What To Do With Old Box Spring Mattress

When To Skip The Box Spring

Many of today’s modern, bed-in-a-box mattresses are made either all or partially of memory foam or latex foam. It’s typically recommended to skip the box spring when setting these up, foam mattress brand Casper explains, because “the slats on older box springs are too apart to support the weight of a foam mattress, and that lack of support can cause it to sag.” Instead, the company suggests a platform with slats closer together. Eco-friendly mattress brand Avocado Green also advises strongly against using box springs with its hybrid and latex mattresses, recommending firmer, sturdier foundations instead.

Read more: Why you shouldn’t use a box spring with a foam mattress

Drag The Box Springs To The Landfill Yourself

As far as options go for disposing of large bulky items, going to the landfill yourself certainly ranks near the bottom of the list. Dragging heavy box springs to a truck and then transporting it to a landfill is no fun. Its no surprise, few people find visiting a landfill a pleasant experience.

While this is an option for getting rid of box springs, youre probably better off avoiding this particular trip. On top of everything else, landfills usually have a fee for disposal. Driving your box springs to the landfill and then paying a fee is an unpleasant way to spend an afternoon.

When looking for box spring recycling near me, try to avoid the landfill if at all possible!

Can You Put A Mattress Directly On Slats

Yes, you can. Before you do, though, make sure the slats are at least 0.5 inches thick and no more than 3 inches apart. These measurements will ensure that your base can support a memory foam mattress. Otherwise, the slats might break or bend under the mattress or leave room for parts of the bed to sink beneath the slats.

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Landfill The Box Spring

Most often than not, box springs are dumped in landfills. This is what most people do, with the services available from the city. Vancouverites and those who live in the Lower Mainland often take their box springs to the transfer stations, where they pay a levy and fee to dispose of their box spring. Some cities such as Richmond and Surrey sort the box springs they receive at the transfer stations. Clean or gently used box springs get transferred to a mattress recycler. Dirty or contaminated box springs are landfilled.

This is a process many have done before, for countless years. However, if youre looking for a more sustainable option, keep reading.

What Is An Airbed

Airbeds utilize adjustable air chambers as their support system. Residential air beds have air chambers that are covered by upholstery and padding materials. These materials include fiber and foams.

As the firmness of airbeds can be adjusted this allows each side of the bed to be used separately to suit the individual needs of each sleeper. Airbeds have similar physical appearances as conventional beds.

However, they cant be used with regular bed frames due to the incompatibility of standard, wooden frames that come with 3 to 5 slats for support. However, there are other options that could help you if you want it to be elevated off the floor. Here are some solutions:

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Six: Book A Pickup Through A Recycler

Pros:

• You get to leave the heavy lifting to a professional
• You know for sure your box spring will get recycled
• Depending on the service, you may not even need to be home for the pickup day

Cons:

• The price of service can be more expensive
• The time of pickup can be limited to specific hours
• Theres less flexibility in what they take if you have other items such as appliances

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Fillet The Mattress To Recycle It

St. Vincent de Paul employs workers to fillet or cut apart mattresses using a box cutter. These workers recycle approximately 170,000 mattresses per year. Compared to other mattress parts, material from T frame steel box springs is generally sold for the most money and lead to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Polyurethane from used mattresses is often recycled into wall foaming.

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Dead Skin Body Oil And Dust Mites Oh My

Since you spend about a third of your life in bed, you better believe that over time, your mattress starts to collect loads of dead skin and body oils. Who loves to snack on that stuff? Dust mites.

In fact, the typical used mattress can house as many as 10 million of the microscopic bugs, according to Ohio State University experts. And since even dust mites poop, that stuff is in your bed, too.

Pretty disgusting, right? Mercifully, the little buggers are invisibleand most of us seem to get along with them just fine. But if you suffer from allergies, sleeping on a too-old mattress can pose a problem. Dust mite allergies can cause sneezing, runny noses, itchiness, watery eyes, coughing, and sinus pressure.

It gets worse if you have asthma, which can be exacerbated by dust mites. Then, you could be at risk for difficulty breathing, chest tightness, or even trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath.

Of course, even a mattress thats a few months old can have dust mites, just not as many as what would be in an older mattress or worse, a secondhand mattress. And since you cant buy a new mattress every year , it makes sense to take other steps to keep your sleeping space as dust mite-free as possible.

A Lot Of What You Sleep On Can Be Recycled

Most mattress and box spring components can be easily disassembled and recycled. The materials they are made of can be used to manufacture a variety of new products.

Infographic Courtesy of the Mattress Recycling Council

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Break The Mattress Down Yourself

If you have the time, space, and tools, you can easily break a mattress down yourself. Simply cut around the perimeter of the fabric covering and peel the cloth and foam away from the box springs and wooden frame. You can roll these materials into a compact bundle and put them in your regular trash can. Next, take a saw and cut up the framewhich you can then burn or turn into wood chips. Take the box springs to a recycling center or sell them for scrap.

Given that mattresses can be so difficult to dispose of effectively, you may want to factor durability into your purchasing decisions. Some mattresses come with warranties that range up to 20 years. With proper maintenance, its not impossible for mattresses to last for decades, which can go a long way toward reducing your households overall waste footprint.

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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What Kind Of Foundation Does Your Mattress Need

There are some people who disregard the importance of a bed foundation. A mattress without a foundation is like a home without a foundation. You really cant have one without the other.

You cant put mattress directly on the ground, because this will decrease its useful life, and it will fail to provide the support it would otherwise provide. Therefore, a bed foundation is necessary. It will not only prolong the life of your mattress, but it will also allow it to provide you with better support.

There are various types of foundations available on the market these days and choosing the best one can be a real challenge. Purchasing the wrong one can cause discomfort and decrease the stability of your mattress, so you should know what kind of foundation your mattress really need.

In this guide, we will outline the best foundations that could go well with your mattress depending on its type and we will discuss various types of foundations that can be found on the market today.

Can You Put A New Mattress On An Old Foundation

We recommend replacing your foundation when you get a new mattress. Most mattress foundations wear down faster than mattresses, so if your mattress is showing signs of wear and needing to be replaced, then its safe to say your foundation also needs to be swapped with a new one. If youre working on a tighter budget and dont want to buy both a foundation and a mattress, look for bundle deals or brands offering freebies with a mattress purchase. Sometimes, you can score a free foundation with your new mattress. Alternatively, you can give an old foundation new life by pairing it with a bunkie board.

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Throwing Out Your Mattress

In some cases, you may not be able to donate or recycle your mattress. It may be that your mattress isnt fit for donation, or you cant find a recycling center close enough that will take it. For whatever reason, youre unable to donate, give away, recycle, or upcycle your mattress, theres always the option to throw it out.

However, it is often not as simple as just putting the mattress out on the curb. Many states, cities, and towns have specific ordinances and rules about throwing away mattresses, some of which prohibit putting a whole mattress in the trash. In those places, a curbed mattress may not be picked up on garbage day, and may result in a ticket or a fine.

The rules regarding garbage disposal vary, and you can find the rules for your state and city with a quick Google search. If you live in an area where you can, in fact, throw out a mattress with your regular trash, make sure to carefully read any additional rules to avoid fines and/or pickup refusal. In most places, you will be required to wrap your mattress in plastic, and in some places, you will be required to wrap the mattress in a specially made plastic mattress bag. To be safe, cover your mattress in plastic and seal it shut with packing tape.

For those who cant curb their mattress at all, there are a few other options.

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Recycling Your Box Springs Might Be An Option

A lot of material goes into manufacturing box springs. As a result, box springs are a great consumer item to recycle. Since box springs contain a considerable amount of metal, some organizations see box springs as an attractive source of metal.

In particular, organizations will repurpose the steel found in box springs for a variety of reasons. Be prepared to remove the metal springs and break down the box springs wood yourself. In most areas, the metal can be placed in the recycling.

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How To Recycle A Mattress

Mattresses are filled made from a variety of materials that can be reused once the mattress has reached the end of its life cycle.

Here are some ways you can recycle your mattress or give it another chance:

Donate It There Are Lots Of Great Organizations That Will Happily Accept Used Mattresses And Boxsprings

Here are a few:

Good Will Industries has tons of drop-off locations that will take in mattresses that are in good shape, so don’t throw one away that still has some life in it!

The Salvation Army will come to YOU and pick up your mattress. Just follow the link, find a local site, and schedule an appointment for pick up.

You can also call local shelters and charities to see if they are in need of mattresses.

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Specify You Need Box Springs Removal

We recommend calling ahead of time to determine if your city or area will take bulky trash in general. It might be a good idea to specify that the trash you are trying to get rid of is a box springs mattress. One simple phone call could save you a great deal of hassle, so do not be surprised if the answer you get is no.

If you do receive a yes answer and your trash or recycling company will take the box springs, remember to ask: Do I need to prepare the box springs in any way?

How Do I Know If I Should Discard My Old Mattress

Before we get into how best to dispose of your old mattress and/or box spring, you should double-check whether its ready to be thrown out. While manufacturers encourage you to replace your mattress every 8-10 years, this isnt set in stone, and you should only throw out your mattress if it is showing its age. Symptoms of a mattress past its prime include:

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What To Do With Old Mattresses 15 Creative Uses For Your Old Mattress

If your mattress has reached retirement, you may be about to throw it a party and send it on its way to enjoy its twilight years. But, hold on, you dont need to say a tearful goodbye to your faithful old mattress when you can upcycle it!

While you can recycle old mattress, you could upcycle the materials and create some funky conceptual art, among other things.

Donating your mattress to a thrift store or charity could give it a new lease of life

The Life Expectancy Of A Mattress

A high-quality mattress can give you years of comfortable sleepbut theres no magic number as to exactly how many.

Typically, manufacturers recommend replacing your mattress every eight years. But according to Consumer Reports, a mattress thats well cared for could easily last a decade.

In fact, most mattress companies, even the newer mattress in a box companies, offer a 10-year warranty. Some brands will even go above and beyond and offer a 20-year warranty or more. However, the length of the warranty and the length of a mattresss life are two different things.

To ensure that your mattress lives a long, happy life, experts recommend giving it a little TLC. Some tips:

• Dont let kids jump on the bed.
• Rotate your mattress every two months. Rotate single-sided mattresses from end to end, and flip double-sided mattresses over.
• Use a bed frame with a center support to prevent sagging.

Still, even with the utmost care and attention, your mattress will eventually start to wear out. And when that happens, some not-so-great stuff is likely to follow.

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Tempur Pedic Bed Frame Requirements

With a wide range of bed bases and frames in the market today, choosing the best type for your Tempurpedic mattress can be overwhelming. You can find ottomans, divans, and many more with practical features such as storage areas alongside classy frame designs.

So if youre looking for one, its essential to consider the Tempurpedic bed frame requirements to get the perfect option.

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How To Dispose Of Your Old Mattress

Is it time to buy a new mattress? Are you wondering what to do with your old mattress? The sheer size of a mattress, not to mention the weight, can make it difficult for you to move your mattress, even if you have help. The reason why theres a growing need for learning how to dispose of an old mattress, is because so many people are now buying their new mattresses online. While buying a mattress online is the preferred way to buy a new mattress nowadays, it’s harder to find someone who can take away the old mattress when a new mattress is delivered.

Questions you should ask yourself in assessing the condition of your present mattress: How long have you owned it? Do you wake up in pain? Do you toss and turn at night?

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Need To Dispose Of Old Mattress And Box Spring

We Have You Covered

For those who recently had their bedrooms renovated and want to refurbish them with new furniture, one thing that can bother you is what to do with old mattress and box spring especially if these have already reached their usable life. If youre one of these people, the last thing that you may want is for these items to end up in a landfill or somewhere else where they would cause more harm than good. Fortunately, there are many things you can do before they end up in landfills and get burned and ultimately add to the greenhouse effect thats causing global warming.

In New Zealand, mattress disposal in Christchurch has been one of the pressing problems that have not been totally resolved mainly because mattress recycling is not a matter of governments priority but rather the personal initiatives of the people who own them. And added to the mattress are the box springs which are also becoming part of the problem because when people change their mattress the box spring usually goes out with it.

Today, we will show you the best ways of old mattress removal, some discussions about mattress removal price. And if youre considering hiring a bed disposal service, we will also answer the question that we usually get asked can you take a mattress to the dump.