Mattresses last on average around 7 years, depending on the type of mattress you have. Throwing your used mattress in the garbage means it will end up in a landfill. According to Bed Times, 50,000 mattresses are discarded each day in the United States. This is a problem because many mattresses have flame retardants and other toxic chemicals in them that can end up in the groundwater supply. Innerspring mattresses have coils inside that can cause problems for machines at landfills as well. Mattresses in landfills can interact with other chemicals and microbes t off methane and carbon dioxide, resulting in greenhouse gases that negatively affect the planet. There are several better options for getting rid of your mattress.

Table of Contents

• Donate
• Sell
• Ask Your new Mattress Retailer
• Call Your Curbside Recycle Collector
• Recycle
• Furniture Bank
• Salvation Army
• Habitat for Humanity
• Junk Removal Service
• Break Down the Mattress Yourself
• Upcycle

Donate

You may know a college student, friend, or family member that could use your mattress. There also are many organizations that will be happy to take your mattress, as long as it's in good condition. Churches, women's shelters, homeless shelters, refugee resettlement groups. Thrift stores are another option, though they may not accept it due to concerns about bedbugs.

Sell

If your mattress is in good shape, selling it may be an option. Craig's List is a popular option. You take pictures of your mattress, write a description, and for no fee you can post your listing to a local listing and interested parties will contact you to come to see it and possibly buy it.

Ask Your new Mattress Retailer

Sometimes the company you're buying your new mattress from will pick up your old mattress for a small fee or even for free.

Call Your Curbside Recycle Collector

Find out if your curbside collection service will recycle your mattress. Your recycle collector may be willing to pick up your mattress for a small fee or for free. There may be certain times of the year that they offer this service, and there may be specific instructions you have to follow.

Recycle

You may be able to take your mattress to a nearby recycling center, where 80% to 90% of the mattress can be reused to create new products. You will usually have to pay a fee which is often $10 to $20. You can find recycling centers at Earth911.com.

California, Rhode Island, and Connecticut have drop-off sites through bye bye mattress for mattress owners and retailers.

Furniture Bank

The Furniture Bank Association of America offers home furnishings to low-income families at little to no cost. They will pick up from your home as long as you're within a 20-mile radius of one of their centers.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a charitable organization designed to help families and individuals in need. They may even pick up your mattress, or you can drop it off. Every donation you make is tax-deductible.

Habitat for Humanity

A non-profit organization whose purpose is to help those in need, you can donate your mattress in person, or possibly get your mattress picked up at your home.

Junk Removal Service

If you don't have any charities nearby where you can donate your mattress, or any recycling services or centers, there are several services that will pick up your mattress for a fee, such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK, or 1-888-TRASH-IT. This option will probably be the most expensive way to get rid of your mattress, often costing between $100 to $150.

Dumpster Rental

This option only makes sense if you are getting rid of a large amount of garbage, as it can easily cost $400 or more.

Break Down the Mattress Yourself

If you're handy and have an innerspring mattress you can take it apart yourself. Use a razor to cut the fabric so you can expose the foam and box spring. Detach the foam and fabric from the wood, then use a saw to cut the wooden box spring into smaller pieces that you can burn. The steel innersprings can be sold at a scrap metal yard. You can then take the foam and fabric to a recycling center or find another purpose for it.

Upcycle Your Mattress

You can turn parts of your mattress into another product, such as using box springs to create a wine rack or a table. There are a lot of creative ideas on pinterest; there are even items tagged as mattress upcycle.