Alternate Ways to Dispose of A Mattress
Mattresses are one of the hardest products to dispose of properly. Improper mattress disposal can create a ton of unnecessary waste and it is extremely harmful to the environment. There are many alternate ways to dispose of your mattress that do not result in it ending up in a landfill. Most of the elements of your mattress can be reused in another capacity and can give your mattress a new life.
1. Recycle Your Mattress
At BedInABox® we know how important it is to recycle your mattress. Recycling your mattress is a great way to give your old mattress new life, and some states even have laws that require that you recycle your mattress. Services like ByeBye Mattress and Earth 911 can help you correctly recycle your mattress. Recycling allows your mattress to be repurposed as opposed to creating more waste in landfills.
2. Create A Bed For Your Pet
An old mattress that may no longer be a great bed for you can still be a great bed for a dog or a cat. If you do not have a pet, consider donating your mattress to your local animal shelter. A doggie day care or pet boarding facility may also be interested in utilizing your old mattress as a bed for their charges. As long as the mattress is clean, animal shelters may be less concerned about stains or minor wear and tear than other mattress donation facilities. An old mattress is a great place for a dog or cat to get comfortable and get a great night's sleep of their own.
3. Create A Child-Safe Play Place
If you have children you may be able to repurpose your old mattress as a protective layer in their play space. Your mattress could serve as a protective cushion for a jungle gym, a kid-safe trampoline, or it could be used to build a fort. Your children can let their imaginations run wild without getting themselves hurt with your unwanted mattress. Just be sure that if you are going to keep your mattress and have your children playing on it that you get it thoroughly cleaned first. The last thing you want is your children rolling around on a mattress that is full of mold, mildew, or dust mites.
4. Compost It
Recycling your mattress is a great way to protect the environment, but you can take your effort to go green even further by using your mattress to compost. Both wood from your bed frame and the stuffing of your mattress can create a compost pile. You can also repurpose the wood from your bed frame to build a box for your compost pile. The stuffing can be used to keep your pile warm and protected from the elements, which will speed up the process. The mattress stuffing can also be used to keep weeds from your garden.
5. Use The Springs For DIY Projects
If you are feeling crafty, you can use the springs from your old innerspring mattress for a number of different projects. You can use them to create candle holders, picture frames, cutlery/utensils, plant holders, and more! The coils can be painted to add brightness and fun to your project.
6. Make Rugs
Did you know that you can make a rug out of your old mattress? If your mattress is clean and free of any stains, you can transform the fabric into a new rug. Add in any additional scraps of fabric that you have been meaning to repurpose and you can create a one-of-a-kind patchwork style rug.
The two most challenging products to dispose of are electronics and mattresses. Because they are so tricky to dispose of, they are often dumped incorrectly and illegally. On top of being hard to get rid of, landfills often charge extra fees to dispose of mattresses. Mattresses are bulky and can cause toxic air pockets, which is terrible for the environment. Disposing of a mattress does not have to be such a hassle. There are plenty of alternate ways to dispose of a mattress. You can create fun crafts and new items for your home out of your old unwanted mattress. When it is time to get rid of your old mattress, BedInABox® is ready to help you find a new one. At BedInABox® we are mattress experts who built the mattress in a box industry. If you are looking for guidance on what mattress is right for you, and more ways to dispose of your current mattress, contact our team to learn more!
