Mattresses
Accessories
BedsWhy It Can Be Difficult to Get Rid of an Old Mattress
Posted by Nicole on Thursday, 27 May 2010
Tags: mattress, mattresses, Mattress disposal, new mattresses
Most people replace mattress and box spring sets
approximately every 10 years. It is
important to replace the box spring and purchase a box spring that is designed
to work with the new mattress for fit reasons and strength reasons. New mattresses that are padded with memory
foam, and memory foam mattresses that feature the material throughout, are much
heavier than older mattresses that only featured light weight convoluted foam
and cotton and polyester quilt fillings.
Because of the additional weight, old style wooden framed box springs
cannot properly support most new mattresses, so new mattresses and box springs
are often sold as sets.
Once the new mattress is delivered, the owner is often left
with an old mattress and box spring that need removal. Many mattress companies will remove the old
mattress and box spring set, often for free, though sometimes for a nominal
fee. Some companies donate gently used
mattresses to charities with which they have built relationships. Others simply dispose of the old mattresses
via landfills or special mattress recycling companies.
It used to be quite easy for an owner to sell gently used
old mattresses to resell shops and thrift shops. Barring that, many charitable organizations
used to not only accept donations of gently used mattress sets, but would even
schedule complimentary pick up of the items.
Most of the time, a receipt for a charitable donation was given,
allowing the owner to write the old mattress off on taxes. In recent years, thrift shops have stopped
accepting used mattresses and box springs, many charities have done the same,
and many newspapers and Internet sites do not allow listings that seek to sell
used mattresses. It used to be so easy;
why is it now so hard to be rid of an old mattress?
The answer is bed bugs.
Bed bugs are tiny parasites that feast on human and animal blood in the
middle of the night when all are asleep.
The worst part is that they are wonderfully skilled at hiding, and their
minute size allows them to hide in the tiniest of crevices (including the seams
on a mattress). They are nearly
impossible to be totally rid of, professional pest control is usually necessary
once bed bugs entire a domicile. Once
nearly eradicated from most industrialized countries, the last decade has seen
a major resurgence in bed bug infestations.
All it takes is one infested item to enter a building. Within a few weeks, nearly every apartment in
a building will have them. Bed bugs are
most common in places where there are lots of people, such as apartments and
large cities. Hotels are particularly
susceptible because of the number of travelers that go through.
In order to help combat bed bugs from spreading, and thus
possibly spreading disease, state legislations have enacted laws that limit the
transfer of used mattresses and box springs.
In most states, charities and businesses that reuse old mattresses must
follow strict guidelines on sanitizing them first. For many, the cost just isn't worth the donation.
Because it is difficult to find a way to be rid of a used
mattress, consumers should plan in advance how they will remove the old
set. Scheduling a pick up time with a
local charity is a great option if the used set is in good condition. However, the path of least resistance is
often to have the company that delivers the new mattress remove the old one.