How to Find a Hole in an Air Mattress
The time to use your air mattress has come. Maybe you’ve had some guests over and you need an extra mattress for a couple of days. Or, you decided to travel somewhere and temporarily need your air bed. Whatever the case may be, you need your inflatable bed due to its convenient and portable nature.
You take it out, fill it with air and lay on it for a good night’s sleep, only to find out mid way through the night or early in the morning that your back is touching the hard surface of the ground. I’ve been there and I know how frustrating that can be.
But, all hope is not yet lost! Believe it or not, it’s possible to identify what’s causing your mattress to leak air and actually patch it up. There is still hope for your air bed! With that being said, let’s look at how to find a hole in an air mattress.
An air mattress is inflated with air (obviously) and although it’s very convenient, that also introduces the issue of the tiniest hole or rip in the fabric to cause an air leak. Because of this, in order to locate any potential leaks, we need to take a methodical approach. So without further adieu, let’s dive into how to find a hole in an air mattress.
Method 1: Inspecting the air valves
Remove bedding
Start by removing any sheets, pillows, blankets from the air mattress. This will allow you to have a better visual of any potential holes or leaks in the mattress.
Move to a safe and spacious Area
In order to find the tiniest of leaks or holes in the air mattress, you will need to be able to freely move the mattress around, which would possibly include flipping it on its sides. You would also need yourself to be able to maneuver around the mattress freely in order to inspect it closely.
Ensure beforehand the area you move to has good lighting as that can make finding the leak much easier than working in the dark or with inadequate lighting.
Fill Mattress with Air
Start filling the mattress with air. Inflate it with as much air as you can without getting to the point where the mattress will burst. The method you use will depend on the availability of tools / supplies you have around you.
Some mattresses come with a built-in air pump to inflate and deflate the mattress.
Others come with standard air valves that can be filled using an air pump.
Inspecting the Air Valves
The most common source of air leaks comes from air valves. As mentioned previously, taking a methodical approach to find an air leak is crucial as it can save you a lot of time and frustration when you’re just trying to randomly find the source.
Ensure the valve plug is properly inserted into the stem. Place your hand near the valves and try to feel for any air that may be escaping from it. You can also move your ear closer to the valve to try and listen for any potential leaks. If the valve plug is completely inserted into the valve stem, and you don’t feel or hear any leaks, move on to the next method. Otherwise, you may have found your leak and you may attempt to fix it.
Method 2: Utilizing Dish Soap
Add dish soap and warm water to spray bottle
A common way to find leaks around your mattress is to use the dish soap method.
In a spray bottle, mix some dish soap (you can use a small amount, you don’t need tons of it) and warm water. Mix both in the bottle to get a nice soapy solution.
Spray Around Air Valves
Before you start, ensure your mattress is fully inflated.
Start by first spraying the dish soap and warm water solution around the air valves. Sounds weird, I know, but there’s a good reason we’re doing this step.
Any air that’s escaping will cause bubbles to start foaming around where you just sprayed. If you see any bubbles, inspect the area to first ensure the valves are properly closed and sealed. If you don’t see any bubbles, continue to the next step.
Spraying Surface of Mattress
The seams of an air mattress are the second most common areas prone to holes or air leaks. Begin with one section of the mattress. Proceed to spray the seams first, inspecting for any bubbles that form.
Once you’re done with the seams, start spraying the rest of the mattress, section by section, inspecting for bubbles as you progress.
Note: Don’t worry about getting soap on the mattress. You can always wipe the soap off and let the mattress dry once you’re finished with the process.
Mark Leaks with Permanent Marker
Use a permanent marker to mark any leaks you find. This will make it easier to locate any holes once you get down to repairing your air mattress.
Optionally, you can also use a combination of a permanent marker and some duct tape to further help you easily locate the leaks. Make sure to first dry the area before using a permanent marker or applying duct tape.
Note: Don’t forget to completely dry your mattress before you store it away. You can do this by letting it dry for an hour or two in direct sunlight. Ensuring your air mattress is fully dry before storing it is crucial to prevent any mold or mildew.
Method 3: Immersing Your Air Mattress
Verify The Label
Let me begin by saying this is my least recommended method. I would only advise to try this method once you’ve thoroughly exhausted the options discussed previously.
To begin, first verify your air mattress’ label to confirm if the manufacturer allows their product to be immersed in water. If the label warns against this, then stop here and do not perform this method.
Partly Inflate The Mattress
Before you can submerge your air mattress in water, it needs to be partly inflated so that you can spot any air escaping under water.
Avoid inflating the mattress too much as that will make it difficult for you to get the mattress to stay under water. With just a moderate amount of air, it should be fairly easy to handle.
Immerse The Mattress in Water
In a bathtub, start by first submerging the valve stem in water. Try applying pressure around areas of the valve to inspect any potential leaks. If there are any leaks, you will see bubbles starting to form around the area.
Proceed to submerge the rest of the mattress. Again, a methodical approach here would be best. Divide this task to sections, inspecting for leaks as you go. Follow the same principle, apply pressure every time you check a section, to identify any potential areas with air escaping.
Use a permanent marker to mark down any holes or leaks you identify. Ensure to first dry with a towel for the permanent marker to be effective.
Note: Once again, don’t forget to dry your air mattress fully before you put it away.
So there you have it. These are some of the methods on how to find a hole in an air mattress with a simple DIY approach. Hopefully you find these methods helpful in your quest to find that pesky air leak in your mattress.
