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 Swindon, a private collection is easier.
Your options at a glanceSection titled Your%20options%20at%20a%20glance
A mattress cannot go in a wheelie bin, so in Swindon the real choices are a council bulky collection, a booked trip to the household waste recycling centre, retailer take-back when you buy a new mattress, or a private collection. Prices and rules change, so check the official Swindon Borough Council pages linked below before you book.
Swindon Council collection
Best for: One mattress that you can get outside before collection day.
- Cost
- £44.00 per mattress
- Timing
- Booked collection slot
- Mattresses are accepted: one mattress per collection request
- Left at the nearest point to the highway, not inside a garage or shed
- 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
- No charge listed for mattresses
- Timing
- Booking required
- Waterside Park, Darby Close, Cheney Manor, SN2 2PN
- Pre-booked slots only, every 20 minutes from 8.00am
- A double mattress is awkward in a car - check it fits first
Private collection with Swindon Waste Collection
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 Swindon Council bulky waste collectionSection titled Book%20a%20Swindon%20Council%20bulky%20waste%20collection
Swindon Borough Council's bulky waste service does take mattresses. A mattress is charged at £44.00 per collection request, and each request covers one mattress (or one upholstered seating item) plus up to three other qualifying items for the same fee. A single booking can include up to three requests, at most £132.00, and no more than five items in total.
Items must be left at the nearest point to the highway where crews can see and reach them. Crews will not collect from inside the property, including garages or sheds, and will only take the items you booked. The fee is non-refundable once booked, although you can amend the date or items. Residents on at least 80% Council Tax Support pay £34.50 with proof. Council prices and rules change, so recheck the official page before booking.
Swindon Council bulky collection costs
A booked collection of the items listed on your booking, with payment taken at the time of booking
One mattress
One mattress per collection request
£44.00
Other qualifying items
Up to three per request; five items maximum per booking
Included in the £44.00 request
Council prices and rules change. Recheck the official Swindon Council page before booking.
Take it to the tip yourselfSection titled Take%20it%20to%20the%20tip%20yourself
Swindon residents can take a mattress to the Swindon Household Waste Recycling Centre at Waterside Park, Darby Close, Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Swindon SN2 2PN. The council's recycling centre booking page lists mattresses as accepted and mentions no charge for them. It describes the centre as a Swindon Borough Council service and does not name a separate operator.
- You must pre-book; bookings are checked before vehicles are allowed on site.
- Slots run every 20 minutes, from 8.00am to 8.20am up to 4.00pm to 4.20pm.
- Vans under 3.5 tonnes and cars with trailers use a separate area, where waste is inspected to check it is household rather than commercial.
- For questions, call StreetSmart on 01793 445500 (9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday).
Check the page before you go, as the rules can change.
Retailer take-back when you buy a new mattressSection titled Retailer%20take-back%20when%20you%20buy%20a%20new%20mattress
Some retailers will collect your old bed when your new one is delivered. Feather & Black, for example, offers an old bed recycling service added at checkout: £40 for a single mattress and £60 for a double, king or super king. They send recycling bags before delivery, you seal the dry mattress in the bag, and the delivery team takes it away on the same visit. Unsealed or unprepared items cannot be collected.
Terms vary by retailer and order, so ask about old-mattress collection and its cost before you buy, and confirm the price at checkout.
Can you donate or sell an old mattress?Section titled Can%20you%20donate%20or%20sell%20an%20old%20mattress%3F
Reuse is limited for mattresses. The British Heart Foundation, which has a shop in Swindon, says on its items we cannot accept page that it does not take upholstered items without fire safety labels or items in poor condition, and it lists mattresses among children's items it only takes in selected stores. We could not confirm that any Swindon charity takes used adult mattresses, so call the charity first.
Only a clean mattress in good condition with its fire safety label has any chance of being passed on. Otherwise use one of the disposal routes above.
When a private collection makes senseSection titled When%20a%20private%20collection%20makes%20sense
A private collection is worth it when the mattress is upstairs or in a flat, you have several beds or a whole bedroom to clear, nobody can lift it, or you need it gone sooner than a booked council slot. Swindon Waste Collection 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 Swindon, carried out from any room, usually the same week.
Which route fits your situationSection titled Which%20route%20fits%20your%20situation
Match your situation
One mattress, already downstairs, no rush
Swindon Council collection£44.00 for a mattress, but you must leave it at the nearest point to the highway yourself.
You have a van or a big car
Recycling centreThe Cheney Manor centre takes mattresses, but you must pre-book a slot.
You are buying a new mattress anyway
Retailer take-backAsk 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 collectionOne visit covers carrying, loading and disposal.
Common questionsSection titled Common%20questions
Can I put a mattress out with my bins in Swindon?Section titled Can%20I%20put%20a%20mattress%20out%20with%20my%20bins%20in%20Swindon%3F
No. The council's bulky waste page says crews only collect booked items and will not take additional items left out, so book a bulky collection or use the recycling centre instead.
Does the tip charge for mattresses?Section titled Does%20the%20tip%20charge%20for%20mattresses%3F
The council's recycling centre page lists mattresses as accepted and mentions no charge for them. It does list charges for some other items, such as plasterboard and tyres. You still need to pre-book a slot.
What happens to a mattress after it is collected?Section titled What%20happens%20to%20a%20mattress%20after%20it%20is%20collected%3F
Practice varies by collector. Feather & Black, for example, says on its recycling service page that collected beds are broken down and recycled at a processing facility. Ask whoever collects yours how it is handled.
Related servicesSection titled Related%20services
Want it gone without the lifting?
Tell us what needs to go and we will give you a free, no-obligation quote for Swindon and nearby areas.
