Disposing Of An Inflatable Mattress
Youve had your blow-up mattress for years, and now youre wondering what to do with it. Before that final act, it is essential to learn how to properly dispose of an air mattress before taking your blow-up mattress to a landfill.
The best way to get rid of an air mattress is to recycle it at a home recycling center. If this isnt an option, then you should place it in a trash bag and throw it away with your normal trash, not in your recycling bin.
You might want to get rid of your old mattress so it does not become a fire hazard and a breeding ground for bugs. But taking it to the neighborhood dump or recycling center could prove difficult. So what are your options?
An air bed is a great invention that provides extra sleeping space during holidays or when extra guests arrive unexpectedly. Air beds are cheap and easy to buy but tricky to dispose of. So, if you are going to buy a blow-up mattress, make sure you know how to dispose of it when the time comes.
The Fee & Where To Recycle
- The fee collected per unit in California applies to mattresses and box springs sold as of December 30, 2015. The recycling fee, as approved by the state, is $10.50.
- California residents can drop off their old mattresses and box springs at no-cost at a participating collection site or event. Unit limits vary by location and a residency restrictions may apply. We recommend contacting the location prior to drop-off.
- A $3 incentive per unit is available at select locations. It is limited to 5 units per vehicle per day. The incentive is only available for residents dropping off their household units.
- Businesses may make their own drop-off arrangements with participating recyclers or sites that accept commercial volume. Those with at least 100 units may qualify for no-cost transportation. See the Commercial Volume Program page or contact Joy Broussard for details, [email protected].
Whats Involved In Throwing Out A Mattress In Nyc
If your mattress is under 4 ft. x 3 ft. in size, you can simply bag it and put it out on the curb for collection. You dont need an appointment. However, if its larger than that, you need to schedule with the DSNY to have it picked up.
Next, you bag up the big unwieldy mattress, and the box springs too, if thats your plan, and lug them both down to the curb, only after 4pm on the evening prior to the scheduled pickup date.
You must also ensure that the mattress is not placed in a way that impedes sidewalk pedestrian traffic, or that allows it to stick out into the street, or that imposes on neighbors properties. Failing to comply with one of the requirements, whether its improperly bagging the mattress, or placing it on the curb wrong, can cause you to get multiple citations and fines from the city.
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Can I Give My Old Mattress Away
If you believe your mattress is no longer good enough for yourself, then its unlikely to be good or healthy for anyone else to sleep on, either. As a guide, the National Sleep Council suggests changing your mattress every seven years.
This means that while handing a mattress down to your kids or donating it to a charity shop is a cost-effective way of dealing with its disposal, its not necessarily the best idea.
Donate Your Mattress To A Local Nonprofit
There are several nonprofit organizations and institutions that would gladly take your gently-used mattress. The groups below generally accept mattress donations, though local policies may differ.
These organizations usually offer mattress pickup:
These organizations typically require mattress drop-off:
- Places of worship
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What To Do With Your Old Mattress
If youre purchasing a new bed, moving a child out of a cot or moving house, chances are you have an old mattress to get rid of.
If youve decided that your mattress is no longer needed, it needs to be disposed of in a certain way. It is illegal to leave any items including mattresses on the kerbside, unless it is there ready for a council collection. This is illegal dumping and can result in heavy fines. Mattresses are also dangerous items to leave in the elements because they can attract rodents and pose a safety threat if they fall over.
Soft Landing is a national social enterprise that operates across NSW, ACT, VIC and WA. It specialises in recycling old and used mattresses. Soft Landing facilities extract the re-usable materials to use for something new.
The steel springs can be melted down and re-used, the foam can be recycled into carpet underlay, and the fabric can even be used as acoustic panelling. All these re-use opportunities mean more waste is diverted from landfill.
Soft Landing runs several mattress drop-off and collection services. A number of private businesses also run mattress recycling services.
Here are some simple steps to make sure you are disposing of your mattress appropriately:
- Check with your council. Some councils offer free mattress collection and recycling or may collect your mattress as part of a booked or scheduled bulky items waste service.
- Look up recyclingnearyou.com.au for other mattress disposal and recycling options near you.
Reason #: Your Bed Replacement Can Still Be Infested By Bed Bugs
You are not just shelling out money for a new bed set. You are also risking the new bed set into getting bed bugs. Thats a lose-lose situation.
Throwing away your mattress doesnt solve your problem. The bed bugs in your home may still be thriving in other spots. These bed bugs can then find new refuge to your new bed set.
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Misconception #: Bed Bug
You cant fully get rid of bed bugs in beds, so its best to just throw away the beds, right? No, not really. Beds can be cleared of bed bugs using proper elimination techniques.
You can use vacuuming to get rid of the bed bugs. Just make sure to throw away the vacuum bag in a trash bin that is not inside your home to avoid re-infestation. You can also use steam cleaning. Bed bugs easily die in high heat.
But these techniques are only for the bed bugs themselves and not their eggs. To get rid of the eggs, you can try encasing. This is where you isolate the bed by putting it inside an encasement. Once the eggs hatch, the new bed bugs will starve to death because of the beds isolation.
Where Can I Toss My Mattress
Dumpster Rental
Have a roll off dumpster delivered to your driveway to easily get rid of your mattress, along with other junk that needs tossing. Note that costs vary by location.
Some junk removal companies charge higher rates for large items like mattresses. When you rent a dumpster with us, you pay one flat rate.
Local Dump
You can typically haul your mattress to the landfill yourself. First, make sure to check your local regulations. Also, be aware that landfills charge for disposal.
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Throwing Out Your Mattress In The Big Apple
Getting rid of a mattress in New York City is a little more involved than just dragging it out to the curb. The rules for NYC garbage disposal of such big objects are stricter than you might expect, especially for mattresses. Rules for getting rid of used mattresses in the city arent just about loading large items onto the sidewalks. There are also regulations set up to help prevent widespread bedbug infestations. Yikes! Who would have thought about that! Compliance can actually be kind of challenging.
Look Up Your States Policies
Some states like California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have mattress recycling laws in place. The law in these states requires the manufacturers to provide you with a reliable solution to discard your mattress.
If you live in Los Gatos or Bay Area, you can get fined for throwing out your mattress with other waste. So, it is better to check your states regulations before deciding what to do with your old mattress.
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Can You Donate A Mattress
If your mattress is still in good condition, consider donating it to charity or giving it away free. That way you can help someone in need, as well as ensuring that it doesn’t end up in landfill.
Organisations such as British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross and Emmaus will resell your mattress and put the proceeds towards a good cause. Several other charities also accept mattress donations, so if there’s a cause you particularly want to support, its worth contacting the charity directly.
As a general rule, these organisations will collect your mattress free of charge, but they might request that you send images first to prove that it’s of acceptable quality. Any organisation accepting a mattress donation will expect it to be fit for use, clean and have a fire label intact.
Another way to ensure your mattress stays out of landfill sites is to use a non-profit initiative such as Freecycle, or your local equivalent group, which can put you in touch with someone in the local area looking for a free second-hand mattress.
Break It Down And Reuse It
Next, lets look at some ways you can break down an old or used mattress and reuse certain components for different purposes.
- The average mattress contains 25 pounds of steel, most of which is found in the springs. Steel can be melted down to create a wide range of parts and products. Simply remove all springs and other steel parts from your mattress, then bundle them together and sell them for scrap. You can locate scrapyards and metal recyclers in your area with a quick Internet search. Rates will vary by location, but expect to earn roughly $10 for 100 pounds of scrap metal.
- The polyurethane foam in mattresses can be shredded and repurposed around the house for carpeting, car seat cushions, pillows, pet bedding and other types of padding. Memory foam and latex foam can be reused in a similar fashion.
- Most mattresses include a mix of natural fibers like cotton, wool and silk, and non-natural fibers like polyester and rayon. Most natural and non-natural fibers found in a mattress can be recycled. Like foam, mattress fibers can also be reused to make padding or insulation.
- The wooden parts of mattresses can serve several functions once the mattress has been taken apart. In addition to firewood, this wood can be shredded and used as a gardening or lawn mulch.
- Nails, screws and other small metal parts in reasonable condition can be removed from the mattress and reused for various household projects.
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How To Dispose Of Tables
Wondering how to get rid of those heavy tables? From dining room sets to large coffee tables and lawn furniture, tossing these bulky items can be difficult. To help you find the best disposal option for your situation, we collected a variety of resources, including some environmentally friendly ways to get rid of your junk.
Should I Throw Out My Mattress If I Found Bed Bugs
Often, people panic and start throwing away bedding, clothing, pillows, and mattresses once they’ve found a bed bug infestation. However, this isn’t always necessary. A professional pest control service can effectively treat bed bug infestations, and just throwing out your mattress may not solve your problem. If you buy a new mattress but don’t kill the other bed bugs that are hiding in your room, they will just come back. It is very important to inspect the entire room or home and fumigate or treat wherever needed.
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So How Do You Know If Your Mattress Is In Good Enough Shape To Be Donated
Every charity, organization, and shelter has its own standards for what is acceptable for a donated mattress. However, there are a few standard guidelines:
Odors: Though people can sometimes be noseblind to odors in their own home, a particularly strong odor on a mattress should be noticeable to you. When in doubt, call in a third party, preferably one who you do not live with, to do a sniff test. If you find that the mattress has a slight odor, you can try sprinkling a layer of baking soda on the surface and letting it sit for a few hours. Afterward, vacuum off the baking soda, and then, if possible, let the mattress air outside. If the odor remains, you should reconsider donating the mattress.
In general, figuring out if your mattress is up to donation standards is a matter of common sense.
Make sure the mattress is structurally sound, clean, and free of any infestations or odors. The mattress is not going to help anyone if it cannot be used. Think about whether or not you would want to receive your mattress as a donation. If not, then consider other options.
If you feel that your bed is in good shape for donation, then thats great! You can move on to selecting the right place to donate.
A Donate How Can I Donate My Mattress
Charities, shelters and churches might take your mattress off your hands as long as its still in good condition, or you can pay a professional to clean it if youd really like it to go to a new home. A few larger charities that take mattresses are the British Heart Foundation, Emmaus, Furniture Donation Network, British Red Cross,Stellas Voice UK and the Furniture Re-use network. Others that may be interested are local womens refuges and homeless shelters
Youll need to make sure the fire safety label is still intact when youre donating or selling your mattress. It wont be accepted without it. The label will be sewn onto the underneath of the mattress and looks like this:
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Breaking Down Your Mattress
Where To Dispose Of A Mattress
When looking to dispose of a mattress, you will typically find a few options available to you. Most cities and counties have landfills available for drop off, however these are usually located on the perimeter of the city. Some cities also have transfer or eco stations located throughout their urban areas. These can be must easier to access, however often are accompanied with larger lines as well as sometimes with less accurate fees to dispose of your mattresses and other waste. Be sure to do your research of which locations accept mattresses, as well as the dumping fees and recycling fees for these items. Alternatively, Junk 4 Good can make your mattress disappear with ease. Our teams will arrive on site and remove the mattress from its location in your home. We will then make sure the mattress is safely transported to an appropriate recycling facility, all for a simple all-in-one fee.
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How To Recycle Air Mattresses
Depending on the material an air mattress is made out of, it may or may not be recyclable. As most are made out of plastic, only some cities, municipalities and waste management programs have the capacity to recycle these materials. Electric air pumps can often be recycled for some of the individual components however these may have to be sorted separately. If you prefer, Junk 4 Good can do all of this work for you. We are more than happy to load, sort and determine what may or may not be recyclable with the local transfer station.
Misconception #: Bed Bugs Only Live In Mattresses
Bed bugs live in beds, so the best way to get rid of them is to get rid of the beds, right? No, not really. This is a common misconception that has risen because of the name of the pests bed bugs.
Bed bugs do live in beds, but those are not just the places where they can thrive. They can live in closets, floorboards, furniture, walls, and many other places. Its ridiculous to even think that throwing away your mattress will get rid of your bed bug problem.
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