How To Get Rid Of Mattress? Step-By-Step Guide

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
15 min read

A new mattress is definitely in order. A hand-me-down might be to blame. Is there a better design for your sleep type out there? Or perhaps your current sleeping arrangements are no longer enough. Buying a new mattress is an exciting experience no matter what the reason. Getting rid of your old one, on the other hand, can be a difficult and intimidating experience. In addition to that, please don’t just throw it out on the street. Make space for a new and improved mattress by recycling (or donating) your old one. Here are some simple tips.

7 Signs You Need a New Mattress – What About Mattress Removal?

An Old Mattress

A mattress’s lifespan is barely eight years on average, as you may not have known. Replace your mattress at least seven to ten years after purchasing it, according to Consumer Reports. Many people are surprised by this, considering mattresses often come with guarantees of up to 20 years. Parts such as springs are covered by this warranty, not your overall comfort.

You Don’t Feel Rested

Your mattress may need to be replaced if you don’t feel refreshed after sleeping for seven or eight hours. You won’t get much sleep if you toss and turn all night trying to find a position that feels right to you. Think about your mattress as a probable culprit if you don’t have any other issues with sleeping deeply.

How To Dispose Of A Mattress - Which?

Aches and Pains

Back discomfort can be caused by a mattress, however chiropractors and academics have reported conflicting findings. A bad mattress might make it impossible to keep your back in an appropriate position while you sleep, according to most chiropractors. Your mattress may be to blame if you wake up with a lot of aches and pains yet feel better once you get out of bed for a while.

Squeaky Beds

This could be a case where you do not need a new mattress at all and instead require a new box spring or bed frame. A mattress that makes a lot of noise when you get in or out of it may have a problem with the springs that hold it in place. An old, sagging, or broken box spring or frame might negate the benefits of even a brand-new mattress. Fortunately, it’s just as simple to get rid of and replace these parts of your bed.

Sagging

If you detect drooping in your mattress or sink into it when you lie down, you may have a mattress breakdown. An inadequate amount of support could be provided by damaged or bent springs in the mattress. If you have a memory foam mattress, you may be experiencing foam breakdown. In addition to causing back and joint pain, a new mattress should be a top priority for anyone who sleeps on one.

Allergies

Dust mites may be to blame if you’re only experiencing allergy symptoms while sleeping. When it comes to household allergies, cotton spring mattresses are a favorite for dust mites. People who are allergic to dust mites may have major issues when the mites accumulate over time. A mattress cover may assist, but the ideal solution is to buy a mattress that is resistant to dust mites.

Changes in Weight

The quality of your mattress’s sleep might also be affected by weight fluctuations. If you’ve gained or lost a lot of weight, your old mattress may no longer be comfortable for you. If you’re going to be losing or gaining weight, you’ll want to look into obtaining a new mattress that’s more suited to your new body type.

How To Get Rid Of Mattress

1. Check your mattress

The first step in determining how to get rid of your mattress is to determine its condition. After you’ve removed all of the room’s furnishings, take a look to see how well it’s been maintained. Great? Good? Next, consider donating or selling your mattress. Okay? Poor? Then it’s time to put it to good use again.

2. Consider donation

Your mattress can be of great use to a local charity if in good condition. Both Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army have many sites where you may donate your old mattress. If you’re looking for a location in your area, check out their websites. Find a local charity and schedule a pick-up with Donation Town.

3. Sell it

There’s nothing wrong with selling your old mattress if it’s still in good condition (maybe you’ve simply upgraded from memory foam to a hybrid). It’s easy to find a new home for your mattress on Craigslist, Next Door, or even Facebook.

4. Recycle it

You can recycle an old mattress if it’s not suitable for donation or resale. We enjoy Earth 911 since it lets you type in “Mattress” and your zip code into the recycle search area. A list of mattress recycling facilities in your area will be generated. If you live in California, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, Bye-Bye Mattress can help you locate recycling locations in your area.

5. Hire help

For a price, there are businesses that will come take up your mattress if you are unable to do so yourself (trust us, we know how difficult this can be). 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is one of them. Use Yelp to find alternative pick-up providers, as well

Who Picks Up Mattresses For Free Near Me?

You can check with your local business or company to see if they can remove the mattress for you at no charge, as we described previously. There may be a junk removal service in your neighborhood. For additional services like house pickups, this utility price may differ from one firm to another or from one mattress to another.

How to Dispose of a Mattress: A Comprehensive Guide

In addition to 1-800-GOT-JUNK and mattress recycling centers, certain mattress makers have partnerships with 1-800-GOT-JUNK. It’s always a good idea to recycle your mattress and reduce the amount of rubbish that goes into the landfill. If you don’t have the money to buy a new mattress, you may be able to find a charity or shelter that will pick it up for free if it’s in good shape.

Can I Put A Mattress In The Dumpster?

Mattress disposal laws vary from municipality to community, as this page makes clear time and time again. If you leave your mattress in a dumpster, you may be subject to penalties or tickets in some locations. As for the mattress, there may be a timetable or a demand for it to be disposed of.

It’s possible that you’ll have to disassemble your mattress in order to dispose of it properly. To remove the cloth cover, simply cut a slit in it and pull it up. The springs and structure remain after the foam has been removed. Even in a standard trash can, the reduced volume will make disposal easier.

How to Keep Your Mattress in Good Shape Longer

We’ve compiled a list of the ten greatest strategies to safeguard your mattress investment and avoid calamities.

1. Make sure your mattress is properly supported.

The appropriate kind of support for your mattress is critical, even if you don’t have to buy a matching box spring or foundation when you buy a new one. Preventing early wear and tear helps to retain the integrity of materials.

For more information, speak with the product’s creator or review the manufacturer’s warranty policy. Specialty mattresses such as memory foam and latex require a firmer support than traditional spring beds.

The weight of sleepers and the mattress should be supported by a bed’s frame, and queen and king beds should have center support bars for added stability. Depending on the mattress and weight, wide-slat platform beds may require additional support.

In order to ensure that your mattress isn’t affected by damaged slats or springs, you should examine the stability of your bed every few years.

2. Use a mattress protector from the beginning.

One of the greatest and simplest ways to extend the life of your mattress is to use a mattress protector.

Waterproof protection against spills and mishaps is provided by a high-quality mattress protector, which also serves to limit the amount of dust, debris, and filth that get up on your mattress in the first place.

Keeps skin oils and sweat from accumulating on the bed, prevents mildew and dust mites from accumulating, and helps to protect the materials inside your bed from deterioration. Many current protectors are just as comfortable as a fitted sheet, making cleanups a breeze when mishaps do occur.

3. Wash bed linens regularly.

Your body sheds perspiration, oils, hair, and skin cells during the course of the night. In addition to the crumbs that are left behind when one eats in bed, pets can bring in all kinds of other items. Bacteria and dust mites thrive in mattress layers that are infested with disgusting stuff.

Most housekeeping professionals recommend washing bed sheets and blankets every week to every two weeks. The cleanliness of your sheets is essential even if you’re wearing a mattress protector. Mattress protectors should also be washed on a regular basis, following the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

4. Get pets separate beds to snuggle in.

Instead of allowing your pet snuggle up on your mattress, give them their own special bed to sleep in.

When pets, like people, go outside to relieve themselves, they slobber, drool, and shed hair and cells, which ends up on your sheets. The occasional accident by a pet can wreak havoc on a perfectly excellent mattress.

5. Rotate the mattress regularly.

No matter the size or the material, rotating a mattress on a regular basis is beneficial to all mattresses. While some manufacturers claim that rotating is not necessary, the lack of rotation can lead to depressions and weakening.

Rotate the mattress from top to bottom every two to six months. During the first few of years of using a new mattress, this is very critical.

6. No jumping on the bed!

Your mother was right when she cautioned you not to jump on the bed. It’s true that severe use can destroy spring, water, and air beds more than any other kind of mattress. But this is also true of the foundations, frames, and even foams that are used to support these mattresses.

7. Take care when moving your mattress.

In order to avoid damaging your mattress during the moving process, wrap your mattress in plastic and avoid folding it. Heavy-duty mattress bags, which can be taped shut to keep dirt and water out, are commonly available at moving and box stores.

You should always move a mattress upright on its side to avoid creases or sagging during the move. Mattress covers with handles are normally not recommended for moving or dragging the mattress.

8. Don’t bring home unwanted hitchhikers.

With their inability to be completely eradicated once inside, bedbugs are one of the quickest and most efficient ways to damage a mattress.

Always check the bed for symptoms of bedbugs and keep your luggage off the floor when you’re away from home. Texas A&M University has some advice on how to avoid taking bedbugs back to your own house if you fear you have them.

Consider utilizing a bedbug-proof mattress encasement if you live in an apartment or in an area where these pests are prevalent. All four sides of the bed are covered to keep bugs out. These are different from mattress protectors since they feature unbreakable zippers.

Free options for disposing of your old mattress and pillow | CHOICE

9. Let the light in occasionally.

Every month or two when you have a sunny and dry day, strip your mattress and let the sunlight in to air out the bed for several hours (though if bedbugs are possible, leave the cover on).

When the weather is nice and dry, take your mattress out of the box and let it air out for a few hours (though if bedbugs are possible, leave the cover on).

10. Follow manufacturer cleaning directions.

In order to maintain the health and cleanliness of your mattress, it is essential that you clean your mattress on a regular basis.

Most mattresses should be vacuumed with a hose attachment to eliminate surface dust before following the stain removal and general cleaning instructions provided by many manufacturers.

It’s best to wait to make the bed until the stains have completely dried before using a gentle water and soap solution. Foams can be damaged by harsh chemical cleaners, so be careful while using them.

Vacuuming should be done every one to three months, depending on the degree of dust, allergies, or personal preference, and stains should be cleaned as needed with spot treatments.

Although the care and maintenance of various mattress kinds and brands may fluctuate slightly, the fundamentals remain the same. As a general rule, maintain the bed clean, protect it from accidents and damage, make sure it’s supported, and rotate it so it wears evenly over time.

The lifespan of a mattress is highly variable, but by following some best practices, you can make sure that you get the most out of your investment and may sleep soundly for many years to come. Know that a 10-year mattress guarantee is the industry norm, regardless of whether you’re shopping at a brick-and-mortar store or a new bed in a box mattress company.

Conclusion

What if you don’t need your old mattress anymore? A mattress is a difficult object to get rid of because it doesn’t go in the trash like other items. It’s also possible to take it to a recycling center or to your local trash collection.

You might even want to take it apart first for easier disposal, plus you’ll have extra parts to sell or recycle! Mattresses and other large objects should be checked out with your local community before they are disposed of. Your old mattress may be taken away by your shop, so it’s worth checking with them to see if they can do it for you.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.