The short answer
Owning an old mattress is not a problem. Putting it in the wrong place at the wrong time is. In the City of Detroit, bulk items go out by 7 a.m. on your weekly collection day, within the 2-cubic-yard weekly limit, in front of your own home and never in front of a vacant lot. Leaving a mattress anywhere else is dumping, and Detroit's fines start at $200. The no-curb option is a flat pickup: queen $103, king $114, set $143.
What Detroit's bulk rules require
Detroit moved to weekly bulk collection on June 3, 2024. The rules that apply to a mattress set at the curb:
- Out by 7 a.m. on your collection day.
- Off the curb by 9 p.m. if it was not taken.
- Up to 2 cubic yards of bulk per week, about the size of two stoves.
- Never in front of a vacant lot. On blocks with empty parcels, that matters. Put it in front of the house it came out of.
Going over the weekly limit (2 cubic yards or 1,000 pounds) was reported by Outlier Media in 2022 as carrying a $1,500 fine. That is the number to keep in mind when a whole bedroom set and a basement's worth of boxes go out on the same morning.
Confirm on the city's bulk-pickup page that mattresses are accepted on your route and what your day is. Collection is split by contracted hauler on either side of Woodward.
Detroit's dumping fines
Detroit grades illegal dumping by volume, per Outlier Media's 2022 reporting:
- Under 5 cubic yards: $200 first offense, $500 repeat.
- 5 to 10 cubic yards: $500 first, $1,000 repeat.
- 10 cubic yards or more: $1,000 first, $2,500 repeat.
Vehicles used for dumping can be impounded. Outlier's 2024 trash guide cites a range of $1,500 to $10,000. A single mattress on a side street falls in the lowest band, but a truckload of mattresses from a rental cleanout does not.
Michigan's statewide dumping law
Outside city limits, and on top of them, Michigan's MCL 324.8905a applies. It sets civil fines up to $800 for under 1 cubic foot and $1,500 for 1 to 3 cubic feet. From 3 cubic feet up to 5 cubic yards, a first offense is a misdemeanor with fines up to $2,500, and 5 cubic yards or more is up to $5,000. Repeats double.
A queen mattress is roughly 60 by 80 inches and around 10 inches thick, which works out to well over 3 cubic feet. So in the state law's terms, a dumped mattress is not a small littering matter.
One more line that catches landlords and small contractors: the law makes an employer liable when the dumping happens at its direction or with its knowledge. Telling a handyman to "get rid of it" and not asking where it went is a risk.
The suburbs set their own rules
If you live outside Detroit, your city's rule is the one that counts. What is known:
- Dearborn takes household bulk weekly next to the cart, but large or heavy items and excessive quantities need a fee-based special pickup.
- Warren takes bulk items next to the rubbish containers on trash day.
- SOCRRA cities such as Royal Oak, Ferndale, Berkley, Troy and Birmingham run their own curbside pickup, each with its own rules.
For Livonia, Sterling Heights, the Grosse Pointes, Southfield and Downriver cities, check your city's public works page for mattresses specifically. Some programs ask for mattresses to be wrapped; if yours does not, wrap it anyway.
Wrapping, rain and bed bugs
A mattress bag is cheap and solves three Detroit problems at once.
Weather. A mattress set out the night before in a spring rain or a summer thunderstorm soaks up water and gets far heavier. In winter it freezes to the snowbank.
Pests. If there is any doubt about bed bugs, bag and seal the mattress in the bedroom before it travels down the stairs or through a shared hallway in a Midtown walk-up or a Palmer Park apartment building.
The crew. Someone has to lift it. Wrapping is basic courtesy.
The flat-price route
| Item | Flat price |
|---|---|
| Mattress — Twin | $82 |
| Mattress — Full / Double | $94 |
| Mattress — Queen | $103 |
| Mattress — King / Cal King | $114 |
| Box Spring (any size) | $92 |
| Mattress + Box Spring Set | $143 |
A queen and box spring priced separately would be $103 + $92 = $195; as a set it is $143. Nothing sits on the curb, nothing counts against your 2 cubic yards, and there is no set-out window to hit. The crew carries it from any floor. Orders under $100 are billed at the $100 minimum. See how to get rid of a mattress in Detroit for the full set of options.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to leave a mattress on the curb in Detroit?
It is allowed on your weekly bulk day if it goes out by 7 a.m., stays within the 2-cubic-yard weekly limit and sits in front of your own home. Outside those rules it can be treated as dumping, with fines starting at $200.
What is the fine for dumping a mattress in Detroit?
Detroit's fines for dumping under 5 cubic yards are $200 for a first offense and $500 for a repeat, per Outlier Media's 2022 reporting. Larger loads carry higher fines and vehicles can be impounded.
Can I put a mattress in front of a vacant lot?
No. Detroit's bulk rules say items must never be placed in front of vacant lots. Set it in front of the home it came from.
Do I have to wrap a mattress in Detroit?
Check your city's bulk page for its current rule. Wrapping is worth doing regardless: it keeps rain and pests out and makes it easier to handle.
How much is mattress pickup in Detroit?
Twin $82, full $94, queen $103, king $114, box spring $92, set $143, carried out from any floor. Orders under $100 are billed at the $100 minimum.