Getting rid of an old mattress in Montreal is harder than most people expect. You can’t just leave it on the curb with your other bulky items: in most boroughs, the city’s bulky item collection refuses mattresses and box springs. Here are the options that actually work, what each one involves, and how Laval does things differently.
Why the bulky item pickup won’t take it
According to the City of Montreal, mattresses and box springs are refused at the curbside collection of bulky items and construction residue, because they are treated like other upholstered furniture. The exception is the Saint-Laurent borough, where upholstered items are accepted at the curb as long as they are placed in a separate pile from other bulky items.
Some boroughs ask residents to put mattresses and other upholstered items out with the regular household garbage instead, and the City lists garbage day as a last resort. Rules differ from one borough to another, so check your borough’s page on montreal.ca or call 311 before putting anything out.
Option 1: Ask the store to take it back
If you’re buying a new mattress, ask the retailer whether they take the old one away on delivery. The City notes that some companies offer this when you buy a new mattress. It’s often the simplest route, but it’s not always included, so ask before you order.
Option 2: Bring it to an écocentre
Montreal’s écocentres accept mattresses and box springs from residents of the Montreal agglomeration. A few things to know before you load the car:
- Bring photo ID and a proof of address (for example a recent utility bill or a municipal or school tax account).
- Upholstered items like mattresses count toward a yearly free volume shared with renovation debris: 12 m³ per year for residents, then a fee per extra cubic metre.
- Only the Saint-Laurent écocentre recycles mattresses and box springs; at the others, they are accepted but not recycled.
- You need a vehicle big enough for a mattress, and you unload it yourself.
If you live in Laval
Laval has two drop-off sites on boulevard Dagenais Ouest: the Vimont écocentre (1205) and the dry materials site in Fabreville (4026). Mattresses and box springs are accepted, and the sites are reserved for Laval residents with a driver’s licence showing a Laval address, or photo ID plus a recent proof of residence. The first 12 m³ are free, with a maximum of 3 m³ per visit, and the City notes that staff don’t help with unloading.
If the mattress has bed bugs
Don’t carry an infested mattress through the building or leave it where someone might take it home. Seal it completely in plastic, mark it clearly as infested, and move it out in one trip. Our crews handle this kind of job with the mattress already wrapped.
Option 3: Have it picked up
If you don’t have a vehicle, the mattress is on an upper floor, or you’re clearing more than one item, a junk removal service is usually the fastest option. Ramassage ASAP takes mattresses and box springs from any room or floor, with same-day or next-day pickup in most of Montreal, Laval and the West Island. Mattresses are sent for recycling whenever possible.
Text a photo to 514-907-3363 or request a quote online for a free written estimate.
Quick summary
- Montreal bulky item pickup: refused in most boroughs (Saint-Laurent is the exception). Some boroughs take it on garbage day instead.
- Store take-back: ask when you buy a new mattress.
- Montreal écocentres: accepted for residents, recycled only at Saint-Laurent.
- Laval écocentres: accepted for Laval residents, unload it yourself.
- Pickup: we carry it out from any floor, same day or next day in most areas.
Useful links
- Our mattress and box spring removal service
- Bed bug furniture and mattress removal
- Request a free quote
- City of Montreal: écocentres (rules, locations, accepted items)
- City of Montreal: what goes to the bulky item collection
- City of Laval: écocentre
Rules and volumes can change, so confirm with your city before your trip. Information checked in October 2026.