Seven Ways to Recycle Memory Foam From an Old Mattress
Every mattress has a lifespan, and if you’ve ever kept an old mattress for too long, you know the consequences: back pain, sleepless nights, and a general feeling of untidiness . A fresh memory foam mattress is a life-changing experience, but it also leaves you with a new problem: what to do with your old mattress?
Simply throwing away memory foam so it can sit in a landfill forever is a terrible idea, especially since there’s still a lot of use in that old foam, even if it’s no longer suitable for use as a mattress. Of course, you can donate or recycle your old mattresses, but if you have an old mattress or mattress topper that you’re replacing, there are plenty of ways to recycle it, even if you’re not particularly crafty and don’t have sewing skills. All you really need is some kind of serrated knife (a bread knife will work, or you can use an insulating knife ). If you’re so inclined, an electric knife or hot knife will make the job much easier.
Once you have your tool, it’s time to get creative. Here are some easy ways to recycle your memory foam mattress.
Pet bed
One of the easiest ways to recycle old memory foam is to turn an old mattress into pet beds . You don’t need to have any serious sewing skills to do this—just cut the foam to a size that fits your pet and cover it with a small sheet, a large pillowcase, an old couch cushion cover, or whatever material you have on hand. You can also hand cut the foam into small pieces and place it inside the cover material if you don’t want to spend the time measuring and cutting.
Refresh your pillows
If you have old throw pillows, couch cushions, outdoor pillows or other soft items that have seen better days, your old memory foam mattress will make them feel like new. An old mattress may not have the support needed for a good night’s sleep, but it almost certainly has enough support left in it to make your old pillows look like plump, brand-new replacements. All you have to do is cut the old foam to size, pull out the old padding and put it back in place. As with a pet bed, shredding the memory foam can make it easier to fit inside.
Headboard
If you have some plywood, spray adhesive, extra fabric and a staple gun, you can create a cool custom headboard . Simply cut the foam and plywood into the desired shape and size, glue the foam to the plywood, cover with fabric, pull tightly and staple. Then simply attach your new headboard to the wall behind your bed and enjoy a more enjoyable night’s sleep.
Camping area
If you like to go into the wilderness and camp, sleep in a tent with a sleeping bag (or head out in a camper), you know that one of the biggest downsides to the outdoor lifestyle is the land: it’s simply not designed to sleep comfortably. Cutting up an old foam mattress into camping pillows that can be placed under your sleeping bag will greatly improve your comfort as you enjoy the great outdoors. Your new camping pad can also be rolled into sleeping bags, making it easy to transport and deploy.
Garden knees
If you love to garden, your knees are probably suffering. Sure, you can buy garden laps, but why spend money when your old memory foam mattress can be turned into garden laps with just a few minutes of work? Old foam may not keep you comfortable all night, but it can definitely give your knees some breathing room and make gardening (or any housework or DIY project) that requires long periods of kneeling a little more enjoyable .
Tara
If you need to ship or store some delicate items—like holiday decorations, unused glassware, or your grandma’s china—you can cut your old memory foam mattress into strips to protect it all. Cut a piece to fit into the bottom of the box, place the delicacies on it, and then layer another piece of foam on top of them. Repeat until the box is full, and now your fragile treasures can withstand almost anything short of a tornado or earthquake, even the US Postal Service.
Travel Seat Cushion
Travel is educational, therapeutic and a lot of fun, but sitting in cars, buses, vans, planes and trains for hours is not. Sitting for long periods of time can cause back pain, neck pain, and circulation problems. You can turn old memory foam into a neck pillow , and some memory foam inside a pillowcase makes a great effortless seat cushion for long flights or car trips. . After thirteen hours in economy class right next to the bathroom, you’ll be glad you didn’t throw out your old mattress.
Memory foam is an amazing thing and has many uses. If your old mattress has fallen into disrepair, a little time and creativity can give it a useful second life.