How to Get Rid of a Mattress With Bed Bugs (Without Spreading Them)

Finding bed bugs is stressful enough without worrying that getting rid of the mattress will spread them through the rest of your home, your building, or your neighbor's living room. Disposing of an infested mattress takes a little more care than a normal one, but it's straightforward if you do it in the right order.

First: decide whether it actually has to go

Not every bed bug problem means throwing out the mattress. Professional treatment combined with a sealed, bed-bug-proof encasement can save a mattress that's otherwise in good shape, and throwing it away doesn't solve an infestation that's already in the frame, carpet, and furniture. If you rent, notify your landlord in writing; California law sets out specific landlord responsibilities around bed bug inspections and treatment. Talk to a licensed pest control operator before deciding. If the mattress is torn, old, or heavily infested, replacing it is often the right call.

Step 1: Seal it before it moves

The biggest risk is the trip from the bedroom to the door. Bed bugs and eggs fall off as a mattress is dragged through hallways and stairwells. Before it leaves the room:

• Wrap the mattress and box spring completely in heavy plastic sheeting or a mattress-disposal bag, and tape every seam closed.
• Vacuum the mattress surface first if you can, then seal the vacuum contents in a bag and dispose of them outside right away.
• Bag bedding separately and wash and dry it on high heat.

Step 2: Label it clearly

Write “BED BUGS” in large letters on the plastic, on both sides. It feels awkward, but it's the single most useful thing you can do for the next person. Curbside mattresses get picked up by people looking for free furniture, and an unlabeled infested mattress can carry the problem into someone else's home. Some people also slash the fabric so it can't be reused, but only do that after it's sealed. Cutting an unsealed mattress releases bugs.

Step 3: Choose a disposal route that accepts it

• Donation is off the table. No legitimate donation center will accept an infested mattress.
• Retailer take-back may not apply.California's take-back rule lets retailers refuse a used mattress that's contaminated and poses a health or safety risk.
• City bulky item pickupworks if you're served by LA Sanitation: schedule through MyLA311 or 311, and don't set it out until the night of your scheduled pickup so it isn't sitting out for days.
• A junk removal pickup keeps it out of the hallway and off the curb entirely. Tell the hauler about the bed bugs when you book; any reputable company will want to know so the mattress is wrapped and loaded separately.

Step 4: Don't leave it out

Leaving a mattress on the sidewalk without a scheduled pickup isn't just a pest problem. Under California Penal Code 374.3, dumping waste on any part of a road's right-of-way is unlawful, with mandatory fines starting at $250, and each day it stays out is a separate violation. We break down the details in our post on curbside furniture and the law.

After it's gone

Put your new mattress in a bed-bug-proof encasement from day one, and wait until treatment is finished before bringing it into the room. If the bed frame, nightstands, or an old couch are infested too, it's usually more effective to remove them all at once than piece by piece.

If you'd rather not wrestle a sealed mattress down the stairs yourself, our mattress removal service can take it, and the frame and anything else going out, in a single trip. Just mention the bed bugs when you request your quote.