How To Properly Dispose Your Mattress For A Cleaner and Natural World

A great mattress can last a long time, typically around eight years. However, all mattresses will eventually run out of time and will need to be replaced. However, that can sometimes be easier said than done. Mattresses are large, bulky, difficult to move—and most people don’t even know where to start when it comes to finding a place to get rid of that mattress. Disposing of a mattress can be complex, but this guide can help you gain a better understanding of the right way in order to dispose of any mattress you don’t want on your hands. Whether you choose to recycle, donate or dispose of your mattress—this guide will help you get started.

How Do You Recycle A Mattress?

There are many people who first and foremost look to recycle their mattress. After all, this is the more eco-friendly option when it comes to getting your mattress off your hands—and making sure it doesn’t end up in a landfill. What many people don’t realize is that about 80% of the components that make up the average mattress can be recycled.

Unfortunately, it is often more difficult than it seems to find places to recycle your mattress. Here’s where to start.

Call a Local Recycling Center

All communities around the country will have their own recycling centers, and while not every recycling center will accept mattresses—many of them do. You will need to call ahead first to make sure that the recycling center in your community will accept mattresses first. Keep in mind, while mattress recycling is very affordable, especially when compared to junk removal services, you should still expect to pay anywhere from $10-$40 to recycle your mattress in most areas.

If you are able to move the mattress on your own, you can schedule a time to drop it off at the recycling center yourself. There are also many local recycling centers that have their own staff of haulers that will come and pick up your mattress for you (typically for a fee). The good news is certain states, such as Rhode Island, California and Connecticut now have laws in place that allow any resident to recycle their mattress for a minimal cost or for free.

If you do not live in a community with a nearby recycling center that will help you get rid of your mattress—you can also destruct your mattress yourself and take the recyclable parts to your local recycling center. Most of the main pieces of your mattress such as the wood frame, steel springs and the foam can be recycled.

DIY Mattress Recycling- ByeByeMattress.com

Locate Mattress Recycling facilities through ByeByeMattress.com

If you want to take more of a DIY approach to recycling your mattress—the website ByeByeMattress.com is a great place to start. This online resource will detail all of your options with recycling your mattress—as they are committed to helping more people find safe and eco-friendly solutions to getting rid of their mattress.

You can browse by state and learn more about how to recycle your mattress in your area and learn more about all of the benefits of recycling as well. According to the company, they recycle at least one million mattresses across their different state programs every year.

Repurpose It

This is a solution for the more creative individuals who want to find a new use for their old mattress. If you are able to take the mattress apart, you may be surprised to find that all of the different pieces that make up your mattress can be used for different projects. The metal springs can be repurposed into everything from Christmas ornaments to bird feeder. That cushioning foam can fill pillows or pet beds, and the fabric (if it is in good shape) can be repurposed as well.

How Do You Donate a Mattress?

If you don’t want to recycle your mattress and help the environment in that way, you may be able to help an fother person by donating your mattress instead. If your mattress is in decent shape, then there are a few different organizations that you can donate your mattress to so that someone can take advantage of that mattress and a comfortable place to sleep.

If your mattress is wet, seriously stained or if you have a mattress with bed bugs, it cannot be donated.

Charity—Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity

Mattress Recycling Helps Families In Need

There are many charities with local branches in communities around the country who will accept mattress donations. If you have a Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity in your area make a call to make sure they are currently taking mattress donations. Goodwill will not accept used mattresses, but they do accept bed frames, linens and used mattress pads.

You will typically have to take the mattress there yourself, but there are some branches that may have hauling services that will come take large objects like this off your hands. With companies like this, the organization will resell the mattress at a very affordable price so that those on a limited budget may be able to afford the homes necessities that they need. Donating to these popular charities is also a tax-deductible move. They will give you a donation slip when you give your mattress up and you can use it when you file your taxes.

DonationTown.org

Donations are a great way to Recycle and Give Back

DonationTown.org is a great online resource when you are looking to donate large items such as mattresses. This organization will actually help you donate your unwanted mattress for free. All you need to do is to enter in your zip code through the website and they will give you a list of charities in your area that will pick up donations such as mattresses for you. You can then schedule your donation pick up for free. All of the donation pick-up services go to non-profit charities around the country and they come with an IRS tax deduction slip.

Furniture Bank Association

The Furniture Bank Association is another great option for those who want to donate their mattresses to someone in need. Through this organization, you can find local furniture donation centers in your area and reach out to these furniture banks directly. They will then schedule a pick-up time for you and help you easily and quickly get rid of that unwanted mattress. The mattress will then go to these furniture banks that will help those in need. There are many people dealing with hardships, starting over, overcoming domestic violence and more that will utilize these furniture banks in order to start a new life.

Give a Mattress to a Neighbor—Freecycle.org

Mattress Disposal Guide To Properly Recycle Your Old Mattress

Freecycle.org is an online destination where you can actually donate your mattress to someone in your area and help out a neighbor in need. You can join this network for free and access countless members in your community who are looking to recycle unwanted goods and to keep products out of landfills.

If you want to connect with others in your community who may know of an organization in need of a mattress, or who may want a mattress for themselves—then this is a great place to look for solutions. This organization has already helped keep a lot of unwanted household products and furniture off the streets, and you too can help make sure trash isn’t piling up in your neighborhood with this service.

Properly Dispose of a Mattress

Mattress Recycling is important to keep our local communities clean

If your mattress is not in condition to be donated and reused, and you want to dispose of that mattress—there is a proper way to do it. There are some people who don’t live in an area where they can recycle or thrift mattress, or your mattress may not be able to be recycled or donated. There are many people who don’t know what to do with their mattress of how they should be disposing of their unwanted mattresses—so they simply dispose of them on the side of the road. This is not OK and it is really bad for the environment, so take a look at the proper ways you can get rid of the mattresses that you no longer want.

Before you start coming up with a plan on how you want to dispose of your mattress—make sure to check with your mattress’s warranty about disposal services. There are now many companies who offer buy-back and free disposal services for their customers to make sure that their mattresses are not ending up as litter.

Local Waste Disposal Service

There are local waste disposal services that will help you get rid of that unwanted mattress as well. These “junk removal” or waste disposal services will come and pick up the mattress for you. Many of these companies will actually take the mattresses to a recycling center or use other eco-friendly disposal mattresses so that local dumps don’t continue to pile up. Every junk removal company is different and there will be both national and local junk removal services in every area. Some junk removal companies will charge a flat fee, some charge you per-item. The most common way to charge for something like mattress pick up is by volume. This means you will want to calculate the weight of the mattress based on its size. Any local waste disposal service you use should give you a quote on what the

MattressDisposalPlus.com LoadUp

MattressDisposalPlus.com Mattress Removal Service

If you visit MattressDisposalPlus.com, you will find another way to safely and properly dispose of your wanted mattress. This is a national company that will come in and remove any household items that you no longer want. LoadUp is a company with locations in all 50 states. The unique thing about LoadUp is that unlike other brands out there, they will actually remove mattresses that have bed bugs in them. You just need to give them proper notice first.

The company will remove the old mattress, remove box springs and will quickly and easily get rid of your unwanted mattress set. The disposal services begins at around $80 for a standard mattress removal.

Mattress Disposal and Mattress Recycling Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult

Whether you are moving, investing in a new mattress for your home, or want to upgrade the size of your current mattress—if you are looking to replace your old mattress with a new one, it is important to know what to do with that old mattress. There are proper ways to find a mattress removal service for mattress disposal and mattress recycling or charitable donation. A local church or a neighbor can help you take in and donate your mattress. Use this mattress disposal guide to help you navigate the many different options available that fits your needs best.

Jessica Lauren is Founder, contributing Author and Owner of Citrus Sleep. Citrus Sleep is an online publication that highlights brands, sleep products, women’s fashion, subscription services and ideas creating positive social change and promoting a healthy lifestyle. After spending nearly a decade working in PR and marketing for several brands and startups, Jessica knows what truly drives conversions, sold-out launches and guest posts.

Follow Jessica at @jessicalaurencs | Jessica Lauren