You've got an old mattress and nowhere to put it. It's sitting in the garage, or worse, leaning against the side of the house in the July heat. Every few days you think about dealing with it. You don't.
The problem isn't laziness. It's that nobody tells you clearly what Wichita Falls actually allows, what it costs, and what happens if you get it wrong. You can't just drag a queen mattress to the curb on trash day and hope the regular crew takes it. They won't. It's bulky waste — different truck, different rules, different scheduling.
This guide covers every legitimate option, with verified fees, addresses, and phone numbers from the City of Wichita Falls solid waste program. No invented numbers. No outdated third-party aggregator data. Call-ahead recommended for hours, as city schedules change.
Option 1 — City Payload Bulk Service
This is the city's own curbside pickup service for bulky waste. Mattresses are explicitly listed as accepted items under the city's Payload Bulk Service program — same category as furniture, couches, and large household items.
You call the Sanitation office, schedule a time, put the mattress at the curb, and a city crew comes with the right equipment. It isn't free — there's an initial trip charge plus a per-minute loading fee — but it's legitimate, city-run, and you don't have to touch it again after you put it out.
How to schedule: Call the Sanitation office at (940) 761-7977, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can also submit a request online through the city's Payload Bulk Service request form on the Wichita Falls Sanitation page.
Fees:
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Trip Charge | $33.50 | Applies per scheduled visit |
| Loading Fee | $3.10/minute | Timed from arrival to departure |
⚠️ Fees verified from City of Wichita Falls Sanitation at time of publication. Call ahead to confirm current rates before scheduling.
Placement rules — read these carefully: The mattress must be placed at the curb or at a location approved by the Sanitation superintendent. It needs at least five feet of clearance from any horizontal obstruction, and 13.5 feet of vertical clearance overhead. The crew runs a boom and grapple vehicle — if a power line or tree branch is in the way, they can't safely operate the equipment, and they will leave without picking it up. That overhead clearance requirement trips up more people than you'd expect. Check before you put it out.
One more thing: if you're also getting rid of an appliance on the same pickup — a washer, dryer, stove — keep it completely separate from the mattress. White goods require a different vehicle equipped with a mechanical boom and grapple, and they must have unobstructed lateral and overhead clearance to operate. Stack your mattress on one side of the driveway, appliance on the other. Don't lean one against the other.
Option 2 — Transfer Station (Self-Haul, Free for Residents)
If you have a truck or can borrow one, this is the cheapest option. The City of Wichita Falls Transfer Station accepts household waste from city residents at no charge — including mattresses — as long as you can prove you're a Wichita Falls resident.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 3200 Lawrence Road, Wichita Falls, TX 76301 — Get Directions |
| Phone | (940) 691-7631 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Closed Sunday |
| Cost (Residents) | Free for household waste from your primary residence |
| Cost (Non-residents) | $57.53 per ton |
| What to bring | Valid Texas ID + active City of Wichita Falls water/utility account information |
⚠️ Hours and fees verified from City of Wichita Falls official website at time of publication. Call ahead to confirm before making a trip.
How it works: Pull up to the Transfer Station office, stop on the westbound scales, and show your ID and utility account info. The attendant will direct you to the Transfer Building. Dump your material following the attendant's directions. Pull onto the exit lane scales and weigh out. The whole process takes about fifteen minutes if you're not waiting behind other vehicles.
Important: your load must be secured. City ordinance requires it. An unsecured load of any kind — including a mattress flopping around in an open truck bed — can get you fined. Tie it down or borrow straps before you leave the driveway.
Option 3 — Donate It
Donation is only realistic for mattresses in genuinely good condition. No stains — including small ones. No structural sagging. No odors. No bed bug history. These are not suggestions; most organizations will inspect the item on arrival and turn you away if anything is off. Find out before you load it up.
Salvation Army — Wichita Falls: The local Wichita Falls Corps accepts furniture and household goods at their thrift store. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call first to confirm mattress acceptance — Salvation Army policies vary by location and available storage. Their number for the Wichita Falls Corps is (940) 766-4591. Call ahead — don't just show up with a mattress on a Saturday and hope for the best.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore — Wichita Falls: The local ReStore is open Wednesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Important note: the Wichita ReStore donation policy explicitly excludes detached headboards, footboards, mattresses and box springs from accepted items. Confirm directly with the local store before making a trip — (940) 322-4822 — as policies can change.
- Salvation Army: Call first — (940) 766-4591 — policies vary by month and storage availability
- Habitat ReStore: Currently does NOT accept mattresses per their posted donation guidelines
- Goodwill: Does not accept mattresses at most locations nationwide
- Local shelters or transitional housing programs in Wichita County may accept gently used mattresses — worth a call if other options don't pan out
- Facebook Marketplace / Nextdoor: If the mattress is genuinely clean and in good shape, free listings move fast in Wichita Falls
Option 4 — Private Junk Removal
If you don't have a truck, can't wait for a scheduled city pickup, or the mattress is in a second-story bedroom and you don't want to deal with the stairs — private haulers are the fastest option. They bring a crew, carry it out from wherever it is, load it, and handle disposal.
Typical pricing in the Wichita Falls area runs $85–$130 for a single mattress, depending on size, location inside the home, and the company. A few options serving Wichita County: 1-800-GOT-JUNK Wichita Falls, LoadUp, and Junk Monkees Junk Removal (local — (940) 781-xxxx — call to confirm current availability). National services like LoadUp offer upfront online pricing. Get quotes from two before booking.
The cost difference between private hauling and the city's Payload Bulk Service isn't always as large as people expect. A city pickup that takes 20 minutes of loading time runs $33.50 + $62 in loading fees — $95.50 total. Many private haulers come in at roughly the same number, and some are cheaper. Worth comparing before defaulting to either.
Wichita Falls Rules & Requirements
- Mattresses are classified as bulky waste — they do not go out with regular curbside garbage
- Must be placed at the curb at least 5 feet from any horizontal obstruction
- Must have 13.5 feet of vertical clearance overhead — power lines and tree branches count
- If disposing of appliances at the same time, keep them completely separate — different pickup vehicle, different clearance requirements
- All loads transported to the Transfer Station must be secured — unsecured loads can result in a fine
- Transfer Station free use requires valid Texas ID matching your water account address — no exceptions
- Transfer Station does not accept hazardous materials — but mattresses are fine
- Regular garbage truck will not pick up a mattress — do not put it in or next to your regular trash bin
Common Mistakes That Get You Refused
These are the specific things that cause mattresses to be left behind, turned away, or fined. Not theoretical — these come up repeatedly.
- Putting it out with regular trash. The regular garbage crew won't take it. They're not equipped for it and they're not scheduled for it. It sits there. Your neighbors notice. Call Sanitation first.
- Not checking vertical clearance. A power line at 12 feet is not 13.5 feet. The boom vehicle operator has to call it safe or leave. They leave. You're on the hook for another trip charge when they come back.
- Stacking the mattress against an appliance. If you're getting rid of both, they need to be separated — different vehicles, different clearance, different pickup schedules. Stacked together, neither gets picked up.
- Driving to the Transfer Station without ID or utility bill. They need valid ID and your active city utility account information to verify primary residency. Show up without either and you're turned away or charged $57.53 per ton.
- Transporting an unsecured mattress. A queen mattress in an open truck bed, not tied down, is a fine waiting to happen under Wichita Falls city ordinance. Borrow ratchet straps. Takes five minutes.
- Bringing a stained or damaged mattress to donation. Salvation Army and most local charities inspect on arrival. A mattress with a single visible stain gets turned away. Know the condition before you make the drive.
- Assuming the Transfer Station is open on Sunday. It isn't. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Plan accordingly. Showing up at 4:45 p.m. on a Friday is cutting it close.
Quick Disposal Checklist
Before You Dispose — Check These:
- ☐ Is the mattress clean and undamaged? → Consider donation first
- ☐ Do you have a truck? → Transfer Station (free, bring ID + utility bill)
- ☐ No truck and want city service? → Call Sanitation at (940) 761-7977
- ☐ Need same-day or no-hassle removal? → Private hauler
- ☐ Curbside placement: 5 ft horizontal clearance, 13.5 ft vertical clearance confirmed?
- ☐ Mattress separated from any appliances?
- ☐ Load secured if transporting yourself?
- ☐ Valid ID + utility bill ready if going to Transfer Station?
Tex's Take
The Transfer Station is the move for most people. Full stop. If you have access to a truck — yours, a neighbor's, a borrowed one — load it up, bring your ID and your water bill, and you're done for free. The whole thing takes forty minutes including drive time. The Transfer Station on Lawrence Road isn't hard to find, the staff is straightforward about where to dump, and I've never waited more than two vehicles deep on a weekday morning.
The Payload Bulk Service is genuinely useful when you don't have a truck and can't wrangle one. But go in knowing the math. That $33.50 trip charge is just the starting point. A mattress and box spring set that takes twenty minutes to load — measuring from when the crew arrives, not when they start actually loading — runs you over $95. That's competitive with private haulers, sometimes more expensive. If you're going to spend $90-plus anyway, get quotes from a private company first. Some of them show up faster and the pricing difference isn't always what you'd expect.
Donation sounds good but lands poorly in practice for most situations. The Habitat ReStore here in Wichita Falls doesn't take mattresses. The Salvation Army might, but call first — their availability changes by the month depending on storage. If your mattress is genuinely clean and relatively new, try posting it free on Nextdoor before anything else. People come pick up free mattresses fast in this city. I've seen a queen box spring get claimed in under two hours on a Sunday afternoon.
- Mattresses are accepted at the Wichita Falls Transfer Station (3200 Lawrence Road) free for residents — bring valid ID and your city utility bill
- City Payload Bulk Service costs $33.50 trip charge + $3.10/minute — call (940) 761-7977 to schedule
- Curbside placement requires 5 ft horizontal clearance and 13.5 ft vertical clearance — check for power lines before putting it out
- Appliances and mattresses must be separated — different pickup vehicles with different clearance requirements
- Transfer Station hours: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Sunday
- Habitat ReStore in Wichita Falls does not currently accept mattresses — call Salvation Army at (940) 766-4591 first for donation
- All loads transported to the Transfer Station must be secured — city ordinance, enforceable fine
FAQ
Can I put a mattress out with my regular trash in Wichita Falls?
No. Mattresses are classified as bulky waste and require a separate scheduled pickup through the city's Payload Bulk Service, or you can self-haul to the Transfer Station. The regular garbage crew will not load a mattress — they're not equipped for it and it's not part of their scheduled service. If you put it out with regular trash, it will sit there.
How much does it cost to dispose of a mattress in Wichita Falls?
It depends on which option you use. The Transfer Station is free for Wichita Falls residents with valid ID and utility account proof — just bring your own truck. The city's Payload Bulk Service costs $33.50 for the initial trip plus $3.10 per minute of loading time. Private haulers in the Wichita Falls area typically charge $85–$130 for a single mattress removal.
Does Wichita Falls have free bulk mattress pickup?
The city's Payload Bulk Service is not free — it charges a trip fee plus per-minute loading cost. However, the Transfer Station at 3200 Lawrence Road is free for city residents disposing of household waste from their primary residence. That's the closest thing to free disposal available for Wichita Falls residents, and it handles mattresses without issue.
What do I need to bring to the Wichita Falls Transfer Station?
A valid Texas ID with your address, and your active City of Wichita Falls utility (water/solid waste) account information. Your ID address must match your water account address. If you're disposing of waste from a rental property or a secondary address, the resident rate doesn't apply — you'll be charged $57.53 per ton. Also, your load must be secured before leaving your property.
Can I donate a used mattress in Wichita Falls?
Possibly, but options are limited. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Wichita Falls does not currently accept mattresses per their donation guidelines. The Salvation Army Wichita Falls Corps may accept mattresses in clean, undamaged condition — call (940) 766-4591 to check current availability before making a trip. If the mattress is clean and relatively new, posting it free on Nextdoor is often the fastest route.
⚠️ Hours, fees, and policies listed in this guide were verified against official City of Wichita Falls solid waste sources at time of publication. Always call ahead or check wichitafallstx.gov/23/Sanitation before making a trip, as schedules and fees change.
About Tex
Tex is the pen name of Vinod Pandey, an environmental researcher and digital content creator who runs TexasRecycleGuide.com. Every guide is independently researched against official Texas city and county solid waste sources. No guesswork, no invented addresses — just verified local information for Lone Star State residents.
Got a correction or update? Contact us
The fastest next step: if you have a truck, load the mattress, grab your ID and water bill, and head to the Transfer Station on Lawrence Road — Monday through Saturday. If you don't have a truck, call Sanitation at (940) 761-7977 and schedule a Payload Bulk Service pickup before the week is out. Either way, this gets handled today, not next month. For other Wichita County disposal guides, see how residents in nearby Midland have handled refrigerator disposal and tire disposal in West Texas.
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