Do you want to know how to get rid of old mattress? Mattresses serve us for many years, but eventually they wear out and you must get rid of them. Unfortunately, mattress removal is tougher than it sounds because it seems like no one wants to take them. They are big, heavy and don’t recycle very well. While there are some obstacles, this guide will show you all the difference approaches you can take to getting rid of the mattress.
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How to Get Rid Of Old Mattress By The Following 6 Ways
01. Garbage Collection
This is very dependent on your state and county, so be sure to look up the rules beforehand, but most areas allow you to put your mattress out with garbage. However, this must be done on a bulk collection day. In some counties you can just put out the mattress with other bulk items and be done with it. With other areas, you may have to do some extra work.
Call your county office first. They can tell you the rules, and sometimes you must call them anyway so that the garbage people are prepared to get the mattress. You may also have to wrap the mattress in plastic. This is common in areas where bedbugs are a problem. If you are removing the mattress due to a bedbug problem, then you should wrap it regardless of your area’s laws.Failing to follow the rules will result in a small fine or the garbage people not taking the mattress, so you don’t have to face any massive penalties. Just give the county office a call and ask them how to properly prepare the mattress.
02. Contact the Manufacturer
You may not know this, but many manufacturers will remove their mattresses from your property, and usually for free or a very low fee. Just give them a call or email them to see if this is available. If not (or if the company is out of business), then don’t lose hope just yet.
You’re probably in the market for a new mattress or you already bought one. Ask that manufacturer if they can remove the mattress for you. It might be a long shot, but it’s worth asking to see if it’s possible. This will ensure the mattress is out of your hands and off your property.
03. Sell or Give Away
Do you have a gently used mattress lying around that no one is using? Or maybe one that you can’t return anymore, but has been hardly used and you just don’t like it? In either case, why not sell it to recoup your losses or give it away to ensure that the mattress lives out the rest of its life, rather than having it waste away in a landfill.
As an upfront warning, don’t offer to ship the mattress. This is a huge expense and a massive pain. Do local pickup only. You can sell this on eBay, LetGo or other similar services, or you can give it away on Craigslist. Remember, only do this if the mattress is gently used and free of stain or problems.
While we are primarily concerned with teach you how to get rid of old mattress, mattresses that are well taken care of or aren’t that old are perfectly viable for sale. If they are dirty, stained or really worn out, then you may want to try one of the other options here.
04. Donate
Like selling the mattress, you can also donate it so that others can make use of it. In this case, you’ll be giving the mattress to a shelter or contacting a service to pick up the mattress. You can contact places like the Salvation Army or bring it to Goodwill. They will often be able to take the mattress for you and either use it as is, or they can break it down and recycle it.
If those avenues are unavailable for one reason or another, then you can contact local shelters and see if they are willing to take the mattress. Homeless shelters always need more mattresses, and this can help them save some money that they can put to good use. Very old or dirty mattresses may not apply here, so be sure to contact them if there are any rips or problems with the mattress.
05. Recycle the Mattress
There are two ways of going about this. The most convenient way is bringing the mattress to a recycling center. Be sure to contact them first to see if they are still taking mattresses and whether you have to pay a fee (which is common). Then all you must do is bring the mattress to them and they will take it off your hands.
The other way, which isn’t recommended, is to break down the mattress yourself and then bring those materials to a recycling center. This often avoids or drastically reduces the fee. Breaking down a mattress requires a significant time investment and may even be dangerous if you aren’t careful. When doing this, be sure to keep the materials separated by a bag. For example, the foam should go in one bag, springs another and so on.
06. Rent a Dumpster
This isn’t applicable if you’re only trying to get rid of one mattress and nothing else, but it’s a good idea if you’re removing the mattress as part of a large home cleanup project. If you’re throwing away a lot of other items, then renting a dumpster is the best idea for you.
A dumpster allows you throw away a massive amount of garbage at once. Just throw the mattress in along with everything else and you’ll be done with it. You may be charged a small fee for the mattress removal since they are difficult to break down, but it shouldn’t be too much money and this is very convenient.
Conclusion
Many people want to know how to get rid of old mattress because they are big, heavy and difficult to throw away. While putting it on bulk night might be the best, you can also offer it for sale if it’s gently used or donate it for a good cause. All of these methods will ensure that you can remove the mattress from your life, now you just have to pick the best one for your situation.