We Need Sustainable Mattresses
As an answer to the alarming issue of mattress disposal, some entrepreneurs are already creating their own sustainable mattresses. You might be able to find a few options that market themselves as non-toxic and eco-friendly varieties.
Theyre usually designed to offer a healthier alternative to sleepers since they dont use harsh chemicals in their production. Others say that their materials are biodegradable. So even if theyre not recycled, they still wont create as much waste as conventional mattress will.
This industry is still in its earliest stages, however. A lot of bigger mattress manufacturers still need to jump on the trend or at least start exploring it. However, its a very good start. These biodegradable mattresses might still need to go a long way to make an impact but theres a chance that it will eventually get there.
How To Dispose Of A Mattress Properly
Getting a new mattress is a big deal.
From size, to firmness, to height and material, theres a lot on your mind when you finally make the decision to turn your old mattress in for something better.
There are always a ton of things to keep track of as you go through the process of buying a new mattress, and that makes it easy to lose sight of one very important question:
Finding A Recycling Center For Mattresses
If your old mattress provider doesnt pull through with mattress disposal, not to worrythere are a few sites online specifically designed to guide you through this process.
Websites like Earth 911 and , for instance, will help find you nearby recycling centers based on your zip code.
Unfortunately, though, these sites arent yet available everywhere just yet.
Bye Bye Mattress only offers services in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Earth 911, on the other hand, searches for recycling centers around the countrybut note that not all centers accept mattresses.
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How To Haul Away A Mattress
- Use a waste disposal service: Mattress hauling is part of waste disposal. You can call a dumpster rental or waste disposal service that will pick up and haul your mattress for you. Prices vary, and youll have to do some extra work, like wrapping it tightly in plastic, if you suspect your old mattress has bed bugs. .
- Have your new mattress company haul your old one away: Many mattress companies will haul your old mattress away to recycle it when they deliver your new one. This is by far the easiest option since you wont really need to do anything other than pay a small fee for the labor involved in removing and hauling away your old mattress. Here are some things to know:
- Generally, the fee is under $30.
- Some companies will haul your mattress away for free as an added incentive to have you purchase your new one from them.
- Best for local moves.
- Many online retailers dont offer this service.
Can You Donate A Mattress
Absolutely! As long as your mattress is in good condition, it can be donated. This means your mattress should be free from stains, rips, or tears, and not be broken in any way. Each local charitable organization that accepts mattress donations will have slightly different standards for what they take, so its best to check with them before you drop it off.
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Reuse For Children’s Playtime
If you have a play space for your little ones at home, you can also just relocate your old mattress there and they can have fun in it. If its bouncy enough, it can be a substitute for an indoor trampoline. They might not be able to do flips in it but they can still have hours of fun bouncing up and down in them.
Old mattresses can also come in handy in creating cushioning for your little ones jungle gyms and other climbing play areas. They can make their playtimes safer, so there might not be any need for you to fully dispose of an old mattress if its still in relatively good condition.
Just make sure to have it thoroughly cleaned before letting your kids play with it, though. This way, you can be sure that theyre completely safe to have around your precious ones.
Does The Salvation Army Take Mattresses Can They Be Donated To Goodwill
Unfortunately, the Salvation Army does NOT take mattress donations. Their website explicitly states that beds and mattresses are a no-go for mattress recycling . While the Salvation Army is a great place to get rid of other furniture, they just arent equipped to handle the sort of space that a lot of mattresses provide.
On the other hand, Goodwill is one of the organizations that DOES take mattress donations and furniture, providing they are in good shape. Goodwill says on their website that any donated item should be free of rips and stains so that they can provide the most use to people who need them. They also recommend that for larger specialty items that you contact your local Goodwill first to make sure that they have the space for such an item. As long as its in good shape, Goodwill represents a great way to recycle.
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Extending The Life Of Your Mattress
There are a few ways you can extend the life of your old mattress but its not recommended. Old mattresses tend to have sleepers tossing and turning during the night, due to sagging and more. They also have the ability to negatively affect a person’s overall health. Dust mites are unfortunately a common mattress issue that can cause many health problems, especially in allergy and asthma sufferers.
Sleeping on an old mattress can even be stressful, proven by a bed-based study which concluded that sleeping on a new mattress increases sleep quality and reduces back discomfort.
When Your Mattress Needs Replacing
Its often recommended that a mattress should be replaced every 7 -10 years. The actual amount of time your mattress can last, however, can vary quite drastically. The truth is that your mattress needs replacing when you believe it needs replacing. If youre not sleeping as well as you once did, it may be time for an upgrade.
If you havent bought a new mattress yet, be sure to check out our full range. Our memory foam mattress range has been carefully crafted to suit the preferences of all our customers. Each is available in sizes ranging from Single to Super King. Youre sure to find the perfect mattress here!
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How To Dispose Of A Mattress
While trying to find the best mattress for you can be frustrating, every mattress owner inevitably reaches the point where its clear that its time to level up. Some people decide to switch out their mattress because theyre interested in a new model or mattress type, and some people seek out a new mattress because their comfort requirements have changed over time, because of factors like age, losing or gaining weight, and/or injuries. However, even someone who isnt particularly interested in other mattresses will need to replace their mattress eventually.
There are a number of different ways to get rid of a used mattress, from recycling to donation to throwing it away. The method thats right for you depends on a number of different factors, especially the state of the mattress, where you are located, and which facilities are close by offering which types of disposal and donation services.
Well break down the different methods of mattress disposal, how to choose the right one for you, and how to go about getting the disposal job done.
How To Dispose Of Old Mattress
Is it time to replace or upgrade your mattress? A mattress generally lasts around 10 years, so you may or may not know exactly what to do with your old mattress. There are a few different options depending on things like: where your new mattress was purchased, where you live, and what your preferences. Well run down the easiest and environmentally friendly ways to get rid of that old mattress. Since close to 15 million mattresses end up in a landfill each year, its essential to take a little extra time to avoid this whenever possible.
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Dispose Of The Mattress
Send the mattress to the landfill. If your mattress is in extremely poor condition or has suffered from bed bugs or other damaging conditions, your best bet is to throw it away. None of us like contributing to landfills any more than we have to, but if your mattress has been plagued with anything from bed bugs to cat urine to fleas from your dog, do your health a favor and replace it and do the health of others a favor by disposing of it completely.
If you leave it curb side for your garbage collector to pick up, call the garbage collection service to make arrangements beforehand. Many trucks may not be equipped to haul away mattresses, and you dont want to be stuck with a mattress on your sidewalk for another week. Some garbage collection services may charge an extra fee for picking up oversized items such as mattresses.
Will My Mattress Be Recycled If Loadup Takes It
A lot of people ask us if we really recycle and donate the junk we pick up. The answer is yesand no. LoadUp is not a recycling facility or a nonprofit organization. So, we dont recycle the mattresses and other junk we pick up ourselves.
Because LoadUp is a network of independently contracted Loaders that spans across the United States, it would be pretty hard for us to recycle everything ourselves.
Instead, the Loaders take every junk item they possibly can directly to charities and recycling centers to donate them and have them properly recycled by the established recycling facility.
That way, you can rest easy knowing that your junk isnt going to have a negative impact on the environment. Plus, this means that LoadUp is able to price their junk removal services about 20-30% cheaper than what most other junk removal companies would charge.
LoadUp actually even charges less than most of the other junk removal companies that recycle what they pick up because we base our prices on item count rather than volume. Our prices for junk removal start at about $75, with additional items costing about $10 $15 each.
Want junk removal thats eco-friendly?BOOK A PICKUP
Another reason we are able to charge less is because we are not a junk removal franchise like those other guys, which reduces our overhead costs and lets us pass the savings on to you.
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- No on-site haggling or surprise fees.
- Payments handled securely online.
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Find A Good Charity For Donating Mattresses
One good way to find charities in need of mattresses is to go through sites like Donation Town.
This is pretty similar to Earth 911 and Bye Bye Mattress, in that it finds organizations near you willing to take decent-quality beds and mattresses off your hands.
There are a lot of reasons why people might need a new mattress, but be unable to afford one.
Homeless people.
People in transition.
Refugees.
Having a quality mattress under your back is often one of the first steps to getting back on your feet.
Your battered mattress could help change a life.
How To Keep Your Mattress In Great Condition
Reduce, reuse, recycle. The most effective way you can manage waste is by reducing the amount you of trash make.
Most mattresses last at least 8 years. Some TLC can make your bed last even longer and keep it out of landfills. Plus, keeping your mattress longer means youll save money.
Try out these tips to get the most out of your mattress:
- Put it on a supportive foundation
- Use a mattress pad or protector
- Rotate your mattress every 34 months
- Wash your sheets weekly
- Vacuum your mattress semi-annually
- Dont jump on the bed
Good upkeep doesnt just keep your bed smelling fresh and clean. It also prevents sweat and body oils from breaking down mattress fibers.
So, youve taken great care of your bed. Never jumped on it once. But what if youre not sleeping as well as when you first got it? Take a look at the next section to see if you need an upgrade.
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What Should I Do With My Old Mattress
Durable materials and increased lifespan notwithstanding, every mattress, no matter how sturdy, sees its last sleep. Eventually, an innerspring mattress weakens, the memory foam topper wears out, the cover grows thin, and every mattress eventually reaches the end of its days.
And when the time has come to buy a new mattress, you also need to figure out how to dispose of your old one .
Fortunately, the answer isnt as complicated as you might fear. There are essentially three options: government collection, private collection, and recycling or mattress donation.
Will The Council Collect My Mattress
Most, if not all, local councils offer a collection and disposal service for bulky waste, which includes beds and mattresses. But it can be surprisingly expensive, and theres often no guarantee that your mattress wont end up in landfill many local authorities simply say that they will recycle some or all of the waste where possible.
Some councils, such as Liverpool City Council and a number of London boroughs, offer free bulky-waste collection, but theyre very much in the minority. Most councils charge a fee to collect bulky waste, and it can be expensive Argyll and Bute Council and Wealden District Council charge more than £50 for the service, the London Borough of Richmond charges £62 per collection, for example.
If you live in England or Wales, you can find out how much your council will charge for bulky-waste disposal by typing your postcode into the gov.uk website. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, go to your councils website and search for bulky-waste disposal.
Having the council collect your mattress from your home can be convenient, but make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully. Many councils charge a different price depending on the number of bulky items theyll be collecting, but bear in mind that a bed frame and a mattress will likely count as at least two items. And items will often only be collected if theyre left in a designated spot outside the house.
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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.
Why Mattress Disposal Is A Problem
There might be lots of other bigger problems than old mattress disposal but no matter how mundane this issue might be, it still amounts to a serious problem. The fact that people find it hard to dispose of their used mattresses means that a lot of these items end up in landfills all over the globe.
In the US, it is estimated that about 15 to 20 million mattresses are disposed of every year. In Australia, about a million mattresses head to the landfills yearly. These are seriously large amounts of waste, not just in numbers but also in size. If we keep up with these numbers, you can bet that used mattresses will soon take up the most space in landfills.
The fact that these items are not made of biodegradable materials is another pressing issue. A lot of todays mattresses are made with polyurethane foam and memory foam. Some might even have plastics in them in various forms. These can take a while to degrade which also means that they can stick around in our landfills for a good amount of time.
So, yes, mattress disposal is definitely a problem. If the general public cannot easily get rid of their old mattresses, its very likely that theyll only end up crowding our landfills.
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Government & Private Resources
Most municipalities have specific procedures that must be followed when disposing of a used mattress, oftentimes including a certain manner of disposal as well as a fee. You can check your local governments website for the procedure in your area.
In a few states, including Connecticut, California, and Rhode Island, Extended Producer Responsibility laws help alleviate the burden on the government workers by putting the responsibility on the mattress producer. With EPR laws, consumers pay a fee up front when they buy their mattress to fund public collection and mattress disposal, thus facilitating used mattress recycling.
Of course, there is also an endless selection of private companies looking to cash in on your predicament by charging a mattress pick-up fee to dispose of your mattress hassle-free.
Employ A Professional Furniture Removal Team
If youre looking for an easy, efficient, and stress-free way to get rid of your mattress, consider arranging mattress removal with a professional waste removal company. They will collect, transport, and dispose of your mattress in an environmentally friendly manner, allowing you to sit back and relax as they handle all of the heavy lifting for you. Not only that, but many businesses offer same-day mattress removal.
Our mattress removal service at RecycleZone enables you to sit back and relax without having to hire a car, wait in line for hours, or pay for a skip. Contact us today to get a no-strings-attached quote for getting rid of your old mattress or for our other furniture disposal services.
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