How To Dispose Of A Mattress
Buying a new mattress will set you back anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand pounds, so you probably don’t want to part with even more money to dispose of your old one.
But finding a way to dispose of a mattress free of charge is no mean feat, especially if you want to do so responsibly.
The National Bed Federation , estimate the mattress recycling rate in 2018 was less than 20%. It’s 2019 report suggests 7.26m replacement mattresses were sold in 2017, while only 1.363m were recycled. Thats a recycling rate of 19%. So that’s a definite improvement, but still lower than it could be.
Far too many mattresses many of which could have been recycled end up in landfill sites. Keep reading for expert advice on how long a mattress should last, and how to get rid of it once its past its best.
If you still need to select a new mattress, read our round up of the best mattresses and expert buying advice.
Remove The Mattress Sides And Top Layer Of The Mattress
Once these cords are removed, the mattress sides can be easily pulled away. If there are any buttons on the sides or edge of the mattress, cut them free using a hefty seam ripper. Pull back and cut away the top layer of the mattress fabric from the side.
Some mattresses have an extra mattress topper layer of cotton cushioning. This can be cut along the edges and pulled off.
Under the top layer of fabric, youll find padding. If there are any staples, cut them with heavy-duty pliers or wire cutters.
S Download Article Download Article Memory Foam Mattresses
There are a few things to keep in mind when downloading an article on memory foam mattresses. First, make sure to read the entire article so you know what information is being provided. Second, take note of any special offers or discounts that may be available to you. Finally, be sure to download the article from a reputable source so you can be sure youre getting accurate information.
Memory foam mattresses have a high level of comfort that is well-known. The material acts as a mold, causing your body to float in a cloud. A high-density foam is defined as one that has a density greater than 5 kg and is heavier than 6 pounds in weight. The weight is 3.22 kg. The mattress will initially feel firm to the touch, but it will adjust to your body to relieve pain and pressure points. Gel memory foam provides good support and cool surface smoothness. Natural latex foam has the same softness and support as other types of foam.
Gel foam toppers can be firm or soft. If you buy a memory foam mattress, you may notice a chemical odor on it right away. A solid memory foam or regular foam mattress, in addition to being heavy, may require the assistance of a professional moving company. Memory foam can become extremely hot during sleeping, so make sure your mattress has cooling layers to keep you comfortable. Continue reading for tips on determining which mattress to buy at a store.
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How Often Should You Change Your Mattress
If you cant remember how many years youve had your mattress, the chances are its time for a new one. Even if it still feels comfortable, its likely to be less supportive and hygienic than when it was new.
Nearly a quarter of Which? members expect a new mattress to last more than a decade, according to a survey of 1,098 members in March 2021. That’s pretty optimistic, though. About a third said they’d expect it to last 8 to 10 years, which is about right.
The Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress as often as every seven years, because after that time it will have been subjected to more than 20,000 hours of use. Thats the equivalent of 2,555 nights, which is a lot when you consider that adults lose an average of half a pint of fluid each night, and shed a pound of dead skin cells each year.
If reading that makes you shudder, head over to our guide on how to clean a mattress
Our durability tests reveal that the best mattresses can last up to a decade without softening, sagging or becoming less supportive. As long as you buy a good mattress and clean it regularly, you might be able to eke an extra few years out of it.
Buying a new bed frame won’t necessarily extend the life of your new mattress, but be aware that using a mattress with an inappropriate bed frame might invalidate its warranty. Take a look at our bed shopping tips to find out more.
How To Dispose Of A Mattress When You Cant Remove It Yourself
There is one big thing in your house that may be the most difficult thing to get rid of. And no, its not because of its sentimental value its because there are restrictions and limitations on how you can dispose of it.
Its your mattress.
Weve all seen mattresses lying near dumpsters, or even abandoned along the side of a roadway. But thats not OK dont do that. And you cant donate a used mattress most collection centers will not take them. A third option is the landfill, but even there, you may be subject to additional disposal fees since mattresses are difficult to compact and take up a lot of room, and it is cumbersome to get a large mattress to the landfill in your family car.
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Gathering The Proper Tools
First off, youre going to need the right set of equipment to handle this task. Normally, you should be able to find most of these supplies at your local hardware store, as theyre typically common.
Youll need a saw, a bolt cutter or wire clippers, boxes to store any loose parts you get from the process, eyewear to protect your eyes, some durable gloves, preferably cut-resistant ones, a good pair of pliers, a utility knife and a box cutter. Make sure that you get all of these, as you dont want to make multiple trips back to the store.
You Could Donate Your Mattress To A Local Charity
if it is in a good condition. Some organisations will sell it on, giving the proceeds to good causes whilst others may well donate your mattress to someone in need. Another way to ensure your mattress stays out of landfill sites is to use a non-profit initiative such as Freecycle, which will put you in touch with someone in the local area looking for a free second-hand mattress.
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What Do You Do With Waste Mattress
When you need to get rid of a mattress, there are a few options available to you. You can take it to the dump, recycle it, or donate it.
If you take it to the dump, you will be charged a fee for disposing of it. The fee will vary depending on the size and type of mattress.
If you recycle your mattress, you will need to find a local recycling center that accepts mattresses. Once you take it to the center, they will disassemble it and recycle the materials.
If you donate your mattress, you can either give it to a local charity or sell it online. There are a few websites that specialize in selling used mattresses.
Break Down The Box Spring Frame
Wood box springs are relatively easier to break down than your old mattress. Remove any plastic support pieces from the corners of the box spring. Cut the fabric cover in half and pull the fabric away from the wood frame underneath. This fabric is thinner and easier to remove than the fabric on a mattress. Remove any staples from wood to make removal of the fabric easier.
Using a hand saw, break down the box spring wood frame in half, then into smaller pieces. Look out for any wood chips debris. If your box spring has any metal or wood pieces, you can cut them down for easy transport. Get rid of the waste by taking the wood frame pieces and metal to a recycling center or scrap yard.
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How Do You Pack A Spring Mattress
Packing a spring mattress is no different when you prepare other mattress types for storage or transport. This means cleaning and ensuring that its dry before placing it in the ideal-size mattress bag. However, Zinus tried inventing a method for packing foam-encased innerspring mattresses to solve the limitations in transport and storage space with unrolled and unfolded spring beds.
How To Dispose Of A Mattress The Right Way
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If you find yourself with a mattress you no longer need, youre likely puzzled as to what to do with it. Donating or recycling a mattress is an eco-friendly alternative to dropping it off at the dump, but how does the process work? What about selling it, or donating your mattress to someone in need? Lets go over a few options for how you can dispose of your used mattress responsibly to make room for your new one.
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Can You Recycle A Mattress
At the very least, some parts of your mattress will be recyclable, and its possible that all of it will be. And yet, according to The Furniture Recycling Group, Wembley Stadium could be filled five times with the 7.5m mattresses that are discarded in the UK every year.
While mattress recycling is relatively labour-intensive, more and more facilities capable of doing so are springing up around the UK. These facilities will break down your mattress into its recyclable components springs can then be melted down and remade into new metal products, while synthetic layers such as foam can either be used to make carpet underlay, or else can be sent to a plant where the waste can at least be converted into energy.
Aside from taking your old mattress to your nearest recycling centre yourself, the best way to ensure your mattress is recycled is to pay for it to be collected. But whether you use the local council, the company delivering your new mattress or a specialist mattress removal company, make sure it is clearly stated that the mattress will be recycled. Otherwise, its probably best to assume that it wont be.
Cut Off The Side Panels
Removing the side panels is an important step that could prove to be rather difficult. If you are new to this process, you might want to be extra careful, as you could end up hurting yourself. With that being said, remove the sides with your hands once the material has been cut/ripped enough to remove the binding cords and then take off the sides themselves.
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How To Dispose Of Your Old Mattress
So, you are about to treat yourself to a new mattress from the great selection we have here at Sleepy People, and now you face a fairly big, mattress shaped problem how to dispose of my old mattress? This may well have been the last thing on your mind when you ordered your new one, but it could well cause you a lack of sleep, if not a lack of space unless you come up with a solution. This blog post looks at some ways of getting rid of your old mattress, one of which will hopefully be the right solution for you.
The Complete Mattress Disposal Guide
Wondering how to get rid of that old mattress? Despite being bulky and heavy, there are several convenient ways to dispose of mattresses, including renting a dumpster, donating and recycling it.
A gently-used mattress can be donated, but if yours is old and worn out, youâll need to throw it away. Weâve compiled the best mattress and box spring disposal options so you can find the most efficient method for your needs.
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How To Roll A Mattress For Disposal
If youre like most people, you probably dont think much about your mattress until its time to get rid of it. But when that time comes, you might be surprised to learn that simply tossing your mattress in the trash is not the best way to dispose of it.
The most important thing to know about disposing of a mattress is that you should never just leave it out on the curb. Not only is this illegal in many places, but its also bad for the environment. When mattresses are left out in the open, they can release harmful chemicals into the air and leach toxins into the soil.
So whats the best way to dispose of a mattress? The best option is to recycle it. Many cities and counties have programs in place to recycle mattresses and other large items. To find out if your community has a mattress recycling program, contact your local waste management department.
If recycling isnt an option in your community, another good option is to donate your mattress to a local charity or thrift store. This way, someone in need can get some use out of it, and you wont have to worry about it ending up in a landfill.
Finally, if neither recycling nor donation is an option, you can always dispose of your mattress in the traditional way: by taking it to the dump. Just be sure to call ahead to find out what the rules are, as some dumps charge a fee for large items like mattresses.
My Council Doesnt Have An Upload Service What Now
Mattresses generally arent recyclable because they are made up of fabric foam and metal which arent easy to separate. As such, if youve exhausted the options above, there probably is no alternative than to take the mattress to the tip.
Dont despair though, this might not be as bad or as difficult as it seems. The easiest way we have discovered of getting a mattress into a car is to roll it up and secure it with some luggage straps, which are easily available from cycle stores and can be reused afterwards.
To roll the mattress, youll probably need to enlist the help of a friend or partner. Its certainly a lot easier to get the luggage straps on and tightened up if you have a second pair of hands. Once the mattress is rolled and tied, it should fit into the boot of most saloon or estate cars, ready for its one way journey to the tip.
Hopefully, disposing of your old mattress wont become a stressful event. If the worst happens and you have to take the old one to the tip, you can do so in the knowledge that youll be able to ease your aches and pains later when you snuggle down on your new comfortable mattress that night.
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Is There A Way I Can Responsibly Dispose Of My Foam Mattress
Whether youre cutting up a mattress to refurbish it or to remove it, its a good practice to find an eco-friendly way to get the job done!
A growing number of states have made recycling mattresses a no-brainer because of the passage of strict junk disposal laws. You also have the option to donate a mattress to a local non-profit organization such as Goodwill or Salvation Army. Knowing how to cut up a foam mattress for disposal includes disposing of the smaller pieces at a local recycling center.
Would rather not deal with it on your own? Let us help!
Addremove Can I Take A Mattress To The Landfill With Other Waste For Disposal
Any load that contains mattresses and other waste will be charged our standard waste fees. If bringing a mattress with a load of waste for disposal, the eligible mattress must be separated from waste and cannot be soiled or contaminated. For a list of acceptable or non-acceptable items, see question #1 above.
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Recycle Your Old Mattress
If you cannot donate your used mattress to a charity organization, recycling it is another way to keep it from the landfill and get a second life out of its components. Many mattresses consist of at least 75% recyclable materials.
However, you can’t simply place a mattress in a curbside recycling bin. Instead, you’ll need to call upon a mattress recycling service to break down the bed into its recyclable parts for you, then donate them to the appropriate recycling centers.
Common mattress materials that are recyclable include:
Mattress recycling companies can repurpose these materials in various ways. For example, the wood from box springs can become mulch or animal bedding. Meanwhile, the fabrics and foams can find a second life in pillows.
Keep in mind that recycling your mattress probably won’t be free. You’ll need to pay the recycling company for the labor and time involved in breaking down your mattress. You may also need to pay to pick up your mattress if you don’t want to drop it off yourself.
Either way, recycling your mattress is an eco-friendly alternative to simply throwing it in a landfill.
Mattress Disposal: 10 Easy Methods
- Mattress Guides
- Mattress Disposal: 10 Easy Methods
We recently conducted a survey in which one of the questions included How would you dispose of an old mattress? Many people were unsure, while other answers were somewhat shocking. So, we thought perhaps its best to offer some advice on the dos and donts on the correct mattress disposal process.
Buying a mattress is the easy part, however, if youre replacing the old one youll almost certainly need to consider some kind of mattress disposal method to make way for your new one. There are plenty of options available, however, depending on where in the world you are some services may not be viable solutions. Please read below for some helpful tips, hopefully, at least one option could be the way forward:
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