Would you buy a used mattress?

In these days of bedbugs no, no NO!!!!!!!

Please don’t do it. Bedbugs are a GINORMOUS pain in the ass. Way difficult and expensive to get rid of.

All but the most expensive treatments will destroy or damage your property.

Treatments can cost thousands.

You will likely need to empty your entire home of your property.

just don’t

No,I wouldn’t.

I did buy a used mattress. Given, I knew the previous owner, but she told me two other people had owned it before she had, and of course I didn’t know them. I slung a waterproof allergen cover on it, and called it a day.

I’ve had it for about a year and a half, and it’s been great. I love my bed. I would definitely buy it again.

I have and it lasted us almost four years. Best twenty bucks we ever spent. Ask to look at it first, of course. Also, we sprayed it with Lysol ok we soaked it and opened up a seam and sprayed inside. If you’re concerned beyond that then get a waterproof mattress cover.

No, I wouldn’t.

Maybe if i disinfected it alot =)

I wont thats gross.

Never.

At first it sounds disgusting but everytime you sleep at a hotel or motel you are basically doing the same thing. Actually it could be worse because who knows how many different people have slept in it before you.

I think if you get it from a clean looking home and the mattress itself looks (and smells) clean, I wouldn’t worry too much. I would spray it with lysol and put a nice thick mattress pad on it.

No way, never. I always buy mattresses brand new.

yes. put an extra sheet on it, and who cares. mattresses new are expensive. i personally cant afford one and will probably get a used one when i move next month.

Ew, no.

I’ve done it, and everything was fine. The bed was awesomely comfortable and I saved a ton of money. I don’t get how people will buy couches used and not think twice about it, but won’t buy a mattress. If you’re really worried, I guess you could just buy a used frame and box spring, and get a really cheap Ikea mattress in that size.

There are places that sell sterilized mattresses.

I don’t think so…I often wonder where that stain came from on my mattress.

It is illegal to sell a used mattress. Look here

@DrBill: Link?

Has there ever been a day when new mattresses were not on sale? Buy a new one.

@writemyselfaletter i dont think availablity of new mattresses is the deciding factor here…

@DrBill: It’s customary here to include some sort of notice when your answer has been edited. And that link doesn’t really prove your point about Illinois…One person writes “all states” and another writes that they don’t believe it?

Been brokish for years- yes, I have bought used mattresses and I had a bed given to me by an aging neighbor when I was a kid. All has been well but I don’t know of anyone having bedbugs. I’ll have to google it.

Definitely not. I think if there is just one thing in life you shouldn’t buy second hand it’s a mattress. Just think of all the things that have happened on that bed…actually better not think about it.

@DrBill The link you provided is to a question and answer site that carries the same disclaimer you find here, and one of the two answers says the answer shown probably isn’t true.

I have purchased used mattresses many times over the years. I simply vaccuum, using a foam carpet/upholstry cleaner, spray with disinfectant and then cover with a brand new mattress bag. I’ve never been disappointed.

No never. That would be like buying “used underwear.” Yeech.

You have a sheet on your mattress. It might compare to used jeans.

I did, way back when I was 15 years old. I bought a queen size mattress set, from someone I knew. I don’t think I’d do it now, though.

I know you cannot donate a mattress (we learned this the last time we moved, so my father and husband had to throw away a perfectly good mattress)
I would possibly buy one from someone I knew pretty well, but definitely not a stranger.

Probably not, unless I thoroughly sanitized it first.

@casheroo is that a state law or national? our local thrift/United Way/Salvation Army stores all have mattresses.

@gemiwing I’m not sure. I had actually never heard of it prior to this year. They took it to Purple Heart, and were informed that they can’t accept it because they don’t know where the mattress has been. I don’t know if it was a legal thing or just something they had set up.

We could not give matresses or fabric covered furniture to Salvation Army a couple of years ago.

That’s interesting. I wonder if this is a new thing, a state thing, a company choice thing or just a thang thing. Fascinating.

@faye: Weird, I’ve definitely seen fabric covered furniture for sale at the Salvation Army here in Texas…

I wouldn’t. I would buy a new inflatable mattress instead. They are cheaper and no bed bugs or old body fluids to worry about.

NO. NO. NO. Don’t do it. Find a better alternative, a half price sale, a yearly clearance, go to Costco or anything else… Bed bugs and body fluids aren’t worth it.

The mattress business is really competitive. You can usually find a pretty cheap one new if you shop around. Use your JC Penny card as a last resort but don’t buy used unless it’s from someone you know and you know they always used a really good mattress pad.

rooeytoo makes very good points. I was going to rent a place once that had furtinutre included and when the women was showing me around there was the bed with a matteress on it with a huge blood stain in the middle! She seemed to think it was no big deal!!!!! I guess some people have different ideas about what is ok and not ok!! Therefore the description the owner gives may differ from your standards…. also I heard that if a mattress is from a house where meth is smoked it sinks into the material making it toxic for the next owner.

But hey you could be lucky!!! – most people arent meth addicts and most people would consider a clean bug free mattress as a mattress without stains or bugs. Depends how much you trust the sellers word – and photography skills!!

On saying all that it would probably be fine. Take a look at what eles they are selling see if you an build an idea of what their stuff is like from their previous deals etc

@Haleth ; I won’t buy any used upholstered furniture.

@zookeeny Very good advice. I went to a house to pick up a free mattress from Freecycle.com and drove on by just from the looks of the house. I sent them a ‘sorry’ message when I got home. However, I have had good luck twice in twin beds, and once in a crib from Freecycle.

nope i wouldn’t. just doesn’t sit well with me, sleeping in someone’s pre-loved bed ;)

My local “salvation army” type stores sell mattresses. I think the organization that accepts them has to have the capability to spray them with disinfectant. The same goes for shoes, at least where I live.

Depending on my finances, the source of the mattress, the cleanliness of the owner/home, etc. I would consider it. Of course we would all prefer new mattresses (and underwear, for that matter), but people have to do what they have to do.

My son had my old mattress from when I was a kiddo and I slept on an inflatable mattress on top of a bed frame when I bought my house until it leaked.