Why It Can Be Difficult To Get Rid Of An Old Mattress

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 mattress 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.

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.

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 is 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.

by: Grubb Young

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