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Trouble with old box spring disposal in your area?

Once used box springs have outlived any usefulness, they simply aren’t much good to anyone. Getting rid of old box springs mattresses can present a real challenge. After all, used box springs are bulky and usually quite ugly, heavy, cumbersome, and of minimal use to anyone. This leaves most people puzzled as to how to get rid of box springs.

If you are left scratching your head wondering where to turn, let’s take a closer look at how to easily take old box springs off your hands. Luckily, there are more ways than one to get rid of box springs and, one of the following will definitely work in your situation.

You might get lucky, and your city will pick up your old box springs for you. Whether or not your local trash and recycling collection will pick up bulky items, like a box spring, will vary from one region and city to another.

The last thing you want to do is go through the trouble of dragging your box springs to the curb only to see it still sitting there in your driveway after the trash and recycling trucks have come through your neighborhood. Knowing your trash has not been accepted for bulk item pickup is truly frustrating, especially if it is something you can easily avoid.

📍 Need junk removal fast? Learn here about our on-demand full-service junk removal options!

Specify You Need Box Springs Removal

We recommend calling ahead of time to determine if your city or area will take bulky trash in general. In order to know exactly where to get rid of box springs, it’s a good idea to specify that the trash you are trying to get rid of is a box springs mattress, even if that sounds silly.

One simple phone call could save you a great deal of hassle, so do not be surprised if the answer you get is “no.”

If you do receive a “yes” answer and your trash or recycling company will take the box springs, remember to ask: “Do I need to prepare the box springs in any way?”

Your City May Have Special Rules for Sanitation Pickup

Some places, such as New York City, require that you cover your box springs with plastic before leaving them outside. You can use a box spring disposal bag to fulfill this requirement. Just remember you may need to plan to go out and buy one.

The bottom line is that even if you do receive a “yes,” you’ll want to probe deeper and find out if you need to take any additional steps. You might be required to jump through a few hoops, but having your old box springs disappear on trash day is a pretty good feeling!

As far as options go for disposing of large bulky items, going to the landfill yourself certainly ranks near the bottom of the list. Dragging heavy old box springs to a truck and then bringing it to a landfill isn’t fun. It’s no surprise, few people find visiting a landfill a pleasant experience.

While this is an option for getting rid of mattresses and box springs, you’re better off avoiding this trip. On top of everything else, landfills usually have a fee for disposal. Driving your box springs to the landfill and then paying a fee is a bad way to spend an afternoon.

When looking for “box spring recycling near me“, try to avoid the landfill if at all possible!

The Landfill Is Problematic for Box Springs Disposal

Landfills do not appreciate taking box springs and mattresses because they take up so much space. Furthermore, the springs you’ll be dropping off tend to get wrapped around landfill equipment like compactors and cause breakage. Steel springs tend to not be compressible.

♻️ The environmental consequences of dumping box springs

Even worse, the box springs, like mattresses, typically contain harmful compounds, including flame retardant chemicals. Flame retardant chemicals are increasingly viewed as unnecessary and dangerous to human health by experts.

It is best to keep these chemicals out of the landfills as they eventually make their way into the environment and even into the food supply.

🛏️. Check out our mattress disposal guide for the right ways to recycle a mattress and box springs.

If you find yourself asking, “Are box springs recyclable?” know that a lot of material goes into manufacturing box springs. As a result, box springs are a great consumer item to recycle.

Since old box springs contain a considerable amount of metal, some organizations see box springs as an attractive source of metal.

In particular, organizations will repurpose the steel found in box springs for a variety of reasons. Be prepared to remove the metal springs and break down the box springs wood yourself. In most areas, the metal can be placed in the recycling bin.

Repurposing the Materials Found in Box Springs

Another option is that you can bundle the steel and then donate it to an organization that will use it, or you can even sell the scrap metal. You may get a bit of cash if you go this route, but don’t expect too much money for the scrap steel you’ll find in box springs.

The bottom line is that you likely won’t feel very well compensated for your time.

✂︎ How to cut up and reuse mattress springs

Another repurposing option is to take the metal found in your box springs and repurpose it for some decorative purpose. Believe it or not, crafty individuals can be found on Pinterest who have creatively repurposed their box springs into everything from furniture to wall art.

♲ How to reuse the wood from an old box spring

Finally, the wood leftover from your box springs can be recycled. However, since the wood from box springs may have been exposed to an array of chemicals, you should not burn it.

In the end, tearing apart your box springs is not an easy or quick process, and it is possible that you will cut yourself in the process. If you decide to break down your old box springs be sure that you wear protective eye gear and gloves. And remember the metal found in old box springs could, in spots, be sharp when you take apart and repurpose old box springs.

Used box springs are pretty cumbersome and difficult. We recommend that the best option is to simply hire a company, like LoadUp, to carry your old box springs away. We will not only pick up your old box springs, but we will also first try to donate your old box springs.

If that is not an option, we will make sure that your old box springs goes through the correct disposal and recycling process.

Instead of dragging your old box springs mattress to the curb and transporting it yourself, LoadUp will come to your home and remove it from wherever it is located in your house. The process is fast and 100% trouble-free, unlike the other options we’ve outlined in this article.

Old mattresses and box springs are a real hassle to remove, but thanks to LoadUp, you can bypass the stress and get those used box springs out of your bedroom or garage in a flash. ⚡

Related from the Trash Talk blog:

• What really happens to an old mattress?
• How to dispose of an old mattress topper?
• How to take apart a bed frame for disposal?
• 5 Reasons to get rid of your old mattress now!
• How much does mattress and junk removal cost?

Time to get rid of an mattress? There’s a right way to do it. Mattress removal doesn’t have to be a #fail.

No one ever said disposing of a mattress was easy. Mattresses begin their lives as heavy and cumbersome objects, and they only get heavier and worn out over the years.

In this article, we’ll explore six things you should avoid when it comes time to get rid of your old mattress. Although the mattress may have served you well, but once it has outlived its usefulness, you will want to think carefully about how to dispose of it.

‼️ PRO TIP: Check out our mattress disposal guide for the best ways to dispose of your mattress.

Improper old mattress disposal can harm the environment or even other people. Not everyone is a good candidate to receive your used items. While your old mattress may be very annoying, it is still important that your mattress disposal is handled responsibly.

You may think that you can pick up a little extra cash by selling your old mattress. It’s a great idea on paper. But as people have discovered, selling a mattress can be a tough business.

Think about the Practicalities

People don’t want to go and pick up a used mattress, lug it across town and then up several flights of stairs into their homes. Usually taking someone’s “free” mattress isn’t so free after all because it involves renting a truck and finding another person to help carry the bulky items.

Instead of choosing a quality mattress that is used, most people will simply opt for a cheaper mattress that is new but comes with the convenience of free delivery.

In short, you’re not likely to recoup much of your mattress’s purchase price.

🤑 Need some extra cash? Check out these tips for ways to make money by recycling.

Similarly, to how selling your mattress can be difficult, the same holds true for giving a used mattress away. Even a Free sign sitting next to a mattress in your yard is no guarantee that your mattress problems will disappear. It may mean that you’ll just have to lug it back inside.

Don’t Make More Problems for Yourself

Keep in mind, once you put your used mattress outdoors, it’s exposed to animals, insects, dirt, trash, a wide variety of allergens, and the weather. If you think your old mattress is unpleasant now, just wait until it has been outside for a few days!

Need more information? See what really happens when you leave an old mattress by the curb.

Putting your mattress outside with a Free sign is risky. If no one takes your free mattress, then you may be stuck with a dirty (and even wet) mattress that still has to be disposed somehow.

Transporting a mattress is not easy. If you give your mattress to a friend or relative without a truck, then that party will have to rent a truck or go through the hassle of finding someone with a truck to assist.

Used mattresses can be Heavy!

Mattresses actually get heavier the longer you use them. The reason for this is that they collect everything from dead skin cells, body oils, and secretions to insects and mites. Old mattresses can be nothing short of gross. Mattresses don’t get better with age, they only get heavier!

In short, it might sound like a great idea to give your mattress away to a friend or relative, but it is often more trouble than it is worth. Keep in mind that if there are problems with your mattress or they seriously injure themselves trying to move it, you could actually damage your relationship with the person who gets your used mattress, which can lead to more problems.

While it is true that many recycling services won’t take mattresses, this is not an excuse to just drop one off at the landfill. Sadly, every day hundreds of mattresses can be dropped off in just one landfill, and this leads to an overwhelming amount of waste. You’ll need to know where to dump a mattress so you don’t contribute to this growing problem for our environment.

People who operate landfills hate mattresses because it is difficult to compact them with the rest of the trash. Mattress springs can even damage and break their compacting equipment.

Environmental Consequences

Many mattresses are loaded with metals and may contain compounds that can harm the environment. Dumping a mattress is irresponsible and should be avoided. There are many other options for getting rid of your mattress, so don’t take the socially irresponsible path!

♻️Do your research! There’s a lot to learn about the impact of recycling on our environment.

We hope you’ve never even considered getting rid of your mattress by burning it!

If that idea has ever crossed your mind, please try to burn that concept out of your memory.

Think About Your Safety

Most mattresses contain, or are even made from, an array of chemicals. Flame retardant chemicals are in almost all mattresses sold in the United States. If you were to set that mattress on fire, it would mean that those chemicals would be released into the air.

Once in the air, the chemicals found inside a mattress don’t magically disappear. Instead, they will likely come down in rainfall and eventually make their way into the water supply and even food. Burning a mattress releases toxic fumes that can harm both you and the environment.

🔥 Burning a mattress is definitely not the way to go. There is a better, environmentally friendly alternative for safely, recycling your old upholstered furniture, couches and unwanted mattresses.

If that’s not enough to convince you, remember that any fire can quickly get out of control.

A burning mattress would cause rather large flames that could spread to the rest of your house. Avoid burning a mattress at all costs!

Just as it is unethical to dump a mattress in a landfill, it is also unethical to “dump” a mattress on a person or charity when you know the mattress has serious problems, such as bed bugs, gross stains, or strong odors.

Charities Can’t Use Gross Mattresses

Charities can’t use damaged mattresses, so don’t try to get rid of a mattress by giving it to a charity unless you know it is in good shape and free of problems.

A charity will have to evaluate your mattress and then potentially get rid of it at a future date. Going through this process will actually sap valuable time and reduce the effectiveness of the charity to help others.

If you have a mattress with known problems, such as bed bugs or odors from smoking, then passing that problem to someone else will just pass along that headache. The last thing you want is for your used mattress to cause other people discomfort or even harm. Keep in mind used mattresses frequently go to those without the funds to buy a new mattress on their own.

🐜 Got bed bugs? Learn how to clean and decontaminate a mattress full of bed bugs yourself.

Mattress with Odors

If there is a smoker in your family, then your used mattress may very well smell like cigarettes. Old memory foam mattresses, specifically, tend to absorb odors because they are so porous.

You could try covering the mattress with baking soda and letting it sit for a day or two.

Occasionally this process can help make cigarette odors disappear. But even if the smells begin to dissipate, it is important to be transparent and share how the mattress once belonged to a smoker.

Also, remember that you shouldn’t give your used mattress away to individuals with serious allergies or medical problems. Your mattress should become a source of comfort, not pain, for someone else.

Getting Rid of Your Mattress the Right Way

One of the best options for disposing of a mattress is to work with LoadUp, the on-demand junk removal company. LoadUp comes directly to your home, and we properly dispose of every mattress we receive.

You’ll know that your mattress has been recycled and that the harmful compounds contained within it have not been released into the environment. When handled incorrectly, a mattress is potentially a source of environmental contamination. Dispose of your mattress properly, and give yourself a pat on the back for doing the right thing.

Related Articles from the Trash Talk blog:

• How to dispose of box springs
• It may be time for a new mattress
• How much does mattress and junk removal cost?
• 5 Reasons Why You Should Get Rid of Your Mattress

So, say you’ve already tried Marie Kondo-ing to #sparkjoy, but you are wanting to learn more on how to reduce the trash at home.

That is a great idea as not only will this endeavor give you less to throw away, but you’ll also greatly reduce your carbon footprint and help simplify your life.

Wondering how to reduce the amount of waste at home? Check out these 41 simple ways to clean out excess trash in your home or apartment.

So much of the waste we produce comes right out of our kitchen, whether it’s plastic and paper bags from the grocery store or food containers from restaurant takeout, there are better ways to reduce the amount of trash in your kitchen. Let’s take a look at how to reduce waste at home in 41 different ways.

Instead of using paper towels every time you have a spill in the kitchen, try buying small reusable towels or cloth pads. You’ll find they are equally absorbent and can easily be tossed in the laundry. Cloth napkins are a good choice too.

Instead of buying and throwing away disposable cups, invest in a good travel mug. You’ll find these are also remarkably good at keeping your coffee hot on the road, and they come in various shapes and sizes.

If you’ve been to a grocery store, you likely already know that many customers these days bring their own reusable bags. If you’re taking home paper bags every time you buy groceries, you’re definitely making more trash for yourself. There are cloth bags and nylon bags that will help you from filling up that waste container with unneeded plastic bags.

Along the same lines, it’s easy to bring mesh produce bags to the grocery store and use these instead of the little plastic bags they provide. Simply wash and dry these occasionally, and they will hold up for a very long time.

So much of the food scraps you throw away can easily be composted. All you need is a small composting container, and you can start throwing away food waste like veggie peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells. Then throw in the worms 🪱.

Related Blog: How Long Does it Take Everyday Garbage to Decompose in Landfills?

Why keep buying individual teabags when you can instead buy fresh tea and steep it in a tea ball or other kind of infuser? Yes, tea bags are small, but little things add up to make a big difference.

If you’re giving your kids brand new sandwich bags every day for school, you’re missing out on the opportunity to give them a reusable option. Just wash and dry after use, and they will be ready for use again the next day.

Not only can the cost of dish soap add up, but also these plastic bottles just create more waste. Make your own dish soap mix in a reusable container and try adding your favorite essential oils to customize the scent.

Yes, some people are still buying plastic bottles of water. You can get clean and purified water through a water filter and skip the BPA concerns associated with plastic bottles. There are so many attractive reusable water bottles, there’s no need to buy plastic water bottles ever again.

No need to skip your coffee every morning but you can still divert K-cup pods and other filters from landfills. There are plenty of good coffee filters, like the K-cup reusable coffee filter, that are made out of materials like hemp and stainless steel.

Once you’ve ditched the plastic sandwich bag, the next thing on your list should be the bags you put kids’ lunches in. A lunchbox is reusable and also can be a lot of fun for kids to use.

When you join a community-supported agriculture (CSA), you’ll subscribe to a system that brings you closer to farmers in your community. This also skips the need to use plastic bags or any packaging materials for fruits and veggies since they’re fresh from the farm.

Along the same lines, when you buy your produce at farmer’s markets you will cut down on packaging and support your local farmers in the process.

If you’re still using Tupperware to store your uneaten food, you haven’t gotten the memo that glass containers are the perfect solution. Glass lasts forever and will not begin to absorb scents and stains that make it a candidate for the trash.

Cook more meals using whole ingredients and minimally processed foods. When you skip fast food and takeout, your family gets fresh, healthier meals infused with vitamins and minerals.

🙃 Frustrated by your kitchen? Make it better with these 4 easy steps to decluttering your kitchen!

Go DIY and learn to make new delicious foods like yogurt and seltzer water. This will translate to less plastic and glass to worry about throwing away or recycling.

Grow your own fruits and vegetables and avoid the store altogether!

Sponges get dirty and constantly need to be thrown away and replaced. When you switch to dishcloths, you’ll be able to save a great deal of money, too.

Look around at the food you regularly buy and note how many items have wrappers that turns into packaging waste. Ask yourself if there is an alternative food you could buy instead. Could you make it yourself?

Some states and cities have already banned the use of plastic straws in restaurants. It’s easy to replace them in your home with stainless steel reusable straws.

♻️ It’s not hard to shop eco-friendly and cut down on your carbon footprint! Check out these practical, sustainable, and environmentally responsible ways to shop sustainably today.

The bathroom is another room in our homes where we end up unnecessarily generating a lot of trash. It’s possible to still have all the shampoo, soap, and other toiletries we need while greatly reducing what we throw away.

If you catch a lot of colds, you are constantly generating waste throwing away tissues. When you switch to handkerchiefs, you’ll find it’s easy to just wash them and keep a fresh supply.

While many aren’t quite daring enough to try this, if you want to be truly sustainable, the family cloth should be considered. Put a small hamper and several strips of clean cloth by each toilet so (despite how the name sounds) each person has their own cloth. Once you’re in the habit, you might never go back to toilet paper.

Let’s face it, when women throw away tampons and pads every month, it adds a lot of waste to your home. Many women have switched to menstrual cups with great success and save a lot of money as well.

Safety razors work even better than disposables and don’t need to be constantly thrown away.

Most bathroom cleaning products come in plastic containers and generate a lot of waste. When you start making your own, you’ll save money and conserve resources.

Babies are perfectly happy with cloth diapers. It’s easy to either hire a service to wash and resupply them or clean them yourself.

Shampoo bottles are something we throw away without a second thought. Try shampoo that comes in bar soap form and over the course of a year you’ll dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. It’s even possible to make them yourself.

There are definitely a few ways people generate waste in their laundry room. If you’re not careful you will go throw a lot of laundry detergent containers and dryer sheets each month.

Instead of dryer sheets use wool dryer balls. You’ll find they make clothes soft and fragrant.

It’s simple to make eco-friendly laundry soap and put it in reusable containers. Plus, making your own zero-waste laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dryer balls saves money and gives you control over allergens that might affect your families skin.

Old pillows and blankets don’t need to be thrown away. In fact, they could really benefit someone who might lack these necessary items. These are great items to donate to charities like Goodwill.

If you’ve been following Marie Kondo’s advice, you have a lot of clothes and shoes to donate. These items should rarely be thrown away unless they are in truly poor shape. Consider giving these items to charity or organize a clothing swap with your friends.

Some ways we throw away items in the entertainment rooms at home slip under the radar.

Back before streaming video was popular, people bought a lot of VHS tapes, DVDs, and Blu-ray. Today, assuming you have an internet connection, it is easy to stream almost any television show or movie you might want to watch or own.

Along the same regards, increasingly CDs are becoming history. You’ll likely even find that streaming audio services offer an excellent level of audio quality.

Who likes getting bills in the mail anyhow? Save some paper every month by opting in for online bill delivery.

Many people value their prized book collections. But do you really need to own every book? If it’s something that you don’t think you’ll be looking at time and time again, consider just checking the book out of your local library.

Your home office is not one of the main places where waste originates, but e-waste dumping tends to be among the most hazardous due to the various toxic chemicals that can leach into the land over time. Here are some ways to do better in your office.

If you only occasionally use a printer or fax machine, maybe you don’t actually need the machine. The same could be said for household tools that you will only use once or twice. Create relationships with neighbors where you get in the habit of borrowing from one another.

It’s frustrating when a computer that it seems you just bought needs to be replaced due to a virus or decreased speed. The good news is that when you’re properly updating and scanning your computers and phones, they will last longer.

When you have an electronic that stops working for your needs and you have to get rid of it, recycle your e-waste responsibly.

Do you really need to use garbage bags in your office waste can? Probably not. In fact, most trash cans in your home probably don’t need a plastic liner.

Printer cartridges definitely leave a big imprint in the landfills. Instead of throwing them away and buying new cartridges, simply start refilling them with ink. You’ll save money this way, too.

Instead of buying and throwing out cheap pens, buy a high-quality refillable pen that you can proudly use for many years. You’ll never have to throw away another pen again.

Many different kinds of paper can be recycled in bulk bins, including white office paper, newspaper, colored office paper, cardboard, white computer paper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail and phone books.

Make an Impact By Reducing the Trash in Your Home

These 41 ideas only scratch the surface of all the different ways you can make a difference when it comes to your household’s production of trash. If everyone tried to send less to the landfills, it would greatly benefit our planet.

While you might not be able to tackle everything on this list, committing to just 5 or 10 is a definite step in the right direction to reducing waste at home.

Related from the Trash Talk Blog:

• Pros and Cons of Tiny House Living
• What Can Go in the Curbside Recycling Bin?
• What Can’t Be Recycled in Your Curbside Recycling Bin?
• Eco-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions: Twenty Ways to Go Green in 2020