Washington, DC: How to get rid of a mattress or other bulk item

Rules below are from the D.C. Department of Public Works bulk trash page, read on 29 Aug 2026. They can change. Check the city page before you set anything on the curb.

Source: DPW Bulk Trash Collection

Stock photo of a discarded mattress in an outdoor trash pile. Not a D.C. DPW photo. — Stock photo of a discarded mattress in a trash pile. Not D.C. DPW. Not Fort Totten. Not a D.C. curb.

If you live in a building with four or more units (including many apartments, condos, and co-ops), the city will not collect your mattress. You need a private licensed hauler, or you take it to Fort Totten yourself if you qualify.

When 311 will not come

Your building has four or more living units, or it is a condo, co-op, or other commercial property. Those addresses must use a private licensed hauler.
Your household does not already get DPW trash collection.
You put items out without an appointment, or you leave them in public space outside the set-out window.
You set out more than seven items.
The item is on the refuse list (construction debris, electronics, TVs, bagged trash, hazardous or liquid waste, and the rest below).

City bulk is for residential households that already get DPW trash collection: single-family homes and buildings with three or fewer living units. The cap is seven items per appointment.

How to book city pickup

Call 311 or use 311.dc.gov and get the appointment before you put anything out.

Set items where your trash and recycling are collected, between 6:30 p.m. the night before the appointment and 6:00 a.m. the day of the appointment. Items in public space at any other time can get a sanitation ticket.

Mattress wrap rule

Mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic. Rugs must be rolled and tied. Refrigerators need the doors removed. Air conditioners must be drained. Toilets (including tanks and bowls) must be wrapped in plastic sheeting or a heavy-duty bag and sealed. Unwrapped toilets may be left.

Take it yourself: Fort Totten Transfer Station

Fort Totten Transfer Station
4900 John McCormack Rd NE
Washington, DC 20011

Resident drop-off hours on the DPW page: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The page does not list Sunday or Monday hours for residents.

Bring a D.C. driver’s license. If your license is from another state, bring a photo ID plus a utility bill from the last 30 days, or a lease or deed. The name on the ID and the bill or lease must match. The waste has to come from inside the District. Staff can ask for proof.

The vehicles they list as allowed are passenger cars, passenger vans, SUVs, pickups, vans under 15 feet, and rentals in those classes. They deny commercial tags, sideboards, ladders, stake-bodies, cargo vans, rental trucks longer than 15 feet, and tag-a-long trailers. Commercial haulers call (202) 715-7570 to open an account.

What they take

Mattresses and box springs are accepted if they are wrapped in plastic. Bed frames are accepted.
Household furniture is accepted.
Major appliances are accepted, including refrigerators with the doors off.
Air conditioners are accepted if water and fluids are drained.
Hot water heaters are accepted.
Large toys are accepted, including kiddie pools, playhouses, and disassembled swing sets.
Rugs are accepted if they are rolled and tied.

What they refuse

Bagged waste is refused. Do not use plastic trash bags.
Household garbage is refused. Use the regular trash can.
Books are refused at bulk pickup. Put them in the recycling cart.
Electronics and televisions are refused.
Hazardous or liquid waste is refused.
Bricks, ceiling tile, drywall, dirt, and construction and demolition materials are refused.
Yard waste and tree stumps are refused. Small limbs go with regular trash, tied.
Old or broken city trash or recycling bins are refused.
Tires are refused at the curb. Up to four tires can go to Fort Totten on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only.
Wooden pallets are refused on a residential bulk appointment. The same page says pallets are accepted at Fort Totten.

The city also points to DC Roll Off Days for drop-off events. Confirm the next date on that page. This page does not list event dates.

No affiliate links. No traffic or volume claims. Rules read 29 Aug 2026 from dpw.dc.gov/service/bulk-trash-collection-0.

Photo: Robert So. Pexels License (free to use; attribution not required). Source: pexels.com/photo/pile-of-trash-with-discarded-mattress-outdoors-29348622. License: pexels.com/license.