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Is your mattress saggy or lumpy? Have you had it for over 10 years? If so, you likely need a new mattress.
It can be difficult to tell when you need a new mattress, especially if you are still sleeping well at night. Some signs that you likely need a new mattress include:
With so many new styles of mattresses available both online and in store, it’s an excellent time to try out one of these many styles of mattresses.
While buying a new mattress is great, it can be a hassle having to get rid of your old, saggy mattress — especially in big cities like New York. Luckily, there are tons of different ways to get mattress disposal in NYC and other places around the US.
Many cities, counties, and towns offer bulky waste pick up to their citizens. When you are looking for a mattress disposal option in your area, bulky waste pickup can be one of the better options. With this option, the most difficult you have is making a phone call and hauling your mattress out to the curb.
Resources NYC: NYC Bulky Waste Pickup
Resources Nationwide: Search google for your local bulky waste
For the mattress owner trying to lower their ecological footprint, mattress recycling may be a good idea. While you can theoretically, break your mattress down yourself and recycle the parts, that can be a time-consuming task. With a mattress recycling company, they will pick up your mattress for you and recycle it using their own resources. There may be a fee for this service.
Resources NYC: Renewable Recycling Inc is one well-known recycling solution for New Yorkers
Resources Nationwide: Nationwide Mattress Recycling works with communities around North America.
There are many companies that exist with a specific purpose — to help people get rid of their old mattresses. These companies will come to pick up your old mattress and will either repurpose, recycle or otherwise dispose of your mattress for you. This is probably the easiest option on the list, although it does typically cost money.
Mattress removal can cost anywhere between $75 and $150, although it could cost more depending on your location.
Resources NYC:
Resources Nationwide:
If you recently had a big renovation or move that culminated in you buying a new mattress and now you need to dispose of the old mattress as well as other items, try a dumpster rental. These companies will bring you a dumpster to fill with whatever you want and haul it away. Typically, it can cost anywhere between $200 and $1000, depending on the size you rent.
Be careful not to overload the dumpster or that can cause problems with removal.
Resources NYC:
Resources Nationwide:
If you found dumpster rental an attractive idea but don’t feel like doing it yourself, you can always try a Junk removal service. These services will have people come to your home for a fee, typically between $150 and $350, and professionally remove your mattresses and anything else you might need them to take.
Resources NYC:
Resources Nationwide:
Many charities, including some animal shelters, will accept your used mattress provided it isn’t excessively dirty or in very poor condition. These places typically either use them in their own shelter, for their own purposes or to resell them to raise funds for their programs.
Most nationwide charities will not accept mattresses due to the many differences in local laws surrounding them, so it is best to check with local charities in your area.
Resources NYC: In NYC the Salvation Army accepts used mattresses as donations.
Resources Nationwide: The Salvation Army is available to accept your used mattress as a donation nationwide.
Many manufacturers have taken up the task of handling mattress disposal for their customers. Sometimes they will do it without you having to repurchase a mattress from them; however, some will only recycle your mattress for you if you are having a new mattress delivered.
Resources NYC: To make use of this service contact your specific brand’s customer service department.
Resources Nationwide: If you want to recycle your old mattress to the manufacturer contact their customer service department.
There are a number of online marketplaces that will allow you to sell or give away your old used mattress to a willing person. While you can easily use Facebook’s Marketplace for selling or giving away your old mattress, there are other options available.
Resources NYC:
Resources Nationwide:
Depending on your time constraints and space, you can break down your used mattress for parts. You can recycle old wooden frames from a box spring and, after removing the fabric and batting, you can take the metal from a spring mattress to a scrap yard and receive a few dollars for your time and effort.
Resources NYC: You can search Google to find a scrap metal yard near you.
Resources Nationwide: A quick Google search will help you to find a local scrap yard to sell your metal.
If you have the vehicle resources available to bring your mattress to the local landfill, this option can be optimal for removing your mattress from your home at your leisure. While many landfills will accept any item, some only accept a small list of hazardous waste items so it’s important to make sure they will accept your item before making the trip.
Resources NYC: Unfortunately NYC’s Drop-off sites do not accept mattresses at this time.
Resources Nationwide: You can check google to find your local garbage landfill.
If you’re looking for mattress disposal in NYC and choose the city’s bulky collection option, there are a lot of rules that you will need to follow. In some cities and towns, there are very few rules that come with ridding your home of a used mattress.
Typically rules for local garbage bulky waste pickup related to mattress disposal require you to notify your city’s waste management office that you need removal; however, for NYC you need to do more than just notify your local office.
In NYC due to a bed bug epidemic, mattresses that require disposal must be sealed in a plastic bag. Should you neglect to seal your used mattress in a plastic bag the city will give you or your landlord a fine. To fully understand the rules check with your local trash disposal rules and regulations.
When looking for mattress disposal in NYC, one of the easiest ways is to contact the NYC Department of Sanitation and have them pick up your mattress for you. There are a few rules to remember for this simple process.
Click here to learn more about mattress and box spring disposal for New York City. If you’d like to schedule your pickup you can do so either by contacting 311 by telephone or by using their online portal. If you have any further questions you can contact the NYC Department of Sanitation at 212-639-9675 or by visiting their website.
If you are looking for how to get rid of a mattress in Los Angeles you can contact the Bureau of Sanitation and have them pick up your mattress directly from in front of your home. There are not many rules to remember but they do have a few.
To learn more about mattress and box spring disposal for Los Angeles click here. If you’d like to schedule a pickup you can either contact 311, call the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation directly at 800-773-2489 or by using their online portal.
When looking for mattress disposal in Chicago there are not many rules to follow to have your mattress picked up by the Department of Streets and Sanitation. They do have some rules and it may be necessary to contact your individual division sanitation office if you have questions.
Visit the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) website for more information about bulky waste pickup or check out this article. For general information about mattress pick up contact the main DSS by telephone at 312-744-4611 or you can visit the City of Chicago 311 either by telephone or website.
To contact your individual DSS division office:
You can choose recycling or mattress disposal in Houston, Texas. Since 2013 they have offered mattress recycling for city residents. For residents that choose to dispose of their mattresses they can have them picked up from home, there are some rules and regulations to remember.
If you need more information on how to recycle your mattress you can contact Houston 311 by telephone by dialing 311 or 713-837-0311 or by checking their website or reading about their mattress recycling initiative. You can also contact the City of Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department at 713-956-6589. To learn more about junk waste days read this pdf. You can also visit the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department’s website.
If you are looking to drop off your mattress at a neighborhood depository and recycling center visit this website or go to one of the following locations:
Residents have two options when choosing a public option for mattress disposal in Phoenix. They can choose to take their mattresses to a transfer station for recycling or choose curbside pick up.
For more information regarding mattress disposal in Phoenix, AZ contact the City of Phoenix Public Works department either online or by telephone at 602-262-6251. You can also read more about their zero-waste mattress recycling initiative on Facebook. If you have more questions about bulk waste pickup the City of Phoenix offers a PDF and website for more information. Read more about your schedule bulky waste pick updates here.
If you choose to take your mattress to a transfer station their locations are listed online and below.
Whether you are looking for mattress disposal in NYC or any other location, there are a few ways to find that information. You can always contact your local 311 by dialing 311 from your phone. If 311 isn’t available in your location try going to your city’s .gov website and finding the local one call or city services number.
If you choose to complete your search of how to get rid of a mattress online, searching with words like “near me,” your zip code, or city and state will lend the best results for your location. It can also be helpful to search for “mattress disposal rules and regulations” or “mattress disposal guidelines” with your zip code, city, and state, or the words “near me”.
Some states have extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws. These laws mean that mattress manufacturers must provide consumers with a convenient way to get rid of their old mattresses. The main states with these laws are California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
A mattress should last between 8 to 10 years. This is dependent upon the type of mattress you have and how well you treat it. For the various types of mattresses their life span is as follows:
There are a number of tips that experts have agreed will help to prolong the lifespan of your mattress.
A mattress is an expensive investment and can cost thousands of dollars. To keep sleeping as well as you did that very first night, try to follow the tips below.
If you aren’t sure that you need a new mattress there are some sure signs that your mattress is worn and needs a replacement. A mattress that is lumpy or sagging in areas is one sign. Other signs are that it or the box spring squeaks when you move or it feels like you’re sinking in when you lay on it.
With all the new available mattresses on the market, there’s no reason to suffer all night on a worn one, use SleePare’s mattress comparison tool to find your best sleep today.
Dustin is the lead content creator at SleePare. With a degree in Computer Science and extensive experience reviewing mattresses, curating comparisons and advising on "best of" guides, he's truly a mattress technology expert.
Dustin has perfected this method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he's not only able to discern the overall value of a specific bed, but to assign its value to different types of sleepers.
Along with creating honest and straightforward mattress features, Dustin enjoys creating pieces aimed at helping people get their best sleep ever.
When he's not creating helpful content, Dustin enjoys jogging, fishing, hunting and playing video games in and around his Virginia home.
Dustin Morgan