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 Winchester, 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 collection, a trip to a household waste recycling centre, retailer take-back when you buy a new one, or a private collection. Winchester City Council explains both its bulky waste collections and recycling centre access on its website. Prices and rules change, so recheck the official pages before you book.

Winchester Council collection

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

Cost: From £22.19 (single mattress)
Timing: Booked by phone with Biffa; Mon, Tue and Fri, subject to availability

Single mattresses are £22.19 and double or kingsize £38.01
Leave it inside your property boundary, easy to reach
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: Listed as accepted; check for any charge
Timing: Appointment required

Hampshire County Council runs the Winchester recycling centre
Book a slot on the Hampshire County Council website before you go
A double mattress is awkward in a car - check it fits first

Labour included

Private collection with Winchester Rubbish Removal

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

Winchester City Council's bulky waste items page lists mattresses by size. A single mattress is £22.19 and a double or kingsize mattress is £38.01. A single bed with its mattress falls in the £53.24 band. The fees include VAT and the council says they apply until 31 January 2027. Collections are booked and paid for by phone with the council's contractor, Biffa, on 01962 670 706, and run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, subject to availability.

Biffa cannot enter your property, so leave the mattress inside your boundary where the crew can reach it easily. The council also says a £15 wasted-journey charge may apply if items are not suitably prepared. Council prices and rules change, so recheck the page before booking.

Winchester Council bulky collection costs

Prices include VAT and apply until 31 January 2027; booked by phone with Biffa

Single mattress
Council band A
£22.19
Double or kingsize mattress
Council band B
£38.01
Single bed with mattress
Council band C
£53.24

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

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

Hampshire County Council operates the household waste recycling centres serving the Winchester district, and Winchester City Council's recycling centres page lists mattresses among the items you can take. The council says you must have an appointment to visit, booked through the Hampshire County Council website.

That page does not say whether there is a charge for mattresses, and it does not mention a van permit or proof-of-address rule. Check Hampshire County Council's recycling centre pages before you travel. Measure the mattress first, because a double is awkward in most cars.

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

Some retailers will take your old mattress away when they deliver a new one. Dreams, for example, charges £40 for a single mattress and £60 for a double, king or super king, as set out on its old bed collection page. For standard doorstep delivery you leave the old mattress in your entrance hallway, or they collect from your chosen room with its Room of Your Choice service. It is not available for items delivered by a third-party courier.

Terms vary by retailer and by order, so ask about the cost and conditions before you pay, and check the retailer's current page.

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

We could not confirm that any charity serving Winchester accepts used mattresses, so phone a shop or charity first rather than turning up with one. Winchester City Council's A-Z of waste and recycling suggests donating furniture in good condition to the Winchester Superstore (Emmaus Hampshire), but it does not say whether mattresses are taken.

Reuse is only realistic for a clean mattress in good condition. GOV.UK guidance on the furniture fire safety regulations says second-hand supply of furniture still requires a permanent label, so a mattress without one should not be passed on.

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

Paying for a collection makes sense 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. Winchester Rubbish Removal carries the mattress out from any room and disposes of it through licensed routes.

Old mattress in the way?

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

Call 01962 392391 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
Winchester Council collection
Single mattresses are £22.19 and doubles £38.01, collected from inside your boundary.
You have a van or a big car
Recycling centre
Hampshire County Council runs the Winchester site; book an appointment first.
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 Winchester?Section titled Can%20I%20put%20a%20mattress%20out%20with%20my%20bins%20in%20Winchester%3F

No. A mattress is too large for a wheelie bin, and the council deals with it through its booked bulky waste collection. Check the council's current rules before putting anything out.

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

Winchester City Council's recycling centres page lists mattresses as accepted but does not state a charge. Hampshire County Council sets the rules, so check its recycling centre pages and book your appointment before you go.

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

A mattress is normally broken down so that the springs, foam and fabric can be separated and recycled where possible. Dreams, for instance, says its collection service is part of a zero-to-landfill policy. What happens next depends on who collects it, so ask your collector.

Want it gone without the lifting?

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