# Old mattresses: where do they go to die? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384 "2008-01-13T16:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/1 "2008-01-13T16:29:11Z")
I bought a new mattress this week (YAY!), and as is typical, I could have asked the store to haul away the old one when they delivered the new one. I didn’t (I am giving it to my sister, who is swapping with a friend for a twin mattress for my nephew). But I imagine tons of people have the old mattress hauled away, and don’t think any more about it. What does the store do with all these old mattresses? I sure hope they don’t up in a landfill somewhere, especially when so many people have no decent bed to sleep on. (Mine was 9 years old, but is probably still much more serviceable than what some people have.) Corollary: if youre buying a new mattress, don’t toss the old one! Please call your local nonprofits and try to donate it, or place an ad on Craigslist or Freecycle. It drives me nuts when people throw useable household items in the trash, when so many people are forced to go without. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/2 "2008-01-13T16:38:17Z")
At least in NC, restrictions are placed on used mattresses. They need to be sterilized before they are sold, at 230 degrees for two hours. I worked at a Goodwill in NC, and they could not accept used bedding for this reason. I imagine the same restrictions would apply to an organization giving away used mattresses. ---
**Author:** ![for\_good\_measure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@for\_good\_measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/for_good_measure)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/3 "2008-01-13T17:03:12Z")
The swamps of Squornshellous Zeta, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/4 "2008-01-13T17:41:23Z")
They end up in the dump, oh sorry “landfill.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/5 "2008-01-13T18:00:36Z")
The Lone Ranger carries them away—to-da-DUMp-to-da-DUMP-to-da-dump-Dump-DUMP… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/6 "2008-01-13T19:16:22Z")
[QUOTE=for good measure] The swamps of Squornshellous Zeta, of course. [/QUOTE] No, that’s where we _get_ them. ---
**Author:** ![for\_good\_measure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@for\_good\_measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/for_good_measure)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/7 "2008-01-13T21:52:25Z")
Yeah but they’d surely want to go back home there if they could. (I feel kind of sorry for this thread. :)) ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/8 "2008-01-14T01:57:48Z")
[These guys may have something to do with it](http://www.ssiworld.com/watch/watch-en.htm). (Look for “Mattresses” in the third column.) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/9 "2008-01-14T01:59:44Z")
If you kill a mattress, is that matricide? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/10 "2008-01-14T02:06:08Z")
[QUOTE=for good measure] The swamps of Squornshellous Zeta, of course. [/QUOTE] Where this comment springs from I’m stuffed if I know. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/11 "2008-01-14T02:07:39Z")
Well, the good Christian ones go to Mattress Heaven. . . ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/12 "2008-01-14T02:27:39Z")
Members of my family helped me with getting a new mattress installed back in the mid '80s. I wondered at the time what on earth they’d done with the old one. The mass of linked together springs like some weird metallic skeleton under my house is most likely the answer … :rolleyes: Eh. They meant well. ---
**Author:** ![ignis\_glaciesque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@ignis\_glaciesque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignis_glaciesque)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/13 "2008-01-14T03:15:25Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Where this comment springs from I’m stuffed if I know. [/QUOTE] _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ by Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/14 "2008-01-14T03:35:45Z")
I’ll just flubber off. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/15 "2008-01-14T07:41:06Z")
> [@](#): > > At least in NC, restrictions are placed on used mattresses. They need to be sterilized before they are sold, at 230 degrees for two hours. Ok, I give up. How in the world does one heat a mattress to 230°F for two hours?! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/16 "2008-01-14T08:10:09Z")
[QUOTE=Hail Ants] Ok, I give up. How in the world does one heat a mattress to 230°F for two hours?! [/QUOTE] Blowtorch. Actually, a large, specially made oven is probably what is used. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/17 "2008-01-14T09:24:14Z")
It would surprise me if every sort of mattress would survive that sort of temperature. How would rubber or foam be after that sort of treatment? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/18 "2008-01-14T10:07:16Z")
Probably not very well. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/19 "2008-01-14T10:17:32Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] At least in NC, restrictions are placed on used mattresses. They need to be sterilized before they are sold, at 230 degrees for two hours. I worked at a Goodwill in NC, and they could not accept used bedding for this reason. I imagine the same restrictions would apply to an organization giving away used mattresses. [/QUOTE] I tried donating my old mattress to Goodwill in Texas. They refused it for the same reason. The delivery guys carted the old one off to parts unknown. ---
**Author:** ![Purgatory\_Creek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@Purgatory\_Creek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purgatory_Creek)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384/20 "2008-01-14T13:13:40Z")
I once encountered an unmarked box truck on the highway entrance ramp as I headed home from work at 3:30 a.m. that had lost part of its load of used mattresses. The driver was just beginning to load them back onto the truck, and I had to drive off-ramp to get onto the highway. (If you have to ask why I didn’t stop to help him, you are probably not female.) I’m not sure where he was going with the mattresses at 3:30 a.m. in an unmarked truck in rural Minnesota, but I’m thinking probably not to the Goodwill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mattresses-where-do-they-go-to-die/433384.md?page=2)