We’ve come across a startling statistic that might deter any of us from getting a good night of sleep. Ironically, it’s related to the very thing you sleep on – your mattress. Woman Tribune recently relayed this no-snooze news:

“About 20 million mattresses are thrown away every year just in the United States and for every 10,000 people that either donate or recycle their mattress, it would save eight feet of landfill space – An entire American football field.” (http://womantribune.com/donate-recycle-mattress:  “Donate or Recycle Your Old Mattress.”  December 12, 2008 by Holly).

The key to sweeter dreams and a sweeter environment is simple:  donate or recycle your used mattresses once you’re ready to replace them with new ones.  As added incentive to take this approach, keep in mind that many waste management companies won’t accept your old mattresses anyway.

Unfortunately, donation centers aren’t always accepting of this particular item either because of sanitation concerns.  However, because of mere need, halfway homes and crisis centers will be more likely to accept what they can get.  Additionally, Craigs List shoppers might be eager to accept a mattress they have no problem cleaning themselves.  If you attempt to give your mattress to other charitable organizations beyond those mentioned, clean the mattress yourself.

We provide a chemical-free cleaning solution below, but always consult the organization you’re donating to, as they might have a preferred way of mattress cleaning. When you call to see if your mattress will be accepted, the proposition of accepting a used mattress will be more appealing if the mattress is clean.  The Instructables website served as a helpful resource for the best way to clean a mattress.   These instructions follow:

1.    Gather items you need.  They include: bicarbonate or soda (available in your local grocery store), a sieve, and vacuum cleaner.

2.    Poor the bicarbonate or soda into the sieve and simultaneously sift it onto the mattress.

3.    Let the bicarbonate or soda settle onto and into the sofa for a whole day.

4.    Vacuum the mattress thoroughly. (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-clean-a-mattress_1/:  “How to Clean a Mattress.”)

When donating isn’t an option or recycling seems like a better one, Colorado does have local resources.  Or, just be more mindful of the components of a mattress.  While separating materials within your mattress might seem daunting, you might be able to get money for some of the products that make up the whole.  Green Living Tips describes some of these components as fabric, foam, cotton, wood, and steel springs.  They go into additional detail about what can be done with these items:

“The used foam can be turned into carpet underlay or insulation.  The wooden frames can be chipped and used as fuel, the cotton is used in industrial machinery oil filters and other textile applications.  The springs, made from steel have a high market value as scrap . . . .” (http://www.greenlivingtips.com:  “Mattress Recycling.”  December 27, 2009.)

Post courtesy of: Gone for Good in Littleton, Colorado