To think good condition means just that

[Allthecoolusernamesaregone]

NC - as feel some may judge buying a used mattress.

I needed to replace a mattress. I don’t have funds for decent new one.

I saw an advertisement on Gumtree for a mattress which was described as in ‘good condition’ had always been used with a mattress protector, was not very old, and only for sale as changed to larger bed.

It was a deep mattress and in the photos looked good, although one was hard to see due to a partial shadow.

I travelled 20 miles to see it. The man started to move it out of his shed. I noticed a large dark yellow stain ( covering maybe 25%- 30% of that side). I mentioned the stain, and he showed me the other side. That was also stained, although not as much, and must have been the pictured side.

I told him I didn’t want it, and he replied ‘it’s just sweat, isn’t it’?
As if that made it ok!

I just walked away. With hindsight I wish I had told him to take the thing to the tip before wasting anyone else’s time.

Surely the point of using a mattress protector is to keep it in good condition. It clearly hadn’t worked, so I can’t understand why he mentioned it.

"It's just sweat" 🤢
Grim.

Good/acceptable a condition is subjective. Totally depends on individual standards.

Totally relate.
Went to see a second hand pushchair from a ‘professional’ reseller.
Got there and she had loads of dogs running around.
The pushchair was really stained. I wasn’t too put off because I appreciate a second hand pushchair will have some marks but… there was a chunk missing from the handle.
None of which was mentioned on the ad and it was listed ‘as new’. Plus I had driven 20 miles with my child to go and see it. Which meant a 20 mile back without said pushchair.
She looked a bit surprised when I said I didn’t want it.

Sell it as used and reduce the price and it probably would have sold. Was very annoying for me though.

I wouldn't judge you but honestly any quality of new mattress is better than any used mattress. Be kind to yourself and get a new cheap one. Or use credit if you can afford to pay installments to get a half decent one.

As PP said, 'good' is subjective; however, a lot of accepted grading scales will go something like New, As New, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor. Therefore, although you naturally associate 'good' as being a very positive description, it can be easily understood to mean nearer the rubbish end than the pristine end.

Also, bearing in mind that most people tend to lie overplay the condition of what they're selling anyway, 'good' can frequently mean what most people would consider 'quite bad'.

I certainly don't judge you for buying a second-hand mattress, though - like anything, it really depends on the condition - one could have been used on a guest bed for one week and then never used again. Being stored in the shed usually isn't an encouraging sign, though....