Brand-new mattresses can be expensive, and finding the right one for your comfort and style can require lots of research, such as price, quality, brand name and warranty information. Buying a used mattress, on the other hand, may be the affordable solution, but you'll have to do your homework. Read on to find out how to buy a used mattress before you shake hands and seal the deal. Search for a used mattress on eBay, Craigslist or in your local classified ads. Many people sell good, quality, and affordable used mattresses that have hardly been used. Your safest bet, however, is to buy from your local used furniture store or from someone you know and trust. Be careful when shopping for a used, or rebuilt, mattress. Some states have laws that protect consumers against mattresses that contain health hazards that may not be visible to the human eye. Ask lots of questions before you make your purchase and, if you're buying from a used furniture store, make sure that it's reputable and that there have been no consumer complaints filed against it for selling mattresses that do not meet regulatory standards.
Look for special tags attached to used or rebuilt mattresses that some states require. One tag may identify what materials were used to refill the mattress, and the other may indicate that the mattress was thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated. Determine that the mattress will not easily catch fire. Be certain that it meets federal regulations regarding flammability. Lie down on the mattress before handing over your money. If it's clean and of good quality but is sagging, too hard or soft or has loose springs, you won't be able to sleep comfortably. Pass it up and keep looking. Cover your used mattress in plastic or a mattress cover to protect yourself from any hidden dirt or parasites that may be lurking the mattress. Use a powder and a vacuum to get rid of hidden bugs. Have your mattress cleaned by a professional before you settle in for your first night's sleep. Many people donate quality mattresses to thrift stores that are in perfect condition and sell for very low prices.
Buy a used mattress that is built to last and that is not torn or falling apart. Not all states requires special tags be attached to their mattresses so be sure to ask lots of questions about how it was rebuilt or treated. Look for noticeable odors, stains and tiny bugs. It's best to turn that one down and keep looking for a mattress that is clean and odor-free. Avoid purchasing or taking as a gift a used crib mattress for your baby. You May Also Like So you're tossing and turning, your body aches, and you can't sleep. It sounds like it's time for a new mattress. A used mattress may not be the most prestigious buy, but how you advertise it can put shoppers minds at ease. The futon has come a long way in the past forty years, but the traditional 100% cotton futon mattress is still a... Hotel chains are always looking to increase their bottom line. Many hotels already sell branded products based on their towels, bathrobes, sheets,... Most of us spend one-third of our lives sleeping, which means that a mattress is one of the most important furnishings in...
Every night, you lay down on your bed for a good night's rest. To get the rest your body needs, you need... 22 DIY Ways to Update Your Home on a Small Budget How to Sanitize a Secondhand Mattress How to Clean a Used Mattress How to Sanitize a Mattress How to Sell a Used Mattress How Much Should I Pay for a Used Mattress? The Laws for the Resale of Used MattressesPosted by on 1/05/10 • Categorized as “I could’ve bought a mattress here,” I said jokingly to my auction buddy Janet as I eyed two mattresses – a king and a twin – propped against a wall in the furniture section of the auction house. She picked up on the joke, reminding me of the bedbugs that I’d probably find in any mattress I bought there. That’s not all I was likely to find: dust mites, mold, bacteria and other people’s body fluids. Mattresses were on my mind because I had bought a new mattress set a few days before – for a lot more than I would’ve paid at the auction house.
My old mattress was starting to sag in the center, so I knew it was time to buy new. Before I went shopping, I visited the web to see what I should look for in a new mattress. I was schooled in the types of materials used, how much I should pay, how I should choose the right mattress and more. The sites warned that it was hard to compare mattress prices because manufacturers renamed models by store. I had already decided where I wanted to buy; I just needed to find the right fit. I knew where I was not going: to one of those storefront mattress companies that scream their savings. I went to one about six or so years ago, and the salesman basically lied to me about the cost. I didn’t realize he had lied until I got home with the estimate. So this time I was going to a reputable department store. I spent about 45 minutes to an hour in the mattress department, moving from one mattress to another. There were so many choices, and I kept checking the same ones several times.
The saleswoman basically left me alone to wander and try them out. Consumer Reports, according to several sites, said one should expect to pay at least $800 for a good queen mattress. It never occurred to me to consider buying a used mattress at auction. The thought of sleeping on a stranger’s old bed makes my skin crawl. But now that I think of it, isn’t that what we do at hotels? We never know who slept on the mattress before we checked in. But I’m not going there. I’m not sure how much those two mattresses sold for at the auction house, but I’m pretty certain that they were purchased. Very little goes unsold. After I got home from the auction, I decided to do some more Google research, this time on buying a used mattress. Here’s what I found: The MSN Money website listed 10 things you should never buy used. A mattress is #8. “Think of all the stuff you do on your mattress. Now think of sleeping in someone else’s stuff. Ewwwww,” wrote personal finance writer Liz Pulliam Weston.