New or Used?

May 27, 2006 8:24 PM

How gross is a used mattress? Is there a way to determine "how used" a mattress is? If I got a used mattress with no visible urine/ejaculate/other(?) stains on it, and covered it with a nice thick mattress pad, would you think less of me?

I'm a college student and I'll be moving from the dorms into an aprtment soon, so I have a lot of other expenses to consider as I move in. I don't want to bring my bed from my parents' house to my new place, because it's not the right size, and besides, it's on its last legs, anyway. There are always some matress and boxspring sets listed on craiglist, so obviously some people are sleeping used mattresses. Sperm only lasts 4-6 hours outside the body, right?

posted by folara to home & garden (39 answers total)

How would you like some bedbugs? How would you like your dorm room infested? And thery'e hard as hell to get rid of.

Now go buy a new mattress, a cheap one if need be and save yourself a lot of grief.
posted by bim at 8:28 PM on May 27, 2006

bedbugs.
posted by unknowncommand at 8:29 PM on May 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

In some states (like mine, Minnesota) it's ILLEGAL to sell a used mattress. For the reasons bim mentioned, I would agree that it's absolutely not worth it.
Get a cheapo from Ikea or a Mattress Giant and you won't have to worry about it.
posted by Coffeemate at 8:30 PM on May 27, 2006

And here's one of a number of posts from Mefi on the bedbug subject. Learn from the voice of experience.
posted by bim at 8:34 PM on May 27, 2006

You could always get a futon as an alternative to a regular mattress. They're flexible, easy to transport, and cheap. I still have my futon from college - it's currently serving as my living room couch.
posted by Ostara at 8:40 PM on May 27, 2006

I have a used mattress and haven't died yet. I really don't think it's that big a deal. Bedbugs seemt o be largely a NY thing at the moment.
posted by fshgrl at 8:44 PM on May 27, 2006

Of course, your dorm room probably provided you a mattress, and that was "used".
posted by smackfu at 8:45 PM on May 27, 2006

(It's illegal to sell a used mattress in MN? Someone should tell that to my neighbors...)
posted by neckro23 at 8:47 PM on May 27, 2006

Mattresses in residence hall rooms are generally made of different material and were constructed to be reused, so I think the incidents of bedbugs are a lot less than in mattresses you buy in a store.

I'd either get a cheap futon from a department store or a cheapie from IKEA and its ilk.
posted by cajo at 8:47 PM on May 27, 2006

First I used a "used" mattress when I moved into my apartment, then I bought a so-called "used" one (more like reconstructed- they put a cover on it). I haven't died yet. But yea, bedbugs, might want to watch out for those.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:08 PM on May 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

This Slate article takes a look at the marketing of mattresses, and how there is very little difference between an expensive one and a cheapie.
If I had to choose between a used one at a low price and a pristine one at a slighty higher but still low price, I'd go with the latter, if only for the peace of mind.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:18 PM on May 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

Ever stay in a hotel? Talk about used.
posted by IronLizard at 9:18 PM on May 27, 2006

Bedbugs are horrifying to deal with. I did not acquire mine from a used mattress, but you do not want to risk it. I cannot urge you strongly enough not to purchase a used mattress for this very reason.
posted by WCityMike at 9:21 PM on May 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

I bought my mattress from a friend -- a good compromise?

And having just done a major Craigslist shopping spree today, I'd say I met a lot of people as trustworthy as my friend was.
posted by salvia at 9:30 PM on May 27, 2006

It's not sperm you should be worried about but viruses - but most (STD-type) viruses last between minutes and hundreds of minutes. But, yeah, on a practical level it's the parasites and arthropods (mites, lice, &c).

Do you get to see the mattress first and have a veto or is it money upfront, sight unseen?

I bought a used mattress when I first moved out of the dorms and into an apartment of my own - it was fine.

OTOH, how many years do you expect to be in the same city/town? If for more than 2 or 3, it'd probably be worth it to pony up the extra cash for a new mattress (a well rested student = a better performing student - wrt to less-distressed springs/foam/&c).

(Oh yeah - it's worth getting a bigger mattress over a smaller one)
posted by porpoise at 9:32 PM on May 27, 2006

If you are nervous you could get a heavy duty mattress cover or one of the ones that zips around the whole mattress.

After having children you tend to lose your fear of soiled mattresses and learn to buy quality mattress covers that prevent stains. A well used cottage is the same kind of thing. I would bet that we are sleeping on 30 year old mattresses there. ( I better not tell da wife)

If it saves you money that you don't have, get a bottle of Febreeze and go for it!

P.S. If they are selling it it is probably a quality one. The 100 dollar ones usually are just tossed.
posted by vidarling at 9:50 PM on May 27, 2006

I hadn't even thought of bedbugs, so thanks, guys, for reminding me of a hazard I hadn't considered.

Part of the reason I don't want to shell out for an expensive new one is because I don't anticipate using it for more than 2-3 years--I want a full because it will fit the best in my bedroom, but ideally (and especially if two people are in the same bed) I want at least a queen. I'm looking to spend ~$200 on the whole bed setup. Is that reasonable? How comfy are IKEA mattresses?
posted by folara at 9:57 PM on May 27, 2006

Get a futon. I'm in the exact same situation as you right now—just graduated from college, new apartment, not staying here long, bed's too small—and I'm buying a full-size futon from a friend. They're comfy/soft, and double as couches when you want more space. And you can get a good one for less than you can get a good new mattress.
posted by limeonaire at 10:11 PM on May 27, 2006

Thrift shops like Salvation army/SPCA? (Particularly SPCA - the people who donate tend to be in a wealthier stratum).

Get to look before you buy.

Futons are ok, but not a long-term (more than a couple of weeks) solution.

Get something in the queen+ size. If you can't spring for a box, it's still ok. ;)
posted by porpoise at 10:36 PM on May 27, 2006

I have a used mattress and it's super comfortable. I bought it from the girl who lived in my apartment before me, so I had the option to buy most of her furniture for cheap. I don't think it's a big deal, just pull up all the sheets/pads etc and *look* for freakin bedbugs if you're worried about them. (FWIW, cajo, there was an incidence of them in my dorm freshman year).
posted by radioamy at 10:40 PM on May 27, 2006

lots of college students do this when moving out of the dorms (I did). I have never heard of anyone getting any kind of parasite from a used mattress, but of course I don't think there were any bedbug etc. problems in the places I've lived.
posted by advil at 11:51 PM on May 27, 2006

Since you asked the followup: I rather like my IKEA mattress. It's the densest foam-only one they had, I believe, with a thick foam pad on top. Go lie down on a few in the store, but it was the best possible option for me when I was furnishing my first apartment.
posted by cobaltnine at 12:54 AM on May 28, 2006

The MeFi posting rules outlaw wisecracks, so I won't ask where in the world hotels change the mattresses along with the towels...

Of course you will survive an encounter with a used mattress. In a hotel or at a friend's house you don't know about the nasty stains unless you strip the bed. Just pick a nice-looking used mattress and add sufficient clean layers on top to keep you happy.
posted by Idcoytco at 2:51 AM on May 28, 2006

Ever stay in a hotel? Talk about used.

Uh...that's not a good reason to buy a used mattress, dude.

article

another article

more

last one
posted by bim at 4:16 AM on May 28, 2006

I once bought a used mattress. A terrifying, million-legged, fast-as-satan, ghostly pale-colored insect crawled out of it and, I swear, pursued me all over my bedroom as I tried to run away.

This was in Minnesota. Maybe if I had known it was illegal, I would have been spared the trauma that stays with me to this day.

That, and the prospect of bedbugs, makes a new mattress seem like a good idea. You can get one from Ikea for under $200 bucks. Just throw it on the floor -- forget the box spring and frame.
posted by footnote at 5:49 AM on May 28, 2006

A terrifying, million-legged, fast-as-satan, ghostly pale-colored insect crawled out of it and, I swear, pursued me all over my bedroom as I tried to run away.

Thank god you lived to tell the tale! I hope you didn't need therapy to get over the trauma. :>
posted by bim at 5:54 AM on May 28, 2006

So gross that they're the one thing you can't take across the border between US and Canada no matter what. Brand new only. Other than drugs and guns and illegal stuff, used mattresses are the one of the biggest reason people get turned away from crossing into Canada.
posted by tiamat at 6:59 AM on May 28, 2006

I sleep on a matress I bought used. It's been just fine. Then a friend offered a mattress and box spring that were only a year old. I got bitten. So it's in the attic for at least a year.

If you go used, treat with bug spray. Buy a plastic mattress bag, spay both sides of the mattress, and seal it up for at least a few days before you bring it into the house.

But a cheap mattress will be fine for a couple of years, especially with a good mattress cover.
posted by theora55 at 7:02 AM on May 28, 2006

Get a futon.

It constantly amazes me that people who do something risky and get lucky go around telling other people to do the same -- my experience must be that of all mankind!
posted by languagehat at 7:13 AM on May 28, 2006

It constantly amazes me that people who do something risky and get lucky go around telling other people to do the same -- my experience must be that of all mankind!

And you're saying the "sky is falling" opposite is different, why exactly?
posted by dflemingdotorg at 8:25 AM on May 28, 2006

The bedbug plague seems to be specific to certain urban locations, at least at this point in time. Not that it shouldn't be a concern; just sayin' it isn't a universal problem. I'd be more concerned about fleas.
posted by Rash at 8:56 AM on May 28, 2006

Even cheaper than a futon and (IMO) a million times more comfortable, and adjustable - the Aero Bed. Portable and storable, too! I love these things.
posted by tristeza at 9:57 AM on May 28, 2006

There is a place in Portland than refurbs and then resells mattresses. I wonder if debugging them along the way is part of that process. Perhaps there is a place like that in Seattle?
posted by trixie_bee at 10:16 AM on May 28, 2006

If you buy a good futon mattress, they can be remarkably comfortable. My guest bedroom has one, and it's every bit as comfy as my main bed, even though it's relatively thin. I think it did cost me around $200 (I had the frame from years before), but everyone who's used it has said it's very good... even when I prepped them the night before with "I'd like to know if I should get a real bed for that room, so please let me know what you think." Universally, people have said it was really good, and that I didn't need one.

Futon mattresses are designed to be used on a frame, but the frames are rock-hard. If you want to save some money, you can just toss one on the floor. The frame is just to get it up higher for ease of getting in and out and to keep it out of the dust. If you don't mind it being low, and don't mind vacuuming it once in awhile, they're fine without a frame.
posted by Malor at 12:25 PM on May 28, 2006

C'mon, $200 is a lot of money when you're in college. (Er, at least it was to me.) Futon mattresses and aerobeds are suck for long-term (i.e. more than a couple of nights' visit) sleeping, in my opinion. Yes, even the nicer ones.

If I were you, I'd buy the used mattress, as long as you are comfortable with the condition of it. Don't buy anything sight unseen, trust your instincts as to the honesty of the sellers, and inspect the seams for bedbugs, just in case. Best scenario is probably someone a few years ahead of you in school, who got talked into buying a brand-new mattress and box spring and now can't/won't schlep it to their next location.
posted by desuetude at 1:11 PM on May 28, 2006

And you're saying the "sky is falling" opposite is different, why exactly?

It's not about the sky falling, and I'm certainly not saying "OMG, if you buy a used mattress you're DOOMED!" I have no problem with someone saying they bought a used mattress and it worked out fine; that's a valuable data point. I have a problem with people using their own experience as a reason to dismiss anyone who says there could be a problem and people sneering that if you don't mind sleeping in a hotel you should be fine with buying a used mattress.
posted by languagehat at 2:52 PM on May 28, 2006

I got a used mattress for free from a friend thanks to the help of another friend. I never even considered the possibility that there would be anything weird about it. As far as I know, none of my friends or the girls that have slept on it with me since then(admittedly only a couple) have batted an eye about it.

As far as any social stigma you might be worried about, in my experience there is none. It's probably even fairly common among people our age. The health concerns other people mentioned are definitely valid, so much so I'm now thinking about doing some research into how best clean a mattress, though I haven't had any problems during the 8+ months I've had it so far.

Make those your first concern, and if deciding whether or not to buy a mattress through Craigslist, get answers to questions about where the mattress has been stored, how clean of a person the previous owner is, etc.

Probably a better idea to buy a used mattress from someone you know or know through a friend, or through a thrift store that is likely to have checked to make sure it's in good condition.

Don't rush into it, a mattress will be something you keep for a while. If need be, improvise for a few months and sleep on top of some sleeping bags.
posted by ElfWord at 9:12 PM on May 28, 2006

I bought a nice Ikea matress and it was great for about a year, and since then it has been horrible. It just degraded quite quickly and is now very uncomfortable.
posted by OmieWise at 8:21 AM on May 30, 2006

Seconding tristeza--AeroBeds are surprisingly comfortable. I slept on one for ~4 years, and only changed because it developed a leak, because a year or so ago I tried to use bleach to clean it.

I'd recommend not getting the one with fabric over the vinyl. Also, plan to buy at least one thick mattress pad to put on the top, or it will be uncomfortably cold in the winter.
posted by oats at 7:47 PM on May 30, 2006