Mattress Disposal: How To Do It Right

When it comes to most disposal services getting rid of your mattress is not as easy as simply tossing your bed in the nearest dumpster. Most disposal services require special “bulk item” pick up for the safety and practical reasons. Typical dump trucks don’t have the capability of picking up large items like mattresses on a regular day. It typically requires special equipment and or extra workers in order to ensure they can pick up and dispose of such items safely.

So if you can’t just throw your mattress in the dumpster… How should you properly dispose of your old mattress? Well that is what we are here to help you with. Keep reading to learn the different ways you can safely and properly dispose of your old bed.

Return/Donate

If you recently purchased your mattress and have used it for a minimal amount of time, then you might be able to return your mattress. Some companies will even give you a discount on your new mattress if you give them your old mattress back. If you cannot return the mattress or choose not to, another option for a very gently and minimally used mattress is to sell or donate it. Most people will not purchase or even accept a donated mattress (and for good reason). Mattresses can harbor a lot of germs. Which is why it is typically suggested not to buy used mattresses.

If your mattress is hardly used and yet you are unable to return it, you will probably have the most luck giving the bed to someone you know who needs it. Maybe your hardly used guest bed mattress could be a great gift to your nephew who is graduating from college and moving into his own place. Or to a friend who needs a guest bed in their new home. Just be open and honest about how often the best was used and how clean it is. You don’t want to loose a friend over a dirty old mattress.

Recycle

By far the preferred method of disposal, when possible, is to recycle your mattress. Again, you won’t be able to simply put your mattress in the recycling bin. However, there are specific recycling plants that have the capabilities to properly take apart and salvage different parts of mattresses that can be recycled.

In order to find those recycling centers near you, check out the Recycling Guide from Earth 911 to find a center that can handle mattresses. If you are lucky, you will be able to schedule a time for them to come pick up your mattress and transport it for you. However, the recycling center may require drop off. In that case you will likely want to make friends with someone who owns a pick up truck.

Do you love your planet and you want to have a more sustainable home and bedroom? Check out our post The Most Sustainable Bedroom  to find out how you can design the most sustainable bedroom around town. 

Trash It

If for some reason you can’t return, donate, sell, or recycle you mattress. Then the next option you have is to throw it away. Some cities offer bulk pick up days. If you’re not sure whether or not they will take mattresses on those days in your area, then we suggest calling them directly to find out before you leave the mattress on the road for pick up. Some cities will penalize people who leave mattresses by dumpsters or trash cans.

Another option is to take your mattress to the dump yourself. Again, we suggest calling ahead of time or doing your research online before you go. Some locations will accept mattresses for free, some will charge you a fee to drop off the mattress, and others will completely reject any mattresses.

Why is it so hard?

We promise the city and private disposal companies are not making it difficult to get rid of your mattress for no good reason. Mattresses are very large items that tend to be dangerous when piled up in junk yards. Some dumps simply don’t have the space or capabilities to handle such large items. Some particularly dirty mattresses (like ones that have soaked up body fluids) could potentially be considered a biohazard.

As far as recycling, even though mattresses can contain plenty of useful materials like coils, they are dirty. Recycling mattresses is hard and very dirty job. It also takes special equipment that a lot of recycling companies don’t have.

Go Load Up

Looking for a junk removal service? Call up Go Load Up, they are a junk removal service unlike any other. They professionally train every junk removal employee they have and they do full background checks to keep everyone safe. You will also get honest upfront pricing so you know what to expect to pay before the service has already been done. No surprise up charges here. They take everything from mattresses, box springs, even canopy and hospital beds. Go Load Up operates nationwide, to learn more go to our in depth article on them at Go Load Up: Mattress Removal Review.

Mattress Disposal: How To Do It Right

While getting rid of your mattress is not as easy as simply tossing it into the closest dumpster. Properly disposing of your mattress isn’t that difficult once you know how to do it. In general try to return, sell, donate, or recycle before throwing away your mattress. If for some reason none of those options work for your situation then do your research in order to find the best option for throwing away your mattress is near you.