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 Bromley, a private collection is easier.

Your options at a glanceSection titled Your%20options%20at%20a%20glance

A mattress is too large for a wheelie bin, so the real choices are a booked council bulky waste collection, a trip to the Churchfields Road Reuse and Recycling Centre, a retailer taking the old one away when you buy new, or a private collection. Bromley Council's own mattress guidance points to the first two, and asks you to consider reuse first if the mattress is in good condition. Council prices and rules change, so recheck the official pages before you book.

Bromley Council collection

Best for: One mattress that you can get outside before collection day.

Cost: From £43 (minimum charge)
Timing: Booked collection slot

Listed as a bulky waste booking option on the council's mattress page
Collected from outside your property only, not on the public highway
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: Free for Bromley residents
Timing: Booking required

Churchfields Road Reuse and Recycling Centre, Beckenham
Bring ID showing your address; some vans are restricted
A double mattress is awkward in a car - check it fits first

Labour included

Private collection with Bromley House Clearances

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 Bromley Council bulky waste collectionSection titled Book%20a%20Bromley%20Council%20bulky%20waste%20collection

Bromley Council's mattress page lists booking a bulky waste collection as the first option. On the bulky items page the council says there is a minimum charge of £43, with the final cost depending on the number and type of items. The full price list is shown when you book, so check the exact figure for a mattress there.

Collections can be booked online or by telephone on 0300 303 8658. Have the items available from 7.00am on the day. They are collected from outside your property only, and should not be placed on the public highway. The council also says it cannot accommodate a cancellation, or a change of items, with less than 24 hours' notice. The page does not state an item limit per booking, so confirm that when you book.

Bromley Council bulky collection costs

Items are collected from outside your property. The price depends on the number and type of items.

Minimum charge
Full price list shown when you book
£43

Council prices and rules change. Recheck the official Bromley Council page before booking.

Take it to the tip yourselfSection titled Take%20it%20to%20the%20tip%20yourself

The Churchfields Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in Beckenham, run by the London Borough of Bromley, lists mattresses among the items it accepts. The site is free to use for Bromley residents only; non-residents pay £3 per visit.

Booking: you need a booking to visit, limited to one per household per day and two per week.
Proof of address: you will be asked to show identification that includes your address.
Vehicles: restrictions apply to certain vans and large vehicles, and commercial or sign-written vehicles are not permitted, so check the council's vehicle rules first.
Hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 5:30pm, Saturday 7:30am to 4pm, Sunday 8am to 1pm.

The council's recycling sites page says the main Waldo Road centre is temporarily closed and that a booking is needed for either site, so check it for the latest arrangements.

Retailer take-back when you buy a new mattressSection titled Retailer%20take-back%20when%20you%20buy%20a%20new%20mattress

Some bed retailers will remove the old mattress when your new one is delivered, for a fee. Dreams, for example, charges £40 for a single and £60 for a double, king or super king. For door delivery you leave the mattress in your entrance hallway, and recycling is not available for products delivered by a third-party courier.

Terms vary by retailer and by order, so ask about old-mattress removal before you pay, and confirm the current price on the retailer's own page.

Can you donate or sell an old mattress?Section titled Can%20you%20donate%20or%20sell%20an%20old%20mattress%3F

Bromley Council's donating goods page lists the British Heart Foundation furniture store at 200-202 Bromley High Street and DEBRA in Locksbottom. It says furniture should be in good condition and that most upholstered items need a fire label, but it does not mention mattresses, so phone the shop before you take one.

Used furniture has to meet the same fire safety standards as new. The council's guidance on used furniture says to look for a label stating compliance with British Standard BS 7177:2008+A1:2011 on a mattress, and that furniture which cannot be verified as safe should go to a recycling centre. The council's mattress page also suggests Freecycle or Freegle for a mattress in good condition.

When a private collection makes senseSection titled When%20a%20private%20collection%20makes%20sense

A private collection is worth considering when the mattress is upstairs or in a flat, there are several beds or a whole bedroom to clear, nobody can lift it, or the council's next slot is too far away. Bromley House Clearances carries it out from the room and disposes of it through licensed routes.

Old mattress in the way?

We collect mattresses, bed frames and bedroom furniture across Bromley, carried out from any room, usually the same week.

Call 020 3326 8778 Get a Free Quote Online

Which route fits your situationSection titled Which%20route%20fits%20your%20situation

Match your situation

One mattress, already downstairs, no rush
Bromley Council collection
Booked online or by phone, from £43 minimum, collected from outside your property.
You have a van or a big car
Recycling centre
Churchfields Road is free for Bromley residents, but you need a booking and ID showing your address.
You are buying a new mattress anyway
Retailer take-back
Ask 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 collection
One visit covers carrying, loading and disposal.

Common questionsSection titled Common%20questions

Can I put a mattress out with my bins in Bromley?Section titled Can%20I%20put%20a%20mattress%20out%20with%20my%20bins%20in%20Bromley%3F

No. A mattress is a bulky item, and the council asks you to either book a bulky waste collection or take it to a recycling centre. Items for collection are taken from outside your property only, so do not leave one out with your bins.

Does the tip charge for mattresses?Section titled Does%20the%20tip%20charge%20for%20mattresses%3F

Not for Bromley residents. The Churchfields Road page says the site is free to use for Bromley residents only, and lists mattresses as accepted. It does not give a separate mattress charge. You still need a booking and proof of address.

What happens to a mattress after it is collected?Section titled What%20happens%20to%20a%20mattress%20after%20it%20is%20collected%3F

That depends on who collects it. Retailer schemes such as Dreams describe a zero-to-landfill policy, and the council's mattress page directs residents to recycling routes. If you use a private service, ask where the mattress is taken and ask to see their waste carrier licence.

Want it gone without the lifting?

Tell us what needs to go and we will give you a free, no-obligation quote for Bromley and nearby areas.