the store when you order. Some retailers offer to take the old one when they deliver the new one, and some do not. We could not find an official local source on this, so treat it as a question to ask, not a promise. Get the answer in writing on the order, and ask whether it covers the box spring too.

Donation

Mattresses are one of the harder items to donate, because most donation sites will only take clean, undamaged bedding in good condition. We are not naming a local charity here because we have not confirmed any one of them takes mattresses. If yours is nearly new, call a charity first and ask. If it is stained, sagging or worn out, plan on disposal.

What about bed bugs?

If you suspect bed bugs, do not move the mattress around the house or leave it out where someone might pick it up. Wrap it tightly in heavy plastic and tape it shut before it leaves the room. Then tell whoever is removing it so they can plan for it. Treatment of your home is a pest-control question, not a hauling one.

When it is easier to have Clutter Cleaners haul it

If the bed is upstairs, you do not have a truck, the weekend is already packed, or you have a mattress, a box spring and a bed frame all at once, hauling it yourself turns into a whole project. That is the part Clutter Cleaners takes off your plate. Our crews come to your home, carry it out, load it and take it away. You do not have to learn a transfer station's rules, tarp a trailer, or make the second trip for the box spring.

Clutter Cleaners serves Owensboro and the rest of Daviess County. We are a paid hauling service, and pricing comes through Clara or a phone call, not a guess from us here. The mattress is rarely the only thing in the room, either. Old nightstands, a broken dresser and that box of stuff from the closet can usually go on the same trip. Tell us what is in the pile when you book.

Learn more on our mattress removal in Owensboro page.

A quick decision guide

• Have a truck, a helper and time, and the mattress is manageable: call the Grimes Ave Transfer Station, confirm it takes mattresses, check current fees, and tarp the load.
• Can wait and it is curbside-ready: call the city Sanitation Department about a bulky pickup and ask directly about mattresses.
• Buying a new bed: ask the store before you order.
• Nearly new: call a charity first.
• Everything else, or you just want it gone: have a hauler do the lifting.

Facts about city and county services were checked on 2026-10-30. Hours, accepted items and fees can change, so call the number listed before you go.

Frequently asked questions