Firstly, disposing of a mattress is a task if you would like to do it the right way. You can never be sure about the right time to change your mattress. It totally depends on how the mattress has been used over the years and what quality mattress was purchased by the individual.
If you were to get a general idea then the life of a good quality mattress is between 7 to 10 years. Over the years of getting acquainted with using quality mattresses and also intensively researching them you can get an idea of the life of mattresses.
There are, without doubt, some signs that you need to keep track of to know if you need to change your mattress.
- If sleeping on the mattress has started becoming difficult and uncomfortable.
- If your mattress has started to sag from corners or areas where you usually sleep.
- Once you are able to hear and feel the broken springs on the mattress.
- If the topmost layer of the mattress has worn out significantly.
- If your mattress has started making noises.
- If the mattress is no longer stable for you to sleep on it.
- If you have started getting severe backaches.
- If you are unable to get sound sleep.
Looking at the complications of disposing of an old mattress, one can understand the dilemma you must go through in the entire thought process.
More than 350,000 mattresses land up in the landfills in the United States alone and for us to be doing our bit we need to understand how destructive it can be for the environment.
If you care for the environment and would like to dispose of your mattress in a way that is eco-friendly and also inexpensive then this guide should be of great help to you.
It is not recommended to drop off mattresses outside your homes or dump them in other places. Being a responsible citizen, you should always do it the right way.
One of the most important things is to always check the warranty on the mattress that needs to be disposed of. If you have a warranty on your mattress then you are in luck as you can get your mattress checked at the store you purchased it from.
They will inspect your mattress and if there are issues that are covered by the warranty, you will be entitled to a new or repaired mattress.
There are brands that offer free removal of mattresses in their warranty and if that is the case then you need not get into the hassle of the entire process.
However, if you have none of the above options then there are basically 4 options that you can look into.
- Sell your used mattress or donate it
- Recycle the mattress
- Use your mattress to create DIY things
- Throw it away (Last resort)
Selling or donating your used mattress
Selling your used mattress is a pretty wise option. Once you have used it up to its best possible condition, you can put it up for sale on any online reselling platform or just let the people you know about it.
Obviously, you are not going to make a fortune from it but then you will get rid of the mattress with ease. You can also put the mattress up for sale on multiple social media pages and get a faster response and if there is a chance that absolutely nobody is interested in buying the mattress then you can always sell it for no money.
There are so many organizations that would love to have donations like this. You can always find them online or in your community. Some of the charities and brands give an option of free pick-up of your used mattress.
Also, if you need to spend a little to manage the drop-off, there is no harm in helping out for a good cause.
Some of the organizations where you can donate are:
- The Salvation Army: This is a huge network of social workers who will happily take used mattresses from you. They offer to pick up the mattresses at no cost-saving you the hassle of arranging a drop. But you need to ensure that the mattress is not so damaged that it is beyond use for someone in need of a used mattress.
- Habitat For Humanity: This organization has been fighting against homelessness for a long time. Their objective is to offer a roof to as many people as possible. They have multiple drop-off locations where you can send your used mattress to be used by someone who maybe needs it more than you.
If you are unable to find a charity around you then you can always visit the DonationTown website and find some charity that could take the mattress off your hands. Also, there are a lot of churches and other such organizations that might be interested in a used mattress provided you ask around.
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Recycle the Mattress
One of the best ways to get rid of your used mattress is to recycle it. Yes, this means that eventually, you will be keeping the mattress but not in the same condition.
If you were to throw away your mattresses in the garbage then god knows where it would have ended up and how much impact it would have had on the environment.
There are a lot of DIY websites and Youtube videos available for you to help you make the best out of your used mattress provided you have the time for such a challenge.
Here are some organizations that recycle mattresses for your reference:
- Spring Back
- First Choice Mattress Recycling
- Mattress Paloma
- Re-Matt
There is one thing you need to be absolutely sure of before putting your mattress out for recycling. If your mattress is stained, wet, bug-infested, torn, or not in a condition to be used then please do not donate your mattress as it will not be accepted by them.
Use Your Mattress to create DIY Things
If you have the time and would like to get creative then you should think about repurposing your mattress. Almost all the parts of the mattress have a good purpose and by using the right guide you can always create something great out of the project.
Once you open up your mattress and inspect what it is made of then you will see how you can use it. There are many DIY products that can be a great addon to your home.
The parts of the mattress can be recycled. The spring and other steel components can be sold at the scrapyard. You won’t be making a lot of money out of this but then these parts can be of no use for you.
However, if you think that the springs or the steel parts can be of use for you then do keep the parts as this is total as per the preference of the mattress owner. There are a lot of purposes for the foams and cotton in your mattress.
You can use it for insulating some rooms or redoing your carpets. Your seats can be padded with them to give a little extra cushioning. The wooden parts can be used for making flower pots or railings.
There are a lot of videos available on youtube where you can learn and make a lot of decorative items from the components of a mattress. Whatever project you want to get into is up to you.
Throw it Away
This is one of the options that we really would not like to recommend to anyone but if none of the options mentioned above are helpful for you then this is your last resort.
If you are going to dispose of the mattress off in garbage then also you need to be careful and do it the right way. Many cities have laws set up for proper disposal of waste and you should never take these laws lightly as you might get fined and then face serious issues due to your negligence.
If your state allows you to throw the mattress in the common dumpsters then you can do so but it is not recommended as this is not an eco-friendly practice.
For proper disposal of your mattress
Hire a waste disposal company: There are private firms that take care of waste that cannot be managed regularly. By paying a fee you can ask them to pick up your mattress and they will take care of the rest for you.
All you need to do is check Google for the company closest to you, get a quote and arrange for the pick-up if the rate meets your budget.
Quick Links
- Zoned Mattress Coupon Codes
- THE Z BED Mattress Review
- My Green Mattress Coupons, Promo Codes & Discounts June
Conclusion | Mattress Disposal Guide 2024
However throwing your mattress away should always be your last option, the environmental impact it has is too serious.
The recycling of mattresses in bulk is not very efficient right now, and the secondary market does not care a lot about used mattresses so these usually end up in landfills.
There are waste disposal companies that use giant crushers to break them down. There are so many mattresses that are being thrown into landfills that each mattress now takes up 40 cubic feet of space in these landfills.
If you were to resell, recycle or donate your old mattresses then you can decrease the carbon footprint on the environment from your end as sometimes chemicals are used to break down such waste, and the chemicals, later on, seep into the soil which affects the environment a lot and causes soil and water pollution.
