How to Get Rid of Old Mattress: 4 Eco-Friendly Options

Ever seen an old mattress left on the curb? Not only is it ugly looking and fills the environment with unnecessary waste, you may even have to pay a fine. Plus, there are lots of easy ways to get rid of your old mattress sustainably.

Similar to disposing of electronics like old or broken laptops, it can be confusing to know what exactly to do with an old mattress. Whether you are moving homes or simply want to move on to a better bed, there are many sustainable options of how to get rid of your old mattress. You can donate, sell, upcycle, and recycle your mattress. Just make sure you don’t leave it on the curb or throw it in the dumpster without checking your trash collection service’s large items policy. Read on for details on sustainable options.

1. Get Rid of Your Old Mattress by Donating

Most mattresses have a lifespan between seven to ten years. If your mattress is in good condition, you may want to donate it. Make sure your mattress does not have any rips, stains or other visible damage. There also should be no mattress sagging in any sections of the bed. As long as it is looking and feeling in good shape, you should be able to donate it to a thrift shop or local charity store. Just make sure to clean your mattress first.

There are many options for mattress donation.

• Goodwill accepts mattresses.
• The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity are great options to get rid of your old mattress as they offer pick-up free of charge.
• Use donationtown.org to find out where else you can donate your old mattress locally.
• Otherwise, you can donate your mattress to your local second hand furniture shop or thrift store. For local shops you can always call and check if they offer pick-up for large items. 

2. Sell Your Mattress to Get Rid of It

If your mattress is in good shape to donate, but you would rather get some cash, you can always sell it as well. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and even Instagram and Twitter can be great resources to reach out to your circle and see if anybody is in need of a second hand mattress for cheap. This option can be a win-win for buyer and seller, and you can organize with the buyer to either drop off the mattress for them, or have them come by and pick it up from your house. You can use the money from getting rid of your old mattress toward getting a new one!

3. Upcycle Your Mattress Instead of Throwing It Away

You don’t need to dispose of your mattress altogether. You can easily upcycle it to put it to different uses.

• If it is made of memory foam, cut your mattress to size for your cat, dog or bunny. Your pet will love it because it is already covered in your scent, and you can use an old sheet as a mattress cover for them. With the rest of the mattress, check if your friends might want to make beds for their fur friends as well. 
• You can also upcycle your mattress for yourself and use the fabric and foam to create comfy pillows, chair and couch cushions, bean bag filler and more. If your mattress upholstery is in good shape, you can use this to sew a nice rug. Get rid of any remaining mattress materials by recycling them. 
• Store away the fabric, foam or padding material from the mattress and use it for home repairs, insulation or as padding during a move.
• Get creative and upcycle the steel springs of your old mattress. They could make a wine rack, a vase or hold bird food in your garden. If you’re crafty enough, you can put many parts of your old mattress to new use.

4. Recycle Your Mattress, Don't Just Throw It Away

If your mattress is not in good enough condition to donate, sell, or reuse then you can recycle it. You may not know that almost all parts of your mattress can be recycled, from the foam, wool and cotton to the coils.

To get rid of your old mattress by recycling it, always check your state regulations first.

• There may be a pick-up option so that you don’t need to drive to a recycling plant.
• In fact, if you are purchasing a new mattress and having it delivered to your current address, you can ask the mattress retailer if they will pick up your old mattress and take it to the recycling plant for you.
• If these options don’t work for you, you can contact Mattress Disposal Plus. They provide a mattress pick-up service and they dispose of your mattress in an environmentally sustainable way.
• The recycling database by Earth 911 lists over 100,000 facilities across the US and Canada. Find the facility closest to you via zip code, and find out whether you’ll have to pay a fee or can get a pick-up service to dispose of your mattress in a sustainable and comfortable way.
• Otherwise, get in touch with your friends and get your hands on a truck and drive your mattress to your local recycling center. You may have to pay a small fee at drop-off, but this is worth it to keep our environment clean.

Read on:

• What to Do With an Old Phone: 6 Sustainable Ideas
• Recycling: How to Dispose of Your Microwave the Right Way
• How to Dispose Of Your Christmas Tree Correctly This Year

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Tags: Conservation Guide Upcycling Waste