How To Dispose Of An Old Mattress: 6 Mattress Recycling Tips

In an average of 7–10 years, our trusty mattress will go from “brand new” to “must be replaced,” and when trashed, it will take up to 40 cubic feet of dwindling landfill space.

While some eco-friendly mattress brands use biodegradable materials like natural latex, most mattresses are made with petrochemical-derived foams and carcinogenic flame retardants that seep into the ground, leading to water and soil pollution, so throwing out a mattress is not the ideal choice. We need to find out how to dispose of an old mattress in a way that won’t eventually spell ‘light’s out!’ for the planet.

Fortunately, many mattress materials can be recycled and reused; it’s just a matter of finding the right service or solution.

While shopping for a new mattress, look for responsible mattress manufacturers who are willing to take (and responsibly recycle) your old mattress at the same time.

Unfortunately, these are few and far between, and we’ve seen many mattress recycling pickup options formerly offered by brands cease to exist in recent years, but here are some brands that still offer help with recycled used mattresses:

• Saatva: If you’re in a state with a mattress stewardship program (more on this later), the brand will recycle your old mattress when you purchase a new one.

• Leesa: Via their In-Home Mattress Setup and Removal program, Leesa will remove your old mattress for recycling while delivering your new one.

• PlushBeds is our personal favorite mattress brand and the one we currently sleep on, but unfortunately, they no longer offer a recycling option. They do, however, provide a comprehensive list of many different third-party mattress recycling services by state, in case none of the ones we talk about further down work for you.

Dial a number and say sayonara to your old sleeper. If you’re in the United States, punch 1-800-GOT-JUNK into your phone and let the magic happen. Despite only operating in the U.S., they’re the world’s largest junk removal service, offering convenient pickup and responsible disposal of all manner of (non-hazardous) items.

They offer single-item or load pricing based on the truck space taken up, and prices may vary depending on location, but you can book a free onsite estimate online.

If 1-800-GOT-JUNK isn’t available in your area (or you want to price shop), here are a few other paid pick-up companies:

• Junk King will pick up your mattress and dispose of it at a proper recycling facility.

• College HUNKS Hauling Junk will also ensure that your old mattress is recycled or disposed of in an eco-friendly manner.

• A Bedder World has recycled more than a million mattresses! If yours is still in good condition, they’ll try to rehome it first via charity partners. Otherwise 90% of the materials will be recycled for reuse.

No one wants to deal with an old, damaged mattress—nonprofits and charities included. If you’re getting rid of a mattress because it’s blown out, getting too soft, smells irreconcilably off, or has been exposed to bed bugs, you can’t donate it.

However, if you’re wondering what to do with an old mattress that is reasonably new and still in good condition, some organizations like The Salvation Army or local homeless shelters may accept it for donation, resale, or proper recycling. Donation Town goes a step further and provides pick-up services in many U.S. cities to distribute your mattress to a charity in need.

Note that Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity ReStore cannot accept mattresses, but they are great places to rehome other household items.

If you want to make some extra $$$ and have a mattress that’s in genuinely decent condition, try Craigslist (US), Gumtree (UK & AU), or Facebook Marketplace. If money isn’t a concern, you can even list it for free on these sites.

If only mattress recycling were as simple as recycling other types of plastics and paper. Due to their multiple components, mattresses must be cut open to separate each layer and material.

The good news is more than 75% of the materials in a mattress can be transformed into new industrial and consumer products. Metals (like box springs) and wood are sent to scrap recyclers, and soft materials (like fiber, cotton, and foam) can be broken down for reuse in other products like insulation.

Earth 911 offers a recycling search tool where you can input your zip code to find local recycling solutions.

Alternatively, here are our top suggestions based on location.

Mattress Recycling Long Island & NYC

While the city doesn’t provide a mattress recycling program, Renewable Recycling does. Catering to Long Island and New York City, the woman-owned business offers mattress pick-up, drop-off locations, recycling, and the resale of reusable materials.

Mattress Recycling California, Connecticut, & Rhode Island

Bye Bye Mattress is an excellent resource for finding local services, including retailer take-back programs, drop-off locations, and curbside pick-up services in select states.

They’re run by the Mattress Recycling Council, a non-profit that collects a recycling fee from each mattress and box spring sold and uses it to fund the program. The Mattress Recycling Council has also implemented an order mandating that manufacturers who deliver a new mattress to a California consumer must pick up their used mattress at no additional cost.

Mattress Recycling Massachusetts

Massachusetts residents can support green mattress recycling and the work of two social enterprises.

The United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) operates Madd Love Market, a social enterprise providing young adults with paid work experience in three areas: woodworking, mattress recycling, and food services. Operating in several towns and cities in Massachusetts, customers can schedule a home pick-up from the team.

HandUp Mattress is a social impact company offering a mattress recycling service. 60% of profits support immigrant and refugee community programs. Gently used mattresses are sanitized for resale; old mattresses are recycled for their materials.

Mattress Recycling Denver, Salt Lake, & Nashville

Spring Back Recycling is a nonprofit organization that will take your mattress for $20-30 and recycle at least 90% of the materials. So far, they’ve recycled over 400,000 mattresses, saving over 26,000,000 cubic feet of landfill space, all the whle providing employment opportunities to disenfranchised individuals, such as homeless and formerly incarcerated people.

Mattress Recycling UK

It’s estimated that only 14% of mattresses are recycled in the UK, the rest being incinerated or sent to landfills. Fortunately, The British Heart Foundation will collect your old mattress for free, provided it’s clean, unstained, and has a fire safety label. Similarly, Dunelm has partnered with The British Heart Foundation and Clearabee to offer furniture and mattress recycling.

Mattress Recycling Australia

Australia’s biggest mattress recycler, Soft Landing, is a social enterprise that collects and recycles old mattresses while employing people experiencing barriers to work. Book a collection or transport your used mattress to one of their drop-off locations.

With all the valuable materials that go into making a mattress, it’s easy enough to tear into the mattress yourself and repurpose some of the parts. Even if you only do one DIY project with one component, you’re still preventing some of the materials from entering a landfill. Just be safe while doing so, and watch this YouTube video for a general idea of the process.

• Upholstery can be reused for all kinds of projects. Transform it into a rug or a draught excluder to improve your home’s insulation.
• Repurpose foam into a new set of throw pillows, outdoor seating, or pet bed (perhaps stuffed inside an eco-friendly dog bed cover?). However, if you have a dog who treats their bed as a chew toy, be wary of some toxic chemicals (i.e., flame retardants) typically found in mattresses.
• Get creative with the springs by turning them into decorations, snack holders, candle holders, garden trellises, and more.
• The wood from an old box spring can be used to construct a compost bin or raised garden bed. If you don’t have any woodworking crafts in mind, offer it up to local school woodshops or artisans who might have use for it.

You might even upcycle the whole thing if you don’t feel like tearing it apart. Old mattresses can become safety cushions under a home climbing wall or kids jungle gym.

If your natural mattress or natural mattress topper is made from fabrics like organic cotton, wool, coconut coir, and organic latex, you can save these materials from a landfill fate by first repurposing them and, if you’ve exhausted your upcycling options, adding them to your compost bin.

You’ll need to take the mattress apart, cut the materials into smaller pieces first, and remove any nonbiodegradable parts, like metal or any synthetic fabrics. Don’t forget the thread! Even natural fabric often contain polyester thread so remove the stitching if you’re not sure.

It’s also important to check whether the mattress has been treated with any fire-retardant chemicals, as you don’t want to risk contaminating your garden soil. If you’re planning to compost natural latex, check with the manufacturer to find out whether any chemicals were used during production. Unless the latex is certified organic, you may need to leave it out of the compost bin.