Can you burn a mattress?

Mattresses are essential that contribute to our daily rest sleep. Buying a mattress is already challenging, and disposing of it is even greater. Most mattresses, no matter which type, all contain harmful chemicals or toxin materials in their production. Therefore, burning a mattress to get rid of it is not a suitable option. It can pollute the air in the surroundings, making living difficult and harmful.

Continue reading below to find out if you can get rid of a mattress by burning it and if there are other safe ways to get rid of it.

How Much Time Does It Take For A Mattress To Burn?

Most mattress manufacturers claim their mattresses to be safe and free of flammable materials. But they still contain some flammable materials that make them dangerous to burn, especially indoors.

Furthermore, it only needs a single spark for these mattresses, even the new ones, for a quick burn. It’s quite dangerous to burn mattresses for the sake of their disposal, and not everyone should try it. People sometimes have even lost their lives in attempting to burn mattresses.

Typically, it’s only a matter of 30 seconds time period that these mattresses need to burn out once ignited. However, it would take even less time if your mattress is old.

An important fact to note is that most fire experts state you only have a few minutes to escape the scene where the mattress is burnt. Therefore, make sure to make your exit an easy and fast route before attempting to carry out such activity.

Will It Be Safe If You Burn A Mattress?

Generally speaking, burning a mattress, especially indoors, is never a safe activity. Therefore, you should avoid it as much as you can or seek professional help to perform this job safely and safely. There are many reasons for that; you can check some of them below for a better understanding.

It Can Release Carbon Monoxide, Which Is Harmful

Burning any sleep mattress is dangerous for several reasons, and the release of Carbon Monoxide is one major of all. Some mattresses release this highly poisonous gas when if you burn them. So, avoid doing this, especially in a closed or indoor place.

The gas might kill you quicker than you imagine and harm animals or pets. Therefore, if you ever find yourself near a place where the mattress is burning, leave and try to evacuate all living beings in that area for their safety.

It Can Become an Environmental Hazard

Burning a mattress alone might not be dangerous for yourself but for the other nearby. It can even become seriously hazardous for the whole environment and make the whole neighborhood life-threatening.

When you burn a mattress, it releases VOCs in the air, which take weeks to disappear. This can further create greenhouse effects which trap the release of gases and can lead to global warming.

Effects Relating To Health

If you plan to get rid of your mattress by burning it, make sure to do it in an open area with good air circulation. Carrying out this activity in an enclosed area might jeopardize your health and others nearby. That is because inhaling the burning mattress’s fumes is highly dangerous and may even lead to seizures, fainting, and asthma attack.

Some Easy Ways To Getting Rid Of Your Mattress

Getting rid of your mattress becomes necessary after a certain period or for reasons. Since burning them in the open can be very dangerous, as discussed above. Therefore, we recommend you always adopt natural ways to eliminate them. Check out some easy ways to get rid of your mattress.

Ask About It At The Time Of Purchasing Mattress

Few of us think of how we would get rid of this particular item when we are done with it. Especially when it comes to mattresses, our main focus of study and research is mostly on finding the suitable one (also check the top rated mattresses). Therefore, you should ask the purchaser how to get rid of this mattress easily and safely.

The sellers mostly have a wide knowledge of services that we buyers need at later stages. They can suggest some disposal companies or other safe ways for your mattress disposal. So, always contact the manufacturers or sellers about getting rid of the mattress for better guidance.

Contacting Local Authority Waste Disposals

Contact the garbage disposal or local authority waste disposal department to get rid of your mattress, which is otherwise hard to sell or refurbish. They may know how to get better rid of them safely and easily than you would.

Remember that burning a mattress is illegal as it’s not just a matter of your health and safety but also of those living nearby.

Some councils or local authorities may need the facility for easy disposal, and others may charge you for the services. However, getting your mattress through the help of these local authorities is an easy and legal way.

Contact Local Mattress Recycling Service

Up to 90% of old mattresses can be recycled so you can contact your local mattress recycling services. In addition, there are a lot of professional mattress recycling companies that can come and collect your mattress from home.

However, carrying a big mattress might be challenging to carry it to their facility. Some of them can even arrange collection in such situations.

So, try to check with them if they can recycle your old mattress. Remember that some of these recycling programs even charge fees for the recycling process. You may even need to make an appointment before you drop off your mattress.

Selling Your Old Mattress

You can sell your mattress at a low cost before you dispose of or burn it. Getting rid of your old mattress will lead you to need a new one and require funds for that. In addition, it’s likely possible that disposing of your mattress may require you to pay some fee to the local authority waste disposal or the waste disposal.

Therefore, try selling it as it will relieve you from carrying it around and give you some funds to buy the new one. Moreover, selling your mattress is the most hassle-free way of getting rid of the mattress. So, list it on different selling platforms and wait for the right buyer.

Donating Your Mattress

Donating your mattress can be a good option rather than trying to get rid of it. You can contact different charities, non-profit organizations, and thrift stores to come and collect them for your side. Again, donating can be the best option, as some organizations can even arrange the collection if you can’t deliver.

You can contact them directly and ask about their charity policies for mattresses. However, if your mattress is in good condition and free from bed bugs, you should contact them instead. Many of them are always in need of new mattresses and can accept such charities.

Offer Mattresses To An Animal Rescue Organization

Some animals love to sleep on mattresses, especially when they have adopted a pet animal that is home-born. These animal rescue organizations usually accept mattresses, whether they are in good or bad condition, without complaining. They use these mattresses for animals to sleep on as they don’t sleep elsewhere.

Therefore, you may even contact them and ask if they can accept your donation. In addition, you may donate or offer other bedding items like towels, blankets, or pillows. Some of these organizations even accept these bedding items as well.

Use Your Mattress To Create A Compost Heap

You can also use your mattress to create a compost heap. You cannot compost the mattress, but you can use its different parts to create a heaping container. Some mattresses have the wooden frame installed in them.

Therefore, if you have those kinds, you can use the wooden frame or other natural parts like fabric or padding to create the heap container to keep the warmth in the compost pile and promote the bacterial process in the compost pile.

Cut Your Mattress For Disposal And Recycling

When you have tried everything, and nothing has worked. You can still try cutting your mattress into small pieces for recycling and disposal. To do that, all you need is a saw, hammer, and knife. Carefully start cutting your mattress into smaller pieces and put them into your garage disposal for easy disposal. This can help you to dispose of your mattress in no time. However, ensure no sharp edges or cuts can harm the disposal staff or anyone else.

Advertise The Mattress For Free

Advertising your mattress can be another useful and fast option to get rid of your mattress before trying the disposal. You can try it after a while when you have yet to show interest online in purchasing your mattress already listed in used condition. In addition, you can use your local newspaper ads for advertising the mattress other than just listing it online.

If the mattress has deep rough stains or wear and tear, you think it won’t sell online or any other way. It’s better to give it away to get rid of it safely from your end rather than wasting time waiting for a buyer.

Homeless People

Anyone can deny a freebie but not a homeless person. Homeless people always need bedding items, beds, or mattresses. No matter how messy your piece is, they won’t reject it but rather be happy about it. Especially in winter, they most need something to sleep on to keep them warm and rest all day.

Try looking for them in your close neighborhood, or they are easily available near local town halls or hotspots. However, they would still require help carrying it around, and you must help them in full to donate your mattress. It may even require spending some money to arrange the delivery. But that little cost is better than juggling around and wasting time.

Key Takeaways

The Risks of Burning a Mattress

Mattresses, regardless of their type, contain harmful chemicals or toxic materials from their production. As a result, burning a mattress can lead to environmental pollution, posing significant threats to health and the environment. Specifically, mattresses can release Carbon Monoxide, a deadly gas, and VOCs, which contribute to greenhouse effects and global warming. Additionally, it’s worth noting that it takes merely 30 seconds for most mattresses to ignite and burn, emphasizing the danger they pose.

Health Concerns Associated with Burning Mattresses

Inhaling fumes from a burning mattress can be detrimental to health. Exposure can lead to conditions such as seizures, fainting, and even asthma attacks. The risk is amplified if the burning is done in closed spaces or areas with poor ventilation.

Alternative Ways to Dispose of Mattresses

Considering the significant dangers associated with burning mattresses, it’s imperative to explore safer disposal methods. Some recommended alternatives include:

1. Consulting with mattress sellers at the point of purchase about proper disposal methods.
2. Contacting local authority waste disposals or recycling centers for proper disposal or recycling services.
3. Selling or donating the old mattress.
4. Offering mattresses to animal rescue organizations.
5. Using parts of the mattress for creating compost heaps or for recycling purposes.
6. Advertise the mattress for free or offer it to homeless people in need.

Conclusion

We mostly ignore the simple fact that one day we must get rid of our old mattress for any reason and what we would need to do at that time. It may be more challenging to get rid of your mattress than it may appear to be.

We hope the above study helped you with ways to get rid of your old mattress. Lastly, again, no matter what option you choose.

Don’t think of burning them yourself, especially at home or elsewhere. Save this option as a last resort, and that too at the hands of concerned professionals considering the health and safety issues.

References:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b01557

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20190710/is-your-mattress-releasing-toxins-while-you-sleep