What To Do With An Old Memory Foam Mattress？(15 Best Ways!)

Are you searching for creative ideas for old foam mattresses lying unused in your home? Discover innovative and eco-friendly ways to repurpose memory foam mattress materials into functional and stylish furniture. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of transforming an old memory foam mattress into a chic and cozy couch, perfect for your living space. Additionally, learn how to convert a cot bed into an enchanting garden bench, ideal for enjoying sunny days outdoors. Embrace sustainability and add a personal touch to your home décor with these upcycling projects.

My parents-in-law gifted us a fabulous solid wood cot that converts to a junior bed and basically does everything you would want a cot to do. Unfortunately, neither of my boys wanted to sleep in it.

Rather than letting it go unused or attempting to pass it on, I chose to creatively repurpose the foam mattress. Now, it’s not just an unused piece but a vibrant garden bench where my boys can relax and enjoy the sunshine. This approach not only gave a new life to the old cot but also added a functional element to our garden.

Upcycle Memory Foam Mattress: A Couch Makeover

Key Takeaway: Transform your old foam mattress into a unique and inviting couch. Embrace this eco-friendly DIY project to add a bespoke flair to your living space, while supporting sustainable living practices. Follow this detailed guide to efficiently repurpose foam mattress material into an elegant and comfortable couch.

Step 1: Clean the Mattress

Key Takeaway: A clean mattress is the first step towards a successful transformation.

Before starting the transformation, ensure the mattress is clean. Even if it looks spotless, unseen allergens, dust mites, and bed bugs might be lurking. Mix a cup of baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender or eucalyptus oils are recommended for their antibacterial properties). Sprinkle the mixture onto the mattress and let it sit for a while before vacuuming it up[1].

Step 2: Measure and Cut

Key Takeaway: Proper measurement and cutting are crucial for a successful transformation.

Determine the Size: First, decide on the dimensions of your new couch. Consider the space where it will be placed and the desired seating capacity. Mark the Measurements: Using a ruler or measuring tape, mark the old memory foam mattress where you’ll need to cut. Cut the Foam: With a sharp knife or specialized foam cutter, carefully cut along the marked lines. Take your time to ensure straight and clean cuts[1].

Step 3: Crafting Custom Covers

Key Takeaway: Personalize your upcycled couch with hand-sewn covers. Select a robust fabric that not only complements your décor but also ensures durability. For those interested in exploring more about quality bedding accessories, dive into our insights on the top sheets for Tuft and Needle mattresses, enhancing your overall sleeping experience.

Step 4: Assemble

Key Takeaway: Assembling the couch requires attention to detail and the right materials.

Wrap the Foam: Lay the fabric on a flat surface, place the cut foam on top, and wrap it tightly. Ensure that the fabric covers all sides evenly. Secure the Fabric: Using a staple gun or strong stitches, secure the fabric to the foam. Pay attention to the corners and edges for a professional finish.

Step 5: Add Legs

Key Takeaway: Adding legs gives the couch a finished look and elevates it to a comfortable height.

Select the Legs: Choose legs that match the style of your couch. They can be wooden, metal, or any material that suits your design[3]. Attach the Legs: Position the legs at the corners of the foam and mark the attachment points. Drill holes if necessary and secure the legs with screws or appropriate hardware. Check Stability: Ensure that all legs are firmly attached and that the couch is stable[1].

Turning an old memory foam mattress into a couch is a creative and rewarding project that adds value to your home. By following these detailed steps, you can create a unique piece of furniture that reflects your style and meets your needs. It’s a wonderful way to repurpose a foam mattress and contribute to sustainability.

Innovative Upcycling Concepts for Old Foam Mattresses

Explore a realm of possibilities in repurposing your old memory foam mattress. From a sophisticated couch to snug pet beds and even durable garden kneelers, your old mattress holds a trove of potential. Embark on these upcycling adventures and infuse your home with customized, eco-friendly creations.

Turn an old mattress into Couch

Transform your old foam mattress into a stylish, functional couch. This not only repurposes your old mattress but also offers a unique addition to your home decor. If you’re looking for more information on how to enhance your sleeping experience, consider learning about the best Tempurpedic mattress options.

Upcycle Memory Foam Mattress as Pet Beds

Convert segments of your old memory foam mattress into luxurious pet beds, providing a comfortable resting spot for your furry friends. This reuse strategy aligns with eco-friendly practices and adds a personal touch to your pet’s space. For additional pet-friendly sleep solutions, discover the best filling for your pillow, ensuring a restful sleep for both you and your pets.

DIY Floor Cushions

Craft DIY floor cushions from your old foam mattress for an extra cozy element in your living room or outdoor space. This creative project adds a unique charm to your home. To further enhance your comfort at home, learn about the best mattress for fibromyalgia for additional insights into quality sleep solutions.”

Create a Garden Kneeler

Repurpose a section of your old memory foam mattress into a soft and durable garden kneeler, making gardening activities more comfortable. This upcycling idea is not only practical but also environmentally conscious. For those interested in enhancing their sleep quality, consider the best mattress for allergies to ensure a good night’s rest.

Craft Soundproofing Panels

Use your old foam mattress as soundproofing panels in a home studio or entertainment room. This innovative approach offers a functional and stylish solution to noise control. Explore further sleep and comfort options by checking out the best mattress for acid reflux, catering to specific health needs.

Build a Foam Play Mat

Transform your old foam mattress into a playful and safe foam play mat for your kids. By cutting the mattress into engaging shapes and covering them with colorful fabric, you create an ideal play area. This project is perfect for fostering a fun and secure environment. Complement this with insights on creating a cozy sleeping space for your children, like exploring the best mattress for tall people for their growing needs.

Make a Foam Headboard

Design a chic and comfortable headboard from your old memory foam mattress. This DIY project adds a touch of elegance to your bedroom while repurposing your old mattress. Enhance your bedroom further by discovering the comfort offered by the best mattress for scoliosis, ensuring supportive and restful sleep.

Before disposing of your old foam mattress, consider these creative ideas to give it a new life. You’ll save money, reduce waste, and add unique, personalized touches to your home.

Cot Before

My boys were happy enough to play in the cot – they just wouldn’t stay asleep in it at night!

The boys preferred snuggling in with me and in the end I did too (they now both have double beds in their rooms so Mum or Dad can give them a cuddle when needed and then escape…or fall asleep there as the case may be!).

So, lets just say I turned to upcycling this cot rather sooner than I anticipated.

The great thing about this cot is it is super solid and therefore super strong. It had a short lived lifespan as a playpen for my eldest son and I was even able to get in it with him for laughs and it held my weight just fine.

Materials Needed – Garden Bench

Cot bed with removable sidesPaint of your choice (this is optional but it does brighten it up – I used Rustoleum Chalky Finish Garden Furniture Spray Paint in Powder Blue. I would recommend using the non spray paint version in hindsight though!Waterproof fabric for your mattress & cushions (see below for how to calculate how much you need based on your cot size).Old cushion or pillow filling.Bag webbing for ties (optional) – you will need 16 ties in total if you do the same number of cushions I did (see below for how to measure)Sewing Machine (or needle and thread and a lot of patience!)4 x Zippers

Step 1: Remove one side of the cot

The cot bed I used for my garden bench is designed to be converted to a junior bed, so it doesn’t rely on the two slated sides (the sides with the cot bars) to hold it up or steady it. I simply removed one side and set it aside for another project.

You then want to test that the cot like this can take the weight of an adult or two. If yours isn’t as solid you may want to cut a piece of thick plywood or similar to reinforce the seated base area. I didn’t need to do this for mine.

Step 2: Paint (Optional)

This next step is completely optional if you like the colour and finish of your cot as it is.

Obviously though your cot wasn’t painted originally for outside use so if you aren’t painting it (and even if you are) make sure you use a garden cover to protect it from the rain.

I wanted my garden bench to be really summery and fresh though so I decided to paint over the wood.

I can be lazy sometimes so I thought I would try a Chalk Paint Spray Paint that I haven’t used before – because I love how quick spray paint can be.

BUT…this wasn’t quick.

I ended up using 4 cans of the stuff!

Here’s why.

My garden is windy – so some of the paint blew awayThere are gaps in between the railings – so again I was spraying a lot of my paint into the wind!

The take away from this is, unless you have a well ventilated indoor space to do your spray painting it isn’t the ideal method for this project. Use a brush or roller instead and save yourself from wasting paint!

I do like the colour though so that was something anyway! Rustoleum do the same colour in a traditional brush on version – in hindsight I should have picked that!

Step 3: Sew your Mattress Cover

To turn my cot bed into a garden bench I reused the existing cot bed mattress as the seat pad for my bench.

For your cover you will need 2 same size pieces of waterproof or water resistant fabric + 1 zipper that is at least the length of one end of your mattress.

To make the garden bench seat cover I measured two pieces of waterproof fabric that were the size of my mattress plus half the depth of my mattress plus a 2′ seam allowance just to be sure. If you are short on fabric you don’t need to make your seam allowance that big, I just like to be on the safe side!

As you can see from my photos I used a waterproof canvas fabric that has a kind of rubbery feeling on the underside. I thought this would be tough to sew and I was a little nervous about it.

I used a denim needle just to be sure.

But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, this is one of the easiest to handle fabrics I think I’ve ever sewn with…who knew?

This is the fabric I bought – the colour I used was Jade & Ice Blue 2Tone.

I attached the zipper to one of the ends (if you never attached a zipper you do it right sides together – so zipper head down against the right side of the fabric and repeat on the other side).

Placing the zipper on one of the short ends means quite a squishing effort to get the whole mattress in the cover, but it leaves you more options for flipping the seat cover over in future without worrying about the zipper showing.

I then sewed all the way around with my fabric right sides together (leaving my zipper halfway open). You need to leave the zipper open to make sure you are able to turn it right side out when you are finished!

Before turning my seat cover right side out, I added a ‘gusset’ to the corners to give it that boxy corners to fit around the mattress properly. To do this you need to line up your seams at each corner and sew a line across (see image). Make sure to backstitch and then cut off the excess when you are done before turning your cushion right side out.

Step 4: Sew your Cushion Covers

I wanted a super comfy bench, so I decided on 4 cushions. Two for the back and one for either end. I measured my bench and found my pillow measurements from there.

You could choose to do one long cushion for the back and leave the sides, or even just use throw cushions.

I didn’t do that because I wanted to leave my cushions outside (under a cover, but covers aren’t always 100% waterproof), so I wanted to make them out of a waterproof or water resistant fabric just like the seat cushion.

I had also learned a tip from a previous project where I had used a slippy, water resistant fabric for back cushions but hadn’t added any ties to them, which meant they just kept slipping down.

The ties help keep the cushions in place, and I think they work really well for this project.

The image above shows all the pieces you need for four cushions.

For each individual cushion, you need:

2 x waterproof or water resistant fabrics (I used the same waterproof canvas I used on the seat cushions for the back of these cushions and a tropical patterned water resistant fabric for the front).

• 1 x zipper
• 4 x ties

I measured on the cot the size I wanted my cushions to be and added a 2′ seam allowance all the way around (feel free to make your seam allowance smaller).

I attached my zipper and sewed the front and back of the cushions all the way around right sides together with the 4 ties sandwiched in at the top 2 corners (2 for each of the top corners) – see photos.

You need to actually measure on your cot how far the distance is from the railing you will be tying these to and the top of your cushion. Add enough to allow you to double knot it.

I made my ties from the same waterproof fabric as the seat cushion but it would be quicker and easier to use bag webbing or similar.

I didn’t add gussets to the corners of these cushion covers, I just trimmed the excess seams and clipped the corners before turning right side out.

More Cushion Cover Zipper Hacks here.

Step 5: Fill your Cushions

I used old cushion filling from some couch cushions I wasn’t using to fill the the square end cushions and regular bed pillows (old guest ones) for the longer back pillows.

If you don’t have anything like this to repurpose you can buy cushion inners fairly cheaply.

Step 6: Sit back, relax and enjoy the sun in your ‘new’ upcycled Garden Bench

That’s it. You’ve transformed an old cot into a garden bench. All you have to do then is tie your cushions on, sit back and relax.

I am beyond happy with how my bench turned out and I am confident it is going to get way more use in this new life than it ever did as a cot bed!

Wondering what to do with old memory foam mattress materials? There are numerous innovative and eco-friendly ways to repurpose and upcycle them. Each idea provides a unique opportunity to add a personal touch to your home while contributing to sustainability. For those considering a mattress upgrade, explore options like the best mattress for herniated disc for enhanced comfort and health benefits.

If you want to get rid of your old mattress, do not throw it away immediately. Please make use of it!

You could still make use of it for another purpose. All you have to do is to be creative.

I want to make use of my old stuff as this does not only save me money, but it could also be of some help even though it’s old.

Your memory foam mattress, for example, could still be of use in many ways, even if you have your new one already.

Ready to try out how creative you are? Try one of these ideas to make use of your old foam mattress!

Making use of the old ones unlocks the creative side of yourself.

If you don’t know what to do with an old memory foam mattress, use the following ideas.

Not only will you be making things useful but have fun too.

If you have a pet at home, like cats or dogs, you could use your old foam mattress to make their beds.

That way, your pet will have a pleasant and comfy sleeping area wherein they can rest and have a good night’s sleep.

Unlock your creative mind and make something out of the old ones.

If your foam mattress happens to have a spring, it’s your lucky day!

You could use the springs of your old mattress as a candle, cutlery, photo, or snack holder.

You can still reuse the fabric and other mattress parts.

Recycling these parts could create cushions, bean bag filers, stuffed animal fillers, and bed pillows.

You could also use these to add a bouncy feel to your furniture, and other Do it yourself (DIY) projects.

The mattress protectors you use have made your mattress fabric free from stains; thus, making it a rug is a good idea.

Add some extra old clothes and create a patchwork style of rug to decorate your home.

As much as we love to prevent kids from jumping on the bed, they love to do it.

So instead of telling them to stop, let them play with your old mattress.

Place the mattress under the jungle gym to provide a cushion whenever they are playing.

It will not only offer a children’s play area but security also.

Try making it into a porch chair instead!

Make your old mattress into a cushion on your porch wherein you can relax while feeling the gist of the wind on your cheeks.

The bedframe of your old bed mattress can be an excellent kitchen rack.

Place it at the ceiling together with the spring so you could hang your kitchen paraphernalia there.

If you are an artist or someone aspiring to be one, there are various ways to make an artwork out of the old mattress.

You can always disassemble the parts of the beddings and reuse them separately and make use of each part for your new mattress.

The old innerspring of your mattress can be excellent plant holders. You could design them with paint to brighten up your garden.

If you want to recycle your old mattress, make it environmentally friendly.

Make the materials from it into a compost container.

The old bed frame can be an excellent compost container. The fabric could be your lid to keep the compost dry.

If you are tired of your old mattress, you could always sell it for a bargain.

Ensure that the bed is still usable so that your buyer won’t feel bad about purchasing it.

Check if your mattress manufacturer offers leverage for used and old mattresses.

Some offer a recycling program or have a disposal agreement.

If you still want others to make use of your old mattress, donating them can benefit others.

If yours is still in good condition, others can still make use of it too.

You may give it away to those who can’t afford it or to those that need one.

Just dumping an old mattress could endanger the environment, so giving it to a recycling center.

The mattress chemicals could harm the environment like the PBDEs or polybrominated diphenyl ethers used as flame retardants.

Recycling or reusing mattresses has been very beneficial, especially to those concerned about their budget.

I’m not exaggerating or anything but the mattresses that are dumped into the landfill take up to 23 cubic feet of space, so if you reuse one, you could lessen the use of space.

Imagine if all people will recycle and reuse their old mattresses without having to throw them away.

You will save the environment from the chemicals the bed emits.

Anything recycled saves money.

Of course, it is based on my experience with DIY projects and reusing scrap materials. It holds more than just buying new.

With this information, I hope you know what to do with your old memory foam mattress.

If you’re short on time or prefer alternative solutions for your old mattress, consider reading our comprehensive guide on responsible disposal and recycling. For more insights into selecting the right mattress for your needs, our article on what to do with an old memory foam mattress offers valuable advice.

Sustainable Living with Memory Foam: Tips and Tricks

In our journey towards sustainable living, repurposing old items plays a crucial role. When it comes to old foam mattresses, there’s a wealth of creative and environmentally friendly possibilities. This section delves into practical and innovative ways to give your old memory foam mattress a new lease on life, ensuring it continues to bring comfort and utility in various forms. From crafting custom furniture to creating eco-friendly home solutions, learn how to make the most out of your old mattress. Moreover, understand the environmental impact and health considerations of memory foam, aligning with our commitment to responsible and informed living. For an in-depth understanding of mattress materials and their implications on health, consider exploring the best mattress for chronic pain, enriching your knowledge and choices.

Embrace Eco-Friendly Living: Repurpose Your Old Memory Foam Mattress

In summary, there are numerous ways to give a new life to your old memory foam mattress. Whether it’s transforming it into a comfortable couch, creating pet beds, or even crafting a garden kneeler, each idea not only saves space in landfills but also adds a unique element to your home. Remember, repurposing and upcycling your old mattress is a step towards sustainable living, saving both the environment and your budget.