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How To Properly Dispose Of Mattress

How To Dispose Of A Mattress: The Basics

HOW TO DISPOSE OF YOUR OLD MATTRESS

When getting rid of a mattress whether its a hybrid, organic, spring or memory foam mattress the first thing to do is look at its condition and check your warranty. If yours is covered by a Forever Warranty, you may be entitled to free repairs or an upgrade. For guidance, check out our feature on how mattress warranties work.

The key thing to remember is that a mattress cannot be reused for sleeping if it is in any way unfit to snooze on. That includes if:

  • The cover is ripped
  • Springs or foam are protruding
  • It smells, has dampness, stains or mold
  • It has bed bugs or mites
  • It is sagging badly

As we explain in our feature answering how long does a mattress last, most will keep you comfy for around seven to eight years, but some have much shorter and longer lifespans.

If it isnt fit for its original purpose , then it may still be able to be recycled. In the US, the Mattress Recycling Council claims that more than 80% of mattresses can be recycled, so this should be your first consideration before heading to the dump.

However, if it really is the end of the road and it absolutely cannot be recycled, then it should be properly disposed of at your local dump. If you need to hire transport to do this, then its worth teaming up with other people too, so you can fill the vehicle and remove several large items at once, reducing your carbon footprint.

Mattress Removal Services Near You

The good news is, theres an easy way to get rid of your old mattress. If you need a hand with mattress removal, give 1-800-GOT-JUNK? a call. Well get that old mattress out of your way in no time and you wont have to lift a finger. Let us do all the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is point! Were in your neighborhoodfind a 1-800-GOT-JUNK? location near you.

Can Old Mattresses Be Recycled

Yes, mattresses can be recycled and the practice is fairly common. Through mattress recycling, approximately 80-90% of the mattress can be reused. Thats quite a lot of material that can be reused and turned into new products!

What parts of a mattress can be recycled?

Steel springs, wood frames, stuffing, and fabric are all contained in a mattress and can be recycled and reused in different ways. However, mattresses cant simply be left out for pickup with your regular recycling. Youll often need to find a facility that specializes in mattress recycling, and youll need to transport it there on your own.

Why is recycling a mattress is good for the environment?

When you decide to recycle your old mattress, you help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in your local landfill. Many parts of the mattress need to be recycled, as they take decades to decompose if they end up in a landfill.

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Getting Your Mattress Ready To Donate

Some good nation-wide charities for collecting used mattresses include Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity.

These organizations are usually willing to accept just about any kind of mattress so long as theres nothing wrong with it, but be sure to double-check your local outlets policies before driving off with your mattress.

Charities will not typically accept mattresses that are broken, stained or unsanitary.

Also be sure to let you charity know if your mattress is coming from a home with pets or cigarette smoke.

Many people who come to these organizations are in poor health, and the last thing they need is for their new mattress to make things worse.

This is especially important for people with asthma or allergies.

You definitely shouldnt let this keep you from looking into donating, but just be sure to let the charity know.

Return The Mattress To The Manufacturer

Mattress Removal, Local Garbage Removal, Sydney, NSW

If youre purchasing a new mattress to replace the one you want to get rid of, ask the retailer if you can take your old one and return it to the manufacturer. With an estimated 50,000 mattresses being disposed of each day in the United States, many manufacturers are taking on the task of mattress recycling themselves.

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Should You Throw Away Mattress Bed Bugs

Finding bed bugs in your mattress is daunting, and the first thought that might come to mind is to throw it out immediately. However, you still want to check if the infestation is heavy or if you can still recover your bed. If you happen to address the issue soon, you might control and eradicate the critters.

However, dont be tempted to use insecticides without consulting a professional pest control operator. Bed bugs have developed resistance to some common treatments, and its best to have someone use the right equipment and techniques to kill them. You can also have a safer treatment plan if you hire someone trained for controlling pests.

Can I Use A Hair Dryer To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

You can indeed use a hairdryer to get rid of bed bugs because you can have it target the crevices of the mattress and other potential hiding spots in the room. By blow-drying these spots at a low heat setting, you can force the bed bugs out and then trap them with packing tape. You can even use the blow dryer directly on the bugs for 30 seconds to kill them.

Also Check: When To Replace Foam Mattress

When To Get A New Mattress

The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing your mattress every 7 to 10 years. In reality, when you buy a new bed depends on varying factors such as the beds condition and your sleep quality.

If youre constantly waking up with body aches and cant seem to get enough sleep, you probably need a new mattress. Sagging, indentations, and severe wear and tear are a significant indicator your bed is ready for retirement.

Make Your Old Mattress Into A Compost Holder

How To Dispose Of Your Worn Out Mattress Properly.wmv

The mattress itself wont compost. However, if youre looking for another option, you could choose to make a compost frame from the wood and natural parts of the filling of the mattress.

Use the wooden parts of your mattress to construct the compost container.

Use the padding and mattress cover as a cover for your compost pile. This can help to keep the warmth in the compost pile and stimulate the bacterial process that takes place in a compost pile.

And if its built well, you can reuse the same compost bin over several seasons.

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How Long Should Your Mattress Last

How long should your mattress last? Great question! Over time, every mattress is going to eventually lose its ability to provide the support and comfort you need for a good nights sleep. This means that everyone will need to dispose of their old mattresses a few times during their lifetime.

While the average life span of a mattress is 10 years, the type and quality of the mattress is going to ultimately determine how long your mattress will last. Lesser quality mattresses tend to last an average of 5 to 7 years.

Eco Terra Latex Mattresses last an average of an impressive 15 years.

How To Get Rid Of A Mattress After A Death In Oahu

by Bio X Hawaii | Oct 22, 2021 | Death Cleanup |

When someone passes away on a mattress in Oahu and they leave behind blood or other bodily fluids in the mattress material, the mattress is no longer usable for others to sleep on. Even if the surface stain seems small, the blood and bodily fluids have soaked down into the layers, making cleaning and blood removal impossible.

To keep your family, the environment, and the public in Oahu safe and to protect yourself from legal liability, make sure that the mattress is removed and disposed of properly after a death.

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Option : Resell It Or Give It Away

If your mattress is in good shape and recycling or donating arent options for you, try reselling it. You may not make a ton of money, but you never know someone in your network might need a used mattress and be interested in purchasing it from you. Take advantage of your social media channels by posting that you have a used mattress up for grabs. You can also utilize online marketplaces like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, or Craigslist. Just post a picture of your mattress on one of these sites and offer up a price. When all else fails, you can list it as free on Craigslist.

Can You Donate A Mattress

What to do with old mattress  Disposal and Recycling ...

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.

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How To Dispose Of A Mattress: Free And Paid Options

These are your options for getting rid of an old mattress, from recycling programs to trash pickup.

So it’s time to say goodbye to your worn out old mattress, but you aren’t sure how to dispose of it. While most of us would rather not add to the nearly 20 million mattresses that pile up in landfills every year, the alternatives may be trickier than they appear.

Recycling or donating mattresses seems like a simple enough endeavor, but the task can actually be quite challenging. Per the New York Times, some charities aren’t allowed to accept mattresses due to concerns over bed bugs or health department regulations, certain recycling programs have become less profitable and therefore less available, and many states don’t have recycling programs at all.

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Plus, since foam fluctuates wildly in its profitability, some of the popular online mattress brands offering 100+ night trial periods don’t always stick to their promise of recycling or donating returned mattresses — a claim that potential customers may view as a good reason for purchasing.

However, you do have options when it’s time to get rid of your old mattress. Depending on the condition of the mattress and where you live, you may be able to donate it, recycle it or even have it picked up. Here’s what we recommend.

St Option: Check To See If Mattress Recycling Is Possible

The first option to check is to see if your mattress is possibly viable for recycling.

Usually, it is. Just contact your local council to see if they can pick it up for you. They might give you a drop-off location, so make sure to take note of that before turning it over to them.

Now, how do recycling facilities process mattresses? Heres how:

  • Recycling facilities first cut down the mattress and separate the layers. They get whatever recyclable materials there is in it like metals, wood, foam, and spring.
  • They then organise the recovered materials by type.
  • The recovered metal is then sent to recyclers. The springs are used to make new appliances and building materials. Additionally, the wood is chopped down and turned into mulch.

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How To Find Your Old Mattress A New Home

If donation options dont work in your area, you can sometimes give your old mattress away for free. It might surprise you how many people can utilize a second-hand mattress, if its in good shape.

  • What about a newly-wed friend, coworker or neighbor?
  • Think of family members too cousins, nephews, nieces, even older family?
  • People on the Internet? More on that below.

Possible Ways To Dispose Of Your Mattress

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Now that you know most of the reasons you would need to get rid of your bed, the only part left is figuring out how to properly dispose of a mattress. There are several approaches to this, and your location is a big factor in most of them. For instance, how you dispose of a mattress in California is not the same way you would do it if you live in Minnesota. That said, here are the disposal options you should consider no matter where you live.

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Can I Dump My Old Mattress In The Trash

Yes, you can dump your old mattress in the trash but take note that there are serious environmental consequences to doing so.

Roughly 20 million old mattresses and box springs end up as trash every single year in the U.S. The problem with this is that trash in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes heavily to climate change.

What’s worse is if the mattresses end up in open landfills instead of closed ones, they will contribute to 91% of all landfill methane emissions.

If, however, you insist on dumping your mattress in the garbage, I recommend that you still do it responsibly by following these steps:

  • Check to see if your town offers bulk trash pick-up.
  • Wrap your mattress in a plastic bag, preferably a recycled one.
  • Bring your mattress to the curb.
  • Getting rid of mattresses in a responsible way isnt easy. A growing number of landfills dont want them, since they are bulky, hard to crush and can jam machinery.

    Ryan Trainer, President of International Sleep Products Association

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    Disposing Of A Mattress In California

    In the State of California, you have several options to dispose of an unwanted mattress at no cost.

  • Retailer take back: When you buy a new mattress and are having it delivered, ask your retailer about taking your old one back. California law requires retailers to offer to pick up an old mattress at no extra cost. You can learn more here.
  • Recycle your mattress: You can drop off your mattress at a collection site or recycling facility for free. We also have collection events throughout the state. Find one here.
  • Bulky item pick up: Contact your local government to learn how curbside pick up of a bulky item works in your area. You may have free pick up available! Policies vary and an appointment may be required. View the directory here.
  • Mattress retailers, hotels, universities, hospitals, military facilities and other businesses that want to dispose of mattresses can also do so at no cost with the help of our Commercial Volume Program.

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    Take Your Mattress To The Tip

    If you own a car, the cheapest option for getting rid of your mattress, especially when it is in poor condition, would be to take it to the local tip. The biggest problem is, however, if you do not own a memory foam mattress, then fitting your mattress in the car may be a bit of a struggle. For others, local tips might not be close to where you live so the whole process might be more time consuming than it should be.

    Mattresses are not accepted or recycled at some local recycling centres or tips. It is often the case that a separate bulky waste collection service is offered by the council or private waste contractors, like Skoup.

    Before loading your car, it is worth checking with your local council to find out if your local recycling centre or tip accepts mattresses.

    Hire A Professional For Mattress Pick Up

    How To Dispose Of An Old Mattress

    What if no nearby organizations offer pick-up services, and dropping it off yourself is not an option?

    Consider contacting a local mattress disposal service that sends trucks to transport your mattress to a charity, recycling location, a buyers address or etc. for a small fee. Weve covered some of the options above, but services like 1-800-GOT-JUNK will come and pick up pretty much anything.

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    Why Van It With Skoup

    • We’ll give you a good price and stick to it
    • We’ll only take away what you ask us to take away
    • Well turn up when we say well turn up
    • Were part of Biffa, one of the UKs best known and most trusted brands
    • We don’t charge extra for evenings and weekends
    • We’ll collect from inside or outside your home

    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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