Getting rid of a mattress in Omaha
A mattress can't go in an Omaha curbside cart. City residents have three ways out: a free Cleanup Saturday, the city's subsidized bulky program at River City Recycling and Transfer Station, or Pheasant Point Landfill. If the bed is sound and you'd rather keep it, cleaning is the other option.
- Curbside carts
- Mattresses are a bulky item and are not accepted in curbside carts or drop-off containers. (Omaha Recycling Guide)
- Fall Cleanup 2026
- Saturdays October 3 (Southwest), October 10 (Southeast), October 17 (Northeast) and October 24 (Northwest), 9 AM to 2 PM. Free for City of Omaha households. Hotline 402-444-4636. (Wasteline, City of Omaha)
- River City Recycling and Transfer Station
- 6404 S 60th St, just north of Harrison. City program: a $15 administrative fee at the first visit of the year buys 4 dump vouchers; a regular car load is typically one voucher. Phone 402-889-8721. (Wasteline bulky item program)
- Pheasant Point Landfill
- Highway 36 and 216th Street. Flat rates or special handling fees may apply. (866) 909-4458. (Omaha Recycling Guide)
Local facts, checked October 3, 2026
Pick your route
| Route | Who can use it | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup Saturday | City of Omaha households, residential items only | Free | Four October Saturdays in 2026; spring dates in April and May |
| River City city program | Residents inside Omaha city limits | $15 a year for 4 vouchers, plus extra fees for large or heavy loads | Year round |
| Pheasant Point Landfill | Anyone | Flat rates or special handling fees may apply; call first | Call for hours |
Cleanup Saturday checklist
- Find your Saturday. Each date covers one part of the city: Southwest on October 3, Southeast on October 10, Northeast on October 17 and Northwest on October 24. The Wasteline page links a map and a site list.
- Go between 9 AM and 2 PM. That is the window the city publishes for every site.
- Bring help. Residents unload their own vehicles, and the city says no assistance is provided.
- Keep it residential. Commercial waste is prohibited.
- Missed October? The spring event runs on Saturdays in April and May. In 2026 the pattern started with Central on April 18 and ended with Southwest on May 16.
River City checklist
- Confirm your address first. The program is for residents inside Omaha city limits; the Wasteline page has an address lookup.
- Bring two proofs of residency from different categories, such as a current state ID and a recent OPPD or MUD bill. Names and street addresses must match.
- Ask for the “city program” before you dump. The city says refunds are not given after you have already unloaded.
- Tarp the load. State and local law require a covered load.
- Wear a vest and hard hat if you step out to unload, or buy them there ($12 hard hat, $6 vest, as listed by the city).
- Pay without cash. River City is a cashless business.
- Check hours by season, or call 402-889-8721 (the number on the City’s Wasteline page). Easter to Thanksgiving: Monday to Friday 6 AM to 4 PM, Saturday 6 AM to 1 PM. Thanksgiving to Easter: Saturday hours shorten to 7 AM to 11:30 AM.
When keeping it makes more sense
If the mattress is structurally sound and the problem is stains, odor or a used-bed history, cleaning is the other route. Sleep Sanitation’s clean, replace or hire guide walks through that decision; it isn’t specific to Omaha, so we don’t repeat it here. A sagging or broken bed is a disposal job, and in October the free Saturday is the cheapest exit.
If you suspect bed bugs, read who does what about bed bugs in Douglas County before you carry the mattress anywhere.
What we don’t know
- Pheasant Point’s mattress fee. The city guide says fees may apply but doesn’t list one.
- 2027 Cleanup dates. The city posts them at cleanup.wasteline.org once they are set.
Questions Omaha readers ask
Can I set a mattress out with my regular trash in Omaha?
No. The Omaha Recycling Guide lists mattresses as a bulky item that requires special disposal and says not to put them in curbside carts.
Do I have to belong to a neighborhood association to use Cleanup Saturday?
No. The city says the event is open to all City of Omaha households, members or not. Only residential items are accepted and you unload your own vehicle.
I live in Council Bluffs. Does any of this apply?
No. Council Bluffs runs its own scheduled bulky pickup and recycling center. See our Council Bluffs and Omaha comparison.
Sources
- Omaha Recycling Guide: Mattresses, checked October 3, 2026
- Wasteline (City of Omaha Environmental Services): Fall Cleanup 2026, checked October 3, 2026
- Wasteline: Spring Cleanup 2026, checked October 3, 2026
- Wasteline: Bulky Item Disposal program, checked October 3, 2026
Changelog
- October 3, 2026: First published, with 2026 Fall Cleanup dates and the River City program terms.
Published October 3, 2026. Written by Omaha Mattress Cleaning, operated by Sleep Sanitation.
Call or text (402) 512-5658, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.