How to get rid of a bed frame in Cincinnati

The short answer

Break the frame down, then use the City of Cincinnati's appointment-only bulk pickup if you live inside city limits and can carry the pieces to the curb. Outside the City, check your own hauler's bulky-item rules. If you would rather not take it apart or haul it, JunkRabbit takes a standard frame for $68, a heavy queen frame for $126 and a heavy king frame for $152.

Know what kind of frame you have

Bed frames range from a few pieces of angle iron to a solid wood sleigh bed that weighs more than the mattress. A standard metal frame folds or unbolts into a few rails and is easy to carry. A platform bed made of particleboard often comes apart with an Allen key, but the panels are heavy and fragile. Solid wood frames, upholstered frames and storage beds with drawers are the heavy ones, and they are priced separately for that reason. A headboard on its own is a different line item. So is a motorized adjustable base, which has motors and wiring and weighs a lot. Bunk beds, especially solid wood or loft models, are bigger again. Knowing which you have tells you how hard the job will be and what it will cost.

Taking it apart

Most frames come apart with a screwdriver, a wrench or an Allen key, and the hardware is usually still on the frame. Take the mattress and box spring off first. Remove the slats or support rails, then the side rails, then separate the headboard and footboard. Tape the bolts to one of the rails if someone else might use the frame. On an old wood bed, the bolts may be painted over or rusted; a little penetrating oil and patience helps. If a storage bed has drawers, pull them out and carry them separately. Broken down, a frame fits through narrow doorways and around the tight stair turns common in Over-the-Rhine rowhouses and early-1900s Price Hill homes.

The City bulk route

Inside city limits, the City of Cincinnati's bulk program collects household items by appointment, booked online or through 311. Each appointment covers up to five items, placed at the curb the night before where the claw truck can reach them. The City does not take anything over 6 feet tall, so a tall headboard or bunk bed end should lie flat. It also does not take lumber, so make sure what you put out is clearly furniture, not a pile of loose boards. If you are also putting out the mattress and box spring, those count too, which means a full bed can take up three or four of your five slots. Separately, up to three small items under 45 pounds and smaller than 4 by 4 by 4 feet can go out weekly next to carts. Whether broken-down rails fit that rule depends on their size and weight.

Northern Kentucky and the suburbs

In Newport and other Rumpke areas, bulky items are arranged by calling Rumpke at least 24 hours before your trash day. If the mattress is going with the frame, Rumpke requires the mattress and box spring wrapped and sealed in plastic. Upholstered frames with bedbug risk may need to be encased in plastic in Newport. Covington, Fort Thomas, Florence and Independence each have their own trash arrangements, and the townships and Butler or Warren suburbs generally use a contract or subscription service. Check your hauler before you set anything out. In HOA communities, also check how long items can sit at the curb.

Flat prices for a pickup

The crew carries it out from any floor, with no stairs fee, and can take it apart if needed. The order minimum is $100, so a standard frame alone at $68 is billed at the minimum.

The whole bed, priced together

Most people are not getting rid of just the frame. Here is what a full bed comes to. A queen mattress and box spring set with a standard metal frame is $143 + $68 = $211. A king mattress on a heavy upholstered king frame, without a box spring, is $114 + $152 = $266. A guest room with a full mattress, a standard frame and a nightstand is $94 + $68 + $57 = $219. A kids' room with a wooden bunk bed and two twin mattresses is $148 + $82 + $82 = $312. A Murphy bed coming out of a converted Mount Adams condo is $130, and its mattress would be priced on top. Every price is shown before you book, and it only changes if you approve.

When to just book it

A metal frame in a ground-floor bedroom is easy enough to deal with yourself. Booking a pickup makes sense when the frame is heavy, when it is on the third floor of a walk-up, when the bolts will not budge, or when it is part of a bigger move-out. It also makes sense when you cannot wait for an appointment date, like a lease ending in the Heights at the end of the semester. Same-day pickup is available when you book by 4 PM, and you choose a two-hour arrival window. Crews work seven days a week, 8am to midnight. A photo of the bed is enough for an instant quote online.

Frequently asked questions