How to Get Rid of a Mattress in Hackensack, NJ
✓ Last verified October 22, 2026 against official Hackensack, New Jersey and retailer sources. See sources.
Don't want to haul it yourself? Get a price for pickup help
- Local helpers with a truck can carry your mattress out and drive it to the drop-off or recycling site in this guide.
- Compare hourly rates from movers in the Hackensack area and book online.
- You pick the day, the time and where it goes.
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Quick answer
- Hackensack picks up large household rubbish, like furniture, on rubbish day: every other Wednesday.
- South of Central Ave.: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Central Ave. and north: 2nd and 4th. No pickup on a 5th Wednesday.
- Put it at the curb after 6 p.m. the night before. Limit two large items (buildings with more than 4 units: 10 total).
- The city doesn't name mattresses on its rubbish page. Questions: Sanitation 201-646-3955.
Your options in Hackensack
Curbside rubbish (bulky item) pickup Free
Hackensack collects "rubbish," which the city code defines as larger or heavier non-metal items such as furniture, on a set Wednesday schedule. The code puts streets south of Central Avenue on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and streets from Central Avenue north on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, with no rubbish pickup on a 5th Wednesday or Christmas Day. The city's FAQ describes the same every-other-Wednesday pickup by route, so use the 2026 calendar for your street. Single-family homes and buildings of up to four units can put out two large items; larger buildings are limited to 10 items total. Neither the code nor the city's page mentions mattresses by name or lists a fee, so check with the city if you're unsure.
- When
- South of Central Ave.: 1st & 3rd Wednesdays. Central Ave. & north: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays (check the 2026 calendar)
- Set out
- After 6 p.m. the night before collection
- Limit
- 2 large items (homes and buildings up to 4 units); 10 items total for buildings over 4 units
- Questions
- Sanitation & Recycling Office, 120 East Broadway, 201-646-3955
Sources: City of Hackensack – Public Works, Sanitation & Recycling; City of Hackensack Code, Ch. 93 Garbage, Rubbish and Refuse (§93-3, §93-7); City of Hackensack – 2026 Sanitation, Rubbish & Recycling Calendar (PDF)
Metal bed frames are white goods Fee
The city treats any metal item as a white good, and white goods aren't taken on rubbish day. You buy a sticker at the Sanitation Office, 120 East Broadway (check or money order only), and get a pickup appointment. The city's page says $10 per item, but Ordinance 17-2026, adopted October 6, 2026, raises the fee to $20. Check with the city for the current fee.
- Fee
- $10 per item on the city's page; $20 under Ordinance 17-2026 (check with the city)
- Where
- Sanitation Office, 120 East Broadway, or mail a check to Sanitation Dept., 65 Central Ave.
Sources: City of Hackensack – Public Works, Sanitation & Recycling; City of Hackensack Code, Ch. 93 Garbage, Rubbish and Refuse (§93-3, §93-7); City of Hackensack – Ordinance No. 17-2026, fee update (PDF, adopted Oct. 6, 2026)
Retailer haul-away Varies
If you're buying a new mattress, ask the retailer whether it will take the old one at delivery. Fees vary.
Don't do this
- Don't put a mattress out before 6 p.m. the night before your rubbish day.
- Don't put out more than two large items at once (10 total for buildings with more than four units).
- Don't put a metal bed frame out with rubbish. Metal items need a white-goods sticker and appointment.
- Don't put large items in the blue garbage cart. Garbage left outside the cart isn't collected.
Or pay someone to haul it
If you can't get it to a drop-off site, or can't wait for city pickup, a junk-removal service can take it from inside your home. Prices depend on the company, your location and the size of the load, so get a quote first. Ask whether they recycle or donate items and whether they follow Hackensack's rules, especially for electronics and paint. Another option is to hire moving helpers by the hour: they do the lifting, and with a truck they can drive it to a drop-off site. They move it where you tell them, so pick a legal destination from this guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is bulk pickup in Hackensack?
Rubbish (bulky item) pickup is every other Wednesday. The city code says south of Central Avenue on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and Central Avenue north on the 2nd and 4th. Check the 2026 calendar for your street.
How many items can I put out on rubbish day?
Two large items for homes and buildings of up to four units. Buildings with more than four units are limited to 10 items total.
Is mattress pickup free in Hackensack?
The city doesn't list a fee for rubbish pickup. Metal items are white goods and need a paid sticker. Check with the city at 201-646-3955.
Sources
All checked on October 22, 2026. Rules, hours and fees change, so confirm with the source before you go.