How to Dispose of a Mattress: Mattress Disposal Guide

You can donate, recycle, or legally dispose of mattresses when it’s time to say farewell. Your options will depend on the condition of your mattress, your local regulations, and resources in your area.

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Mattresses are like clothes and shoes: even if they’re built to last (with quality materials and smart design features), they may not meet your needs anymore once they reach a certain level of wear.

Wondering how to get rid of a mattress before buying a new one? This is the guide for you. Below, we’ll break down everything to consider as you prepare to say farewell to your mattress: from mattress disposal options to eco-friendly considerations.

First, Assess the Condition of Your Mattress

Before buying new mattresses, sleepers need to decide what they want to do with their current ones — donate it, chuck it, or repurpose it. To make an informed decision, you’ll need to check your mattress’s condition.

Determining if Your Mattress is Reusable

Your mattress might be reusable (and eligible for donation) if:

• It’s free of bugs and mold – Infestations can cause scents and harm health. If you have a moldy mattress or you have bed bugs, your mattress can’t be reused. 

• It’s structurally sound – If your springs, foam, and fabrics are still in good shape, your mattress may have some life left in it. 

If your mattress looks, feels, and smells good, consider donating it to a local non-profit organization.

Identifying When to Dispose of Your Mattress

You should jump to disposal methods right away if your mattress is:

• Moldy
• Infested with bed bugs or other pests
• Broken (i.e., has a protruding spring or a significant puncture)
• Damaged (e.g., from water, fire, or pets)

While the last three items on the above list might make a mattress completely unusable, mold and bed bugs pose significant risks to health — risks that you don’t want to pass on to another owner.^1,2 Learn about the signs of beg bug eggs on sheets, and how to get bed bugs out of a mattress in our blog.

Mattress Disposal Options

Consider how often you should replace your mattress, which is about every 7-10 years. When it’s time to replace your mattress and bed sheets, you have many disposal options to explore.

Recycling Your Mattress

More than 75% of mattresses are recyclable — and yours can be a candidate for recycling even if it’s not in good enough condition to sleep on anymore.³

• Foam padding can be shredded and used for textile-making, ped bedding, and more.
• Fabrics can be reused to make industrial oils and other products.
• Springs can be melted down for use in metalwork.
• Wooden frames can be shredded, mulched, or even burned for fuel.

To recycle a mattress, reach out to your local recycling facility or find a non-profit organization dedicated to this purpose.

Donating a Mattress

If you’re replacing a mattress that’s in good condition but doesn’t meet your needs, consider donating it to a person in need.

Wondering how to donate a mattress? Like mattress recycling companies, mattress donation organizations operate across the US. Use search tools or reach out to related non-profit organizations (those that work with unhoused people, for instance) to find a mattress donation partner in your area.

Selling or Giving Away Your Mattress

If a mattress is fit for donation, it might also be a good fit for resale or gifting.

When selling or giving away a mattress, make sure to:

• Provide information – Tell potential buyers if you smoke at home, have pets, or created any major stains during your mattress ownership. 

• Organize logistics – Do you have the tools to deliver the mattress yourself? Can you help the buyer haul it down the stairs? Start thinking about logistics before posting your ad.

• Assess accessories – Planning on replacing your pillows? Your bed accessories could be sold or given away, too.

Safe and Eco-Friendly Mattress Disposal Methods

If you’re planning to dispose of or recycle your mattress, choose the most responsible and eco-friendly options.

Curbside Mattress Pickup Services

Depending on your region’s resources, you may be able to place your unwanted mattress at the curb for disposal or recycling. Be sure to check your community’s options for:

• Municipal waste pickup – Your local trash pickup service may be able to take your mattress, but be sure to visit their website or call their hotline to check. 

• Third-party pickup services – If your municipal waste service doesn’t handle mattresses, you may be able to find a third-party junk removal or recycling company to tackle a bulk pickup for a fee.

Drop-off at a Local Landfill or Waste Disposal Center

If you have a pickup truck and strong arms, you could drop off your mattress at a local landfill or recycling center. When taking the drop-off route:

• Strap down your mattress – Bungees and ratchet straps are a must. 
• Check drop-off times – Make sure to double-check your waste center’s drop-off hours.
• Prepare payment – Some facilities charge by weight for trash disposal.

Upcycling or Repurposing Your Old Mattress

Looking to get creative with your old mattress? You can repurpose nearly every part of your bed:

• Foams can be cut into pillows, pet beds, and other small cushions. 
• Springs can be repurposed into plant holders, ornaments, and trinkets.
• Wood can be cut into smaller pieces for other projects (like building a compost bin).
• Fabrics can be cut and sewn into pillowcases, rugs, and other textile items.

Legal and Environmental Considerations

Before chucking your mattress, check your local regulations related to disposal and recycling.

Mattress Disposal Laws and Regulations

Depending on your state’s laws or your municipal regulations, you may not be able to:

• Leave your mattress at the curb for pickup
• Use public dumpsters or waste services
• Take your mattress to municipal recycling centers

If this is the case, explore your options with third-party services: companies that know the ins and outs of mattress disposal.

Environmental Impact of Mattress Disposal

Americans trash more than 50,000 mattresses every day.⁴ In short, our beds can significantly increase our carbon footprints.

To reduce your environmental impact, consider all possible disposal options before resorting to the landfill:

• Donating a mattress can keep someone from buying a new one — a process that consumes energy and resources.

• Repurposing a mattress into other products can help you meet your needs without buying something new (which will, eventually, find its way into a landfill).

• Recycling a mattress can help manufacturers harness resources that would have become waste.

• Selling a mattress keeps it out of the landfill and puts a little extra coin in your pocket.

Replace Your Old Mattress with a Casper

When it’s time to say goodbye to your mattress, turn to Casper — the home of cozy, high-quality mattresses that are built to last. Our designs are ergonomist-approved, we offer ample customization options for firmness and support, and our accessories collection will help you curate the perfect plush dream space.

Ready to experience the Casper difference? Check out our line of best-selling mattresses and find your perfect match.

Sources:

1. US Environmental Protection Agency. Bed Bugs: A Public Health Issue. https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/bed-bugs-public-health-issue
2. US Environmental Protection Agency. Mold and Health. https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-and-health
3. Mattress Recycling Council. Why Recycle. https://mattressrecyclingcouncil.org/why-recycle/
4. Product Stewardship Institute. Mattresses. https://productstewardship.us/products/mattresses/