Question 1

How much does box spring removal cost?

Accepted Answer

$79 on its own, or $29 when added to a mattress pickup — the mattress carries the trip cost, so the set totals $128. Truck-crew services carry single-item minimums reported around $130–$200, even for one box spring.

Question 2

Can I get same-day box spring pickup?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Book by 2 PM and it's typically gone within about 3 hours of being out. After 2 PM, it's picked up by 8 AM the next morning. Weekends available.

Question 3

Do I need to be home?

Accepted Answer

No. Set it at the curb, driveway, or alley and go. A photo confirmation texts to you the moment it's picked up.

Question 4

Will you take a broken or stained box spring?

Accepted Answer

Yes — snapped slats, torn fabric, water stains, all fine. Condition doesn't matter for pickup, which matters here because charities decline used box springs almost universally.

Question 5

Should I ditch the box spring with the mattress or separately?

Accepted Answer

Together, always. Added to a mattress pickup the box spring is $29 instead of $79, one booking instead of two, one trip to the curb instead of two.

Question 6

Why won't anyone take a used box spring?

Accepted Answer

There's no resale market — Goodwill and Habitat ReStores exclude box springs and bedding by policy, most Salvation Army locations decline them, marketplace buyers skip them, and platform beds have shrunk demand. Paid pickup or city bulk trash are realistically the only exits.

Question 7

What happens to it after pickup?

Accepted Answer

Box springs recycle surprisingly well — the wood frame and steel coils separate cleanly, and the Mattress Recycling Council counts box springs alongside mattresses in the 12 million-plus units its programs have recycled since 2015. Otherwise it's disposed of responsibly.

Question 8

Can I recycle a box spring for free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in California, Connecticut, Oregon, and Rhode Island: the Bye Bye Mattress program's free drop-off sites take box springs, funded by the recycling fee ($16–$22.50 by state) charged at purchase. In California, retailers must also offer free take-back of your old box spring when delivering a new mattress or foundation.

Question 9

Do I have to wrap a box spring in plastic for bulk trash?

Accepted Answer

In some cities, yes. New York City requires box springs sealed in a plastic bag exactly like mattresses, with fines up to $300 for unbagged set-outs. Dropcurb doesn't require wrapping unless bed bugs are involved.

Option	Timeline	Cost	The catch
Dropcurb curbside pickup	Same-day (book by 2 PM)	$79, or +$29 with a mattress	Lean it at the curb, driveway, or alley and you're done. Bundling it with the mattress is the cheapest way anyone will haul it.
City bulk trash pickup	Days to 8 weeks (city-dependent)	Free	NYC requires box springs sealed in plastic just like mattresses — fines up to $300 — and cities like Houston collect bulky items only every other month.
Charity donation pickup	1–2 weeks	Free	Goodwill and Habitat ReStores exclude box springs and all bedding by policy; most Salvation Army locations decline them as well, matching set or not.
Retailer haul-away	With new mattress delivery only	Free–$100	Free in California by law when your new set is delivered; elsewhere fees vary by retailer, and removal is one-for-one — a box spring comes out only if your new order includes one.
Sell or give away online	Days to weeks	Free	Almost nobody buys a used box spring — even free listings sit for weeks.

How to get rid of a box spring (fast, cheap, or free)

Every way to get rid of a box spring, compared

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It's been sitting there
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