Getting a new pillow and mattress can do wonders for your sleeping routine. You will sleep more comfortably, forget about neck or back pain, and enjoy less achy mornings.
After the excitement about your new pillow and mattress passes, the challenging part comes—how to say goodbye to the old ones and what to do with them?
Giving your old pillow and mattress to charity may seem a way to dispose of the clutter and have more space for new things. However, before you pack your cushions and beddings, you need to know a couple of things to ensure a successful donation.
First, you must wash your pillows, bedsheets, and mattresses every week and replace them with new ones every two years. Depending on the brand and material, some pillows and bedsheets may wear faster than others. If you wash your pillows and sheets more frequently, you should change them every year.
So, how do you know if your old mattress, pillows, and sheets are ready for donation? Consider these factors to help determine if you need to donate these items:
People require quality sleep to live a healthy and happy life. Try changing your mattress and pillows if you feel like you don’t rest enough or wake up with neck pain. This gives you an opportunity to improve your sleep and donate the old ones to those in need.
A lack of sleep can impact the function of your immune system, decrease alertness, and increase the risk of dementia, so if you do not feel good about your current bedding, find a replacement quickly.
If your current mattress is not so comfortable to sleep on, you probably wake up with back pain and headache. In addition, that uncomfortable mattress could be the source of other issues, including muscle soreness and stiffness.
Consider relieving pain another reason to give your current mattress to charity and get yourself a new one. A change that will make your nights more comfortable and your mornings enjoyable.
You may change your sheets and pillow covers regularly, but like most people, you probably don’t clean the mattress as often. As a result, bacteria and germs might pile up on your bed after some time and cause allergic reactions.
If you want to ensure no impurities exist on or around your mattress, you need to clean and sterilize it to eliminate bed bugs, allergens, and other germs. After that, you may decide to give your mattress to charity and make someone happy with a sturdy and clean piece.
Whatever the reason for donating, make sure to find the right charity organization and ensure your old items are in good condition (no stains or bed bugs).
First, find a charity organization that accepts old pillows and mattresses. Some centers accept donations in this form but make sure you have a list of charities that specifically request used bedding for people in need. You can research both public and private organizations.
Some organizations don’t accept old pillows and mattresses due to health concerns. Many people fear a possible bed bug infestation and don’t want to spread infections that may turn to severe allergic reactions. The effects range from a small bite mark to anaphylaxis or severe reaction, skin rash, and impetigo.
The National Furniture Bank Association, for example, has an online database of families in need of home items and furnishings, including old pillows and mattresses. Their service covers almost all parts of North America, so you can easily find a facility near you to drop your things off.
If you don’t have time to research charitable organizations, you can also check popular online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist and their free listing sections. You can post your old items on these sites and allow someone to pick them up from your address.
Some organizations give old mattresses and sheets to people in need, while others focus on recycling old clothing and mattresses and positively impacting the environment.
If you’ve donated mattresses and pillows before, you might want to consider recycling to reduce the waste sent to dumps and landfills, conserve natural resources, and prevent pollution.
In the U.S., more than 50,000 mattresses get abandoned daily, and most of them end up in landfills. With mattress donation or recycling, you will do something good for the environment and save energy, water, timber, and minerals.
The same research shows that people can recycle more than 75% of mattresses. That amounts to millions of pounds worth of materials that end up in waste streams and landfills. Instead, we could use these materials by separating the cotton fiber and polyurethane foam and reusing them for other things.
No one wants to receive a dirty mattress or pillow, so you have to check your items before putting them in a donation box. You can take your pillows or mattresses to a professional cleaning service for 100% sanitization or clean them yourself.
It is essential for those who want to clean the pillows and mattresses themselves to strip any protectors and linens off them and vacuum with an upholstery attachment. If you notice any stains, get a stain remover or a cleaning product for the type of stain to remove without damaging the material. A bit of dish soap makes an excellent option for eliminating food and beverage stains.
Once you ensure the pillow and mattress are stain-free, sprinkle some baking soda over them and let them sit for a few hours. Then, vacuum the pillows and mattress again and pack them in a box.
If you haven’t used your mattress and sheets for a while, don’t assume they remain free of stains, tears, or other damage. Even if recently cleaned, some stains may appear after sitting in the linen closet for some time, so before you pack them, inspect them thoroughly and make sure you see no signs of damage.
You also need to inspect the mattress and pillows for any missing buttons, zipper pulls, or other malfunctioning parts. It would be good to repair these details before sending them out to your local charity organization. It is only ethical to donate functional and wearable items for families who need them more than you do.
If you don’t have the skills or time to sew buttons, you can drop them at the local tailor or dry cleaner for quick service.
Many people don’t consider donating their old mattresses and pillows because they are heavy, bulky, and difficult to drag around. However, with Easy Donation Pickup, donating your old items is easier than you might think.
We collaborate with various charity organizations and centers and have the skills and knowledge to coordinate donations and arrange the necessary details. Helping people in need remains one of our biggest motivations, and giving them hope gives us our biggest reward.
Throughout our work and service, we inspire people to get rid of the things they don’t need or use anymore, helping underprivileged families feel loved. It is the least we can do for those who struggle financially and don’t have the necessary resources to live as many of us do. Some of the benefits of donating include:
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We are here to answer all your questions, provide you with details, and explain the process.
If you want to schedule your pickup today, book our services online or contact us at (855-628-8387). Easy Donation Pickup strikes to make the donation process as easy and hassle-free as possible.