How to Get Rid of Your Old Mattress The Right Way
It happens all the time. You replace your old clunker of a mattress with a new, more supportive one. You get a great night’s sleep, while that old mattress of yours is occupying a 23 cubic-foot space in a landfill somewhere, if at all. Most landfills refuse to take in mattresses because of how difficult they are to recycle; the damage it causes to machinery makes it a very expensive process, being that the core of most mattresses includes a steel innerspring frame.
Recycling mattresses wouldn’t be a problem if they weren’t made up of foam, fiber, and steel innerspring support systems. So what do you do with that old mattress? Short answer: Get creative.
Give Your Mattress Away
Most people don’t even think twice before dumping their mattresses on the curb. But before you dump your styrofoam cup equivalent piece of furniture out. Consider these options if you have a mattress that is in fair shape:
Ask around
Tell neighbors, friends, and anyone else who will listen. Get on Facebook and let everyone know that you have a perfectly good mattress to take off your hands. You may not realize it, but there are still plenty of people sleeping on non-conventional bedding arrangements such as sofas, futons, and air beds. They’ll be grateful for it and you can get rid of your mattress guilt-free.
Craigslist
If you’ve ever checked out the free section of Craigslist there are PLENTY of people giving away their old mattresses to takers. And if you own a quality mattress, especially one that’s encased in a mattress protector, someone will buy it from you. There are people right now selling their used mattresses on the furniture section of Craigslist for over $700! From soiled rags to riches, you too can make a buck off your old mattress!
Freecycle
Craigslist isn’t the only option when you choose to recycle your old mattress. Freecycle is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to keeping your ‘junk’ away from landfills and into the hands of like-minded environmentalists. Their network is made up of 5,000 groups with over 7 million members from across the globe. The service is completely free so you have no excuse for not trying it out.
Furniture Bank Association
Another non-profit with locations all over the United States. Their organization is dedicated to helping families in need of bedding and furniture. If you own a car this is a great option that takes care of your needs and someone else’s. For a full listing of locations visit their website.
So there you have it. There is a variety of ways to dispose of your mattress without contributing to the ever-growing pile of non-recyclables sitting in our landfills, not to mention the amount of carbon emission spent transporting them to and fro. As for a long-term solution, mattress manufacturers are making an effort to create more environmentally friendly – natural mattresses that don’t include foam or innerspring systems, thus making the process much safer for our environment.
That’s one step in the right direction.
