Should I accept the used mattress my neighbor is offering me?
My next door neighbor of 16+ years is moving. While helping him move some stuff to his new place, I mentioned that I haven’t been sleeping well for a while and he decided to come over and take a look at my mattress. He thought it was in terrible shape, and now that I think about it, I’ve had this mattress for an extremely long time (I’m thinking maybe longer than I’ve been neighbors with this guy!). There’s a big indentation in the center (which perfectly matches up with my butt or my gut, take your pick).
In any case, he offered to give me his queen-size mattress. I’m tired of sleeping on a twin-size, so I thought I might find a queen-size frame for cheap on Craigslist. The only question is: is it icky to sleep on a used mattress?
The neighbor is relatively clean; no pets or smoking in that apartment, as far as I can tell. I’m not sure if the mattress was used by him or his mother, but does it really matter?
I was thinking I could vacuum it, wipe it down, spray it with Lysol and maybe get one of those hypoallergenic plastic covers which are supposed to suffocate dust mites once the mattress is covered.
And of course, I should mention that I probably wouldn’t be considering taking the mattress if finances weren’t a concern. If I don’t take this mattress, it’s probably going to be a long time before I can afford to buy even a cheap new one for myself.
So: take a possibly icky mattress and maybe sleep better, or keep my old one for a few more years?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
31 Answers
Were you able to look at the mattress? As long as it doesn’t look gross, and you put a cover on it, etc., I don’t see why not.
Sounds like a winner to me. The biggest problem with used mattresses is if they are carrying diseases or bed bugs that could be transferred to you. Look at it all over for major stains and check the seams as well. If it’s clean, you’re good to go.
H’es relatively clean as you put it.
You can always CLEAN the mattress so go ahes and take it.
If you decide it wont sufice you can always throw it.
You’ve sleep in hotel beds before, right? I’m sure those are in worse condition and much nastier than your neighbor’s mattress.
Like everyone here already said, if it looks good and you clean it up a bit, then why not? Mattresses are expensive!
I was about to say exactly what Randy did. You can clean this mattress, you can’t clean a hotel mattress so as long as it isn’t obviously grotty, go with it! Nice of your neighbour to offer.
Yes very nice of him to offer.
I have recieved a used matress in the past and know how you feel but the feelings really are irrational
Just keep in mind that every breath that you ever take there is an 87% chance that a molecule you just used has previously passed through the sphincter muscles of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
If it doesn’t ick you out, then don’t worry about it – free mattress!
I reckon a lot of us have our priorities all wrong, We spend up to 33% of our lives in bed so we should invest in our mattresses.
I don’t see any reason to say NO!
Definitely take it! You can put a cover on it. At least that’s what I would do. You don’t know who’s had sex on it.
Or perhaps worse @KatetheGreat, he DOES know who has had sex on it…. neighbour sex…. might be nasty (he should still take the mattress though).
In addition to the above answers, I’d say if he’s been keeping the mattress covered with a sheet, then go for it.
Also, you could flip the mattress over at your place and see if the underside seems like it would be a fresher surface for sleeping.
I’d take it, clean it, and get a cover for it.
If you’re really creeped out by any dust or dirties that might be on it, you could contact a carpet/upholstery cleaning company and see how much they would charge to come in and clean it. It’ll still be cheaper than buying a new queen mattress, I’m sure!
For heaven’s sake take it and get a good night’s sleep. The hotel beds argument won me over. (I hope you can put the creepy features, brought up by others, out of your mind.)
The only used mattress I would ever consider accepting, would be one from my parents. You know your parents and you know their new mattress was used only by them.
I read the answer, concerning sleeping on a mattress in a motel or hotel. I agree with that answer with only one comment. Hotel, motel mattresses are backed by the owners. In other words, you have someone to complain to, if its not right. Accepting a neighbors free mattress comes “as is”. You have already given your old mattress to Goodwill and now you are stuck with a mattress that is icky and has mysterious blood patterns on it. NOW, you have to go buy a new mattress, simply because you have no one to complain to.
All used mattresses come with their own story.
From reading your story, your neighbor doesn’t impress me as being one to offer you something that he knows is shoddy or not usable. After looking at the mattress decide for yourself if you want to take it or not.
Just eewww! Go buy your own mattress! Don’t you deserve it?
Sure! Lysol the hell out of it and put a mattress cover on it! It can’t be any nastier than mattresses in hotels, right?
I would take it, vacuum it, then put on a bed bug proof cover. A grown man needs a bigger bed than a twin. Period.
I would accept it, but it kind of skeeves me out (even sleeping in hotel beds), so I’d probably perform some sort of cleaning ritual that would enable me to feel better about sleeping on it.
I mean.. a sheet is just a thin layer of cotton and/or polyester.. think about it: does that really protect the mattress from body fluids (sweat, oils, or otherwise)? In my mind, no. So I’d probably Lysol the shit out of it. :D
That or see how much it cost to have Stanley Steemer come out and steam clean it for me.
Do you think twice about sitting down on someones couch? People sleep and fuck on couches all the time. I think my couch has seen more action than my bed.
Piss stains are pretty obvious.
Take it, clean it yourself, buy a cover if you’re skeeved. Or just use sheets and get over it.
It’s free, in good condition (supposedly) and if it’s a problem you can sell it and add the money to your Big Boy Bed Fund.
I don’t know how you’ve kept a mattress for 16 years, in all honesty your bed grosses me out more than any of my neighbors. Which include the Chinese family of 12 who live in a two bedroom, the family that chain smokes with the teenage mom of a daughter and the Russians I have never been able to speak to.
If only to get rid of the mattress that’s been eating up skin flakes, oils and whatever else got in there for over 16 years – take the fucking mattress dude.
And treat it properly so it can last you. Rotate it, and flip it.
Spring, spin. Fall, flip.
I wouldn’t think of taking a used mattress now, but when I was young and broke I accepted used beds from friends and had no adverse effects. You said yourself that the guy is clean. I can’t see much difference in sleeping on a used mattress and sitting on a used couch. What doesn’t kill you makes you strong.
If it is better than yours and bigger and doesn’t have a lot of weird stains I would lysol it and sleep away.
If that is okay, you should take it. The rest depends on you….... :)
Take it. And put a nice cover on it. Don’t say no.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
