Signs Of A Bedbug Infestation: Small Blood And Fecal Stains On Your Sheets And Bedding
Bed bugs most often crawl onto sleeping humans or pets and feed on their blood until they become engorged. Once they’re full, they will crawl away to digest the meal. Unpleasant, yes. If you notice small red and brown spots of blood and fecal material on your bedding, and you know the blood is not from a cut or scrape you got the day before, there’s a possibility that you have bed bugs. You can find this staining in the areas you sleep, and also in the cracks and crevices on the perimeter of the bed mattress where bed bugs like to rest when they digest your blood.
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.
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 Mattress Recycling Council for details, [email protected].
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How To Dispose And Get Rid Of An Old Mattress
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About 40 million mattresses are thrown out each year, with most ending up in a local landfill. Old mattresses can take up to 120 years to decompose, taking up landfill space. Before throwing out a worn mattress, consider if the bed is still in good condition. Can it be donated instead? And if not, is there a mattress recycling program near me?
If a mattress is still in good shape, it can be donated to a local charity or thrift store. Recycling a bed can cut down on waste.
Using The Mattress Quiz How To Figure Out What Mattress You Should Buy
With so many mattresses available on the marketplace, shopping for a new bed can feel a bit overwhelming. Our mattress quiz will help you decide which mattress is the best fit for you. This personalized tool finds mattresses that are most compatible with your sleeping position, body type, and budget. The quiz will also incorporate factors such as temperature preferences and sleeping with a partner, which can both affect how comfortable a mattress feels for an individual.
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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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Austin Meadows
Sleep Product Tester
Austin is a professional writer and researcher who has covered sleep science and sleep products for over a decade.
How To Prevent Infestations
If you’ve ever had a bed bug problem, or are looking to prevent a possible infestation in the future, there are steps that you can take. First, if you know that a friend or family member currently has an infestation, stay away from the home until it’s been treated. Bed bugs can cling to your clothes and shoes, and you run the risk of tracking them into your own house.
Check furniture from garage sales and free furniture on the side of the road for signs of bed bugs before you purchase it or bring it home. If you see signs of a current or former infestation, stay away.
Use a mattress and pillow encasement. Mattress and pillow encasements are made from a material that’s designed to prevent bed bugs from making their way into your bedding. They can also serve as anti-allergens, protect against dust mites, and are often waterproof. They are low cost and can be purchased at most home goods stores or online.
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How To Dispose Of An Electric Bed
Electric beds can be extremely heavy and bulky to move and transport. Because of their weight and size, safely removing them from a home or building can be troublesome. Also, youll want to make sure your local transfer station will accept electric beds, as they often need to be disassembled for proper recycling. Junk 4 Good can help with all of the above. We can take care of the moving, loading, disassembly and recycling as needed. Dont hurt your back trying to wrestle with an electric bed, give us a call!
Where To Throw Away A Mattress In Houston
Texas Mattress Makers
When your mattress starts to look and feel worn out and gross, you may be wondering where to throw away a mattress in Houston. Say that youre waking up with constant neck and back pain or youve noticed sagging in your mattress. These could be signs its time to throw out the old mattress for a new one.
Whether you just want an upgrade or desperately need a better nights sleep, lets dive into the topic of how and where to throw away a mattress in Houston and how to go about the process.
Pro tip: Trouble falling and staying asleep, a sagging mattress, and waking up with aches and pains are all bad mattress symptoms. Before kicking your old mattress to the curb, check out our resources on how often you should replace a mattress, when is the best time to buy a mattress, and how to differentiate between a sagging mattress vs. body impression.
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Where Can I Throw Away A Mattress
Disposing of a mattress differs a lot from community to community, so your best bet is to do some research beforehand to figure out how your local government deals with large scale waste. This is important, because if you discard your mattress inappropriately, you could be fined or face legal action.
Are There Any Fees For Disposing Of A Mattress In A Dumpster
In some areas, there are fees associated with getting rid of a mattress. Mattress disposal charges apply when the local landfill or transfer station must break down or recycle the mattress. These charges come directly from the local facility and will apply whether youâre using a dumpster rental, curbside pickup or landfill drop-off.
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Breaking Down Your Mattress
How To Dispose Of A Mattress Topper Or Pad
Now that you know the environmental issues with throwing that old mattress pad into a landfill, it might be time to think about some alternatives to trashing that old topper.
Instead of throwing them out, you can:
- Recycle the foam mattress topper
- Repurpose memory foam mattress toppers
- Donate mattress toppers
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Reason #: Replacing A Bed Can Be Expensive
Look at your current bed and ask yourself how much you have spent on it. Dont consider just the mattress. Also consider the bed frame, box spring, and the headboard and footboard. Bed sets can go up to $1,000, especially for those that involve queen size beds.
Are you sure you want to just throw away that worth of furniture? The replacement will cost you the same amount of money or even more.
When Is It Time For A New Mattress
Over time, mattress materials break down from regular use. Worn mattresses have a visible sag and lack support.
Cheap mattresses may also break down within a year. Poor quality materials dont last and may result in a lumpy mattress.
If you wake with aches and pains that fade during the day, your bed may be the problem. If your current mattress is still under warranty, most companies will repair or replace it. But, if the bed is outside of the warranty, it might be time to buy a new mattress.
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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
Why Should You Recycle Your Mattress
Every year, Canadians dispose of over 5 million mattresses and box springs into landfills. Weighing an average of about 70 pounds per mattress, this equates to millions of pounds of materials unnecessarily being disposed of and buried in our landfills. Not only does this cause immeasurable harm to our environment, but it costs taxpayers countless dollars to handle, process and dispose of these items every year.
By making the choice to have us remove and recycle your mattresses, you are supporting our employment programs and helping to impact local individuals lives for good! Since 2011, we have been able to invest over $1,000,000+ back into the local community each year, as well as employing over 50 individuals each year.! We are a not-for-profit company, investing 100% of proceeds back into our local community.
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What To Do With An Old Mattress
When you are looking at replacing your old mattress, it can be difficult to find out what your options are for getting rid of it. Most charity donation programs no longer accept used mattresses as donations, so aside from selling or giving it away to a stranger for free over the internet, what can you do? The best solution is to make sure your old mattress is recycled. Junk 4 Good can help pick-up, lift and load your old mattress items from your home with ease. Our qualified team will take care of all the heavy work, the transportation and will ensure your item is responsibly recycled.
How Much Does Mattress Removal Cost
Mattress removal costs can range from $10 up to $700, depending on the number and size of the mattresses youâre getting rid of, as well as the service you choose and your location.
The average cost of a junk hauling service is $297, which usually covers 9 cubic yards, or 3 pickup truck loads, of junk.
If you are getting rid of multiple mattresses as well as other household junk, a dumpster rental will be the most economical option. The average cost of a 20 yard dumpster rental is $447, which includes more than double that amount of debris and can fit multiple mattresses and box springs.
When you rent a dumpster for mattress and box spring disposal, you can choose a container size that fits the amount of trash you have. And you can keep your dumpster on-site until youâve finished cleaning up, making it the timelier and more efficient disposal option.
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How Mattress Recycling Works
It all starts with you! Its easy for you to personally have a lasting social and environmental impact in your local community. If you need mattress removal or disposal services, simply give us a call to book an on-site mattress pick up. Within Edmonton, you can also drop your mattress off at any Eco Station or even the City of Edmonton Waste Management Centre. If you arent located within Edmonton, please check with your local transfer station or landfill as we do partner with many surrounding municipalities.
Located outside of Edmonton? No problem, weve got you covered! Junk 4 Good is happy to help strategize a solution for commercial junk removal jobs to make sure your mattresses are recycled throughout Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Give us a call today at !
Once the items are received at our facility, the recycling begins! The mattress items land on our floor and are inspected, sorted and the recycling process begins. Our staff will begin to manually separate each item by cutting the mattress open. Our trained staff separate and sort all the individual components that comprise a mattress or box spring. These materials that make up the mattress , will then be recycled back into different industry streams to find new uses or be made into new products. With every shipment of material sent out, we endeavour to re-invest back into the local economy by sending items to vendors as close to home as possible.
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.
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