It’s time to clean up your old, unwanted mattress. You may have just moved into a new apartment and you’re looking for the best way to sell your old mattress.
You can either throw it out or put it on the curb for a pickup. But is that really your best option? You can be significantly more efficient with your resources.
Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to make money from used mattresses without taking them to recycling centers like many people think you have to. You might be surprised by how much cash you can make.
You’ve probably heard many people talking about mattress recycling centers, but these aren’t your only option for disposing of an old mattress that you no longer want or need anymore.
Whatever the reason is for wanting to sell your used mattress, this article will walk you through all the steps involved in selling it from start to finish.
Also Read: The Definitive Guide to Mattress Disposal (2022 Updated)
What to Do Before Selling Your Mattress
Selling an old mattress is a matter of finding someone who needs it. And the best way to do so is to make sure your bed is in perfect order before selling it.
Here’s what you should do before putting it up for sale:
- Check your State’s regulations about selling used mattresses. Mattresses are among the most regulated items for selling used ones. This is because dishonest sellers managed to fraud at multiple customers with old mattresses. Considering what goes into an exchange of mattress with money, it makes sense to regulate it.
- Evaluate the condition of your old mattress and find out what might be wrong with it. Is the mattress lumpy? Do you feel sores in certain places on the surface? Is there possible mold or mildew buildup?
- Clean your bed. You will need to vacuum all the dust and dirt from your old mattress and remove any food spills or stains. You may also want to use a vacuum designed for this purpose with an upholstery attachment.
- Inspect the outside of the mattress for any tears or rips in the fabric. And if there is damage, you probably won’t be able to sell it. Anything that could make the mattress unusable invalidates it as a sales candidate.
- Take your old mattress off of the bed frame and inspect it. Make sure there are no rips or tears along the edges that might be dangerous for someone lying on them.
- If you need additional cleaning, now is the time to use any stain removers, mattress deodorizers, or mattress cleaning sprays on the surface of your old mattress to clean it up. Plus, spray it with a solution that gets rid of bed bugs and other unwanted guests. These pesky critters can survive for months with no food or water. Don’t think that storing your mattress away for a couple of weeks is enough to make sure it’s clear.
- Take pictures of your bed. Make sure they’re high-quality. Here’s an excellent guide by HubSpot on how to take outstanding pictures. These are the first thing people will see when shopping for a bed online. You can make a strong first impression with the right photographs.
Where to Sell a Used Mattress
The best option would be to sell your mattress to someone you know. It’s the most painless solution. Have your friend come and pick it up himself. This will avoid you any potential negotiation or other annoying stuff.
But that’s almost never an option. How likely is for you to know someone who needs a new mattress? Luckily for you, the world is enormous, so you can leverage the power of the Internet to find interested buyers.
The best way for you to sell an unwanted or used bed is with a little help from Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, and even Amazon.
1. Craigslist
This site will allow you to post ads for free if you’re a seller and for $20 if you’re looking to buy.
The user interface is simple and easy to use, so you’ll have no problems. You can post pictures of your bed for people to see if they want more information about it before contacting you personally.
Plus, there are other ways Craigslist will help you sell used mattresses: classified ads section in every city and country with an audience that is looking for beds.
The power of Craigslist lies in how easy it is to find people in your area who need a mattress. Hauling a mattress away is complicated. The closer the buyer, the better it is for everyone involved.
2. Facebook Marketplace
This is another great way to sell your used mattress.
You can use this Facebook app to post pictures of your bed and set a price for it. Much like Craigslist, the power of the Facebook Marketplace is in its ability to reach local buyers.
The user interface isn’t as intuitive as Craigslist’s, but it’s simple enough you’ll be able to sell your mattress without issues.
Facebook Marketplace is free to use, but you can use its ad network to show your used mattress to more people.
3. eBay
This is the most versatile option. You can post nearly anything on eBay, and this includes your old mattress. You’re able to sell mattresses of all different sizes and thicknesses with ease here. Plus, if something goes wrong during shipping (for example, the mattress is damaged), you’re protected by eBay’s buyer protection.
eBay has an easy-to-use interface with a lot of options for posting your ad. You can post pictures and videos to show off the condition of your old bed and offer it in different auctions or buy now listings (which will cost you a small fee).
The only thing you should know is that eBay can attract unwanted buyers who may not have the best intentions. You will want to read their policies carefully before putting your mattress up for sale, because there are some people out in the world looking to scam others with fake transactions.
4. Amazon
This option has a lot of pros, but is not the best option for some people.
You can list your bed on Amazon FBA (Using an Amazon Seller account), which will allow you to sell it at a much lower cost than eBay or Craigslist. This is because they do all the heavy lifting and shipping work for you. You just have to fill out the information, pack it up and ship to them.
But there are some downsides to Amazon. First, you need a lot of feedback and reviews in order for your mattress sale to be successful. If you sell on Amazon FBA, you’ll also need a high-quality mattress cover to keep your bed fresh while in transit. This can cost upwards of $100 for some mattresses (again with the expensive beds), but they are much cheaper on Amazon.
The risk of selling on Amazon is that it could end up costing you more than what you’re getting from the sales. It’s a lot of effort for a onetime sale, so calculate if it’s worth it.
If you’re interested in this option, check with Amazon’s seller policies before listing your bed so that you know what is expected of you.
How Much Can You Make from Selling Your Mattress?
Obviously, you want to sell your mattress for as much as possible.
The going rate for old mattresses varies anywhere between $20-$200 depending on the size, condition, and location. Plus, how much you paid for it when you bought it should be factored in. Price is a good indicator of quality, so if you spend a lot, your mattress is likely still good enough to sell for a decent chunk of money.
There are a few ways to do this, though, and some of them require a little more work than others.
The first thing you’ll want to do is evaluate the condition of the mattress so that you know what the market value is. Compare your mattress to other used ones, it’ll give you a good estimate of how much your mattress is worth.
Inspect it for issues. Make sure there are no stains or punctures on the cover or tears in the material. Don’t forget about bed bugs. The sooner you clean up an old bed, the easier it will be for potential buyers to see its potential.
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Establishing a Price
Now that you know your bed’s conditions, you can establish a price. There are various steps you can take to make sure you come up with a sensible price. One that isn’t too high to scare away potential buyers, but not too low either.
- Use a price checker tool to see how many people are selling their mattresses for around your area so you know what the market value is and can adjust accordingly.
- If you’re looking for a more instant price, you can always search Google with the keywords “used mattresses” and see what appears.
- You should also research any local websites that may be worth advertising with, as they have a specific audience looking for deals on used beds in your area.
- The next step would be to find out how much money people are willing to pay for your used bed. Ultimately, this is the most important thing. If your bed is worth $50 to you, but someone will pay $100 for it, who are you to judge? You’ll both be happy with the exchange, it’s a win-win.
Inspecting a used mattress can be stressful because it’s hard to tell if someone will pay close attention to these details. That’s why you can use a professional service to come assess it. They will do all the work for you and give an honest assessment of what your mattress is worth depending on condition.
Taking Care of the Process: How to Sell Your Mattress Safely
When it comes time to sell your old mattress, there are some precautions that need to be taken.
Selling your mattress is a very easy process, but there are some steps to take before you can get started.
- You need to make sure the bedding has been taken off and that any stains have been cleaned or removed from the cover.
- You’ll also want to make sure all of the tags on the label have been completely removed.
- It’s important to make sure that you take care of the mattress after it has been sold. You can do this by removing all stains and applying a fresh cover on top.
- Finally, be very detailed in your description about how much time is left before the bedding expires (when it will stop working) and how much it costs. Transparency is crucial when selling used items. People will trust you more if you provide all the information in your ad.
If you’re feeling like your old mattress has a lot of sentimental value, then you may want to consider keeping it for another few months before selling.
Conclusions
Selling a used mattress is slightly different from selling other products, mostly because of the item’s size. While most other things you can sell are small and can be picked up by hand, mattresses require more effort.
What’s important is being transparent with your sales message. Include how long you used your mattress for, if it has any issue, and take comprehensive pictures. Don’t try to pull a fast one. Honesty goes a long way in life.
If you don’t manage to sell your mattress, consider donating it to a charity, or gift it to someone who needs it. You’ll lose out on the money, but you’ll be doing someone a favor.
Now you know what to do before selling a mattress, and where to do it to maximize your earnings. Remember: most people can’t write a good sales message. As long as you write clearly what you are selling, for how much, and put up good pictures, you’ll quickly find a buyer.
