When it’s time for a new mattress, what do you do with the old one? Here’s a guide to proper mattress disposal.
After about 10 years your mattress should be replaced with a new mattress. Even a quality mattress, under normal wear and tear, will begin to lose support after this length of time. Proper mattress disposal may take a little planning but the payoff is in the benefits to the environment. Far too many mattresses end up in landfills or on the side of the road. With a little research you will find that there are more eco-friendly ways to dispose of your mattress.
The first thing you can do when is contact the store where you bought the mattress. Furniture stores and mattress outlets sometimes offer mattress disposal at no cost. They either will pick up the old mattress when the new one is delivered or schedule another date. However, it is a good idea to ask the vendor whether their policy is to take the old mattresses to a recycling center. In many cases furniture stores simply take the mattresses to a landfill; which is what you are trying to avoid.
Another alternative when you buy a new mattress is to sell or give away the old mattress. Put out the word that you have a good quality used mattress available. Take out an ad in the local newspaper or online classifieds. There are people who look for used mattress to either recycle or rebuild. You can consider leaving the mattress curbside in hopes someone will drive by and pick it up for this purpose. However, your city may have regulations against this so it is best check first.
Donating to a charity is another eco-friendly mattress disposal option. Contact charities in your area to see if they accept used mattresses. Charities in some municipalities have restricted the types of donations they will take. Old mattress can contain bugs, dust mites and bodily fluids like perspiration, so it is best to check to see if they are accepted. Some charitable organizations do have the facilities to properly sanitize used mattresses for reuse.
If none of these options work for you, try looking for creative ways the mattress can be repurposed. The most environmentally conscious way to dispose of your mattress is to recycle it. You can do this yourself by dismantling the mattress and making use of its parts. For instance the foam can be cut into pieces and made into pillows for your new mattress or other furniture in your home. If you enjoy sewing, the cloth can be used to make clothing or for other crafting projects. Junk yards will sometimes buy coils and other salvage pieces from your mattress.
Recycling centers across the country can also be helpful with a proper disposal of your mattress. They will pick up your old mattress for a fee depending on the size of your mattress. The mattress is broken down to the bare bones and the pieces are separated for various uses. Even the wood from the frame can be shredded for wood chips or cut into small pieces for other uses.
Whether you choose to donate, recycle or reuse the old mattress, your effort benefits the environment. Knowing this, you can enjoy your new mattress feeling good about the method you have chosen for proper disposal of your old mattress.
Did we miss any good methods? How did you get rid of your last mattress? Leave a comment!