So you’ve just got your new mattress and now it’s time to arrange mattress disposal for your old one? There are a few options you can consider when it’s time to say goodbye to your old mattress.
In case you’re asking yourself where to dispose of a mattress in this post we give you some of the best mattress disposal solutions when you need to get rid of your old mattress.
Donate or Reuse Your Old Mattress
The first thing to consider when changing your mattress is whether your old one can be reused, donated or gifted to a friend. If your old mattress is still in good enough shape, you can check if a local charity or shelter will have it. A few of the charities that can accept your old mattress as a donation include Emmaus, British Red Cross, British Heart Foundation and Furniture Re-use Network. Alternatively you can contact local refugee or homeless shelters and ask if they’ll have your old mattress.
Before donating your mattress you’ll have to give it a clean if there’s any bigger stains. As well as that you’ll have to make sure that the fire safety label on it is still intact as it won’t be accepted without it. The label is usually sewn into the mattress on the bottom side.
Drive it to the Local Recycling Centre
If your car is big enough to fit a mattress, the cheapest option for disposing of your old mattress is to drive it to the local recycling centre. The only negative side is that it might be a bit far from where you live so you’ll need some free time to do that.
Keep in mind that some mattresses are quite heavy so it might be hard to bring your mattress downstairs, load it in the car and unload it at all by yourself. In addition pocket-sprung and many hybrid mattresses can’t be rolled up so depending on the car you have it might be hard to fit it.
Arrange a Council Mattress Disposal Collection
An alternative to driving your mattress to the local tip might be booking a bulky waste collection with your local council. This is a service provided by all councils to their residents, however, prices and availability may vary so make sure you check on your council website. The downside of this is that sometimes the waiting period can be long. Additionally, if you also have to dispose of your old bed you will be charged a separate fee for the mattress and the bed as the charge is usually per item.
Use a Specialist Collection Company
If you’re struggling to book a collection date with your local council and your car isn’t big enough to drive it to the tip, you can look for a private company to dispose of it for you. Many man and van companies offer disposal of bulky items for a fee.
Book a Mattress Disposal When Ordering Your New Mattress
The easiest and most convenient way for safely disposing of your old mattress is having it collected when your new mattress arrives. Most mattress retailers, including us here at My Next Mattress, offer mattress disposal services when you place an order for a mattress with them. That way you can be sure that your old mattress is properly handled and you don’t have to stress about arranging a disposal date yourself.
Simply add the mattress disposal option when you check out and our two-man delivery team will take your old mattress when they deliver the new one. We will then recycle the parts of your mattress that are suitable for recycling and dispose of the rest. It’s as simple as that!
What Happens to Your Mattress After Disposal?
After your mattress has been collected it’s taken to a recycling centre where it can be disassembled. Many parts of your mattress can be reused or recycled to make other products and items. The parts of the mattress which are recyclable include:
- Springs – can be melted down and used to make light-iron based items;
- Filing – depending on the material manufacturers can repurpose it for cushions;
- Foam – it can be used for carpeting or refuse fuel once it has been cleaned and processed;
- Covering – normally it can be recycled depending on the quality, however, due to the possibility of contamination it’s most commonly used as refuse fuel.
Always think carefully before disposing of your mattress. Don’t leave your old mattress outside of your home or dump it somewhere in the countryside. If you don’t discard your mattress correctly you’re not only contributing to the pollution of our environment, you can also receive a hefty fine for fly-tipping.
