What to do With an Old Mattress

Your old mattress may provide a suitable bed for someone else.

Donate the Mattress

If your mattress is still in good condition, donate it to a local charity. Some charities such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill will come to your home to pick up donated items. Donated mattresses may be sold at low prices in order to fund charity programs or they may be given to those in need.

Throw the Mattress Away or Recycle

If your mattress is in poor shape, you should probably just throw it away. If you have a new mattress delivered, ask the delivery men to take your old mattress away. Otherwise, contact your garbage collection office to inquire about how to go about throwing it away. You may be able to leave it out for the garbage truck or you may have to deliver it to a local garbage dump.

If a recycling facility operates in your local area, contact them to determine if they take mattresses. Planet Green asserts about 90 percent of the materials in a mattress can be recycled.

Bottom Line

According to Discovery.com, the life of a mattress spans about 10 years. A usable hand-me-down mattress may be helpful to someone who needs a bed. However, a worn-out mattress probably needs to be disposed of in some fashion.

References

• The Better Sleep Council: Getting Rid of Your Old Mattress
• Planet Green: How and Where to Recycle Your Old Mattress
• Goodwill: Donate
• Salvation Army USA: Thrift Stores