How to Recycle a Futon
Get informed
You might want to do some research about the rules and regulations about recycling in your area. You can contact your local town office and find out how to recycle safely and in an eco-friendly manner.
Understand the regulations and stick to those rules. You can also speak to friends and neighbors about this. This can help you in several ways: they can tell you about their own experiences about recycling and one of them might even be interested in taking your futon for their own home.
You can also go online to find out where the recycling centers are in your town. Visit the Earth911 Center. It is the largest recycling center in the Northern United States.
Contact the recycling departments/centers
Find out about the type of containers needed for recycling your futon mattress and/or frame. Ask them when they can collect it or whether you need to drop it off at the center.
You can then schedule the pickup/drop-off accordingly.
Use Freecycle or Freegle
Freecycle is a country-wide recycling resource. They let you list things you wish to donate, including mattresses and futons.
Freegle is also a similar resource for donating your gently-used futon frame and mattress.
Check with furniture stores about futon frame recycling
If you are shopping for a new futon, you can ask the shop/manufacturer whether they buy back older frames and futon mattresses. Some might refuse to buy mattresses for beg bug/hygiene reasons. But many manufacturers do take the frames. They even give you some discount on the purchase of your new futon and offer to collect your older one for free.
Give it away to students
Students are always willing to take old futons. If there’s a university town near you, you can post advertisements/flyers of your futon.
Contact your local church
Many churches, student youth hostels, women’s homes, orphanages, senior homes, assisted living facilities, and homeless organizations would love donated futons. Contact one near you and arrange to drop it off or have it picked up.
Thrift shops
Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity also accept old futons and mattresses as long as they are clean and hygienic. Donate the futon by contacting these organizations. You can also contact local thrift stores to find out their policies.
Simply place it out on the street
If nothing works and you simply wish to dispose of the futon, then you can place it on the curb. If it’s in good condition, chances are someone will find a good use for it.