Edit ArticleHow to Patch a Leak in an Air Mattress Three Methods:Finding Your LeakUsing a Patch KitPatching Your Leak without a Patch KitCommunity Q&A A deflated air mattress is the most sure-fire way to a rough night's sleep. You do not have to throw out your mattress when it gets a leak, however. Finding and patching a leaky air mattress is easy, and can be done at home with household objects and a cheap patch kit. Know that all air mattresses lose air naturally. Before you decide to strip the covers off of you mattress and search for holes, know that no air mattress holds air indefinitely. You will naturally have to re-inflate your mattress whether or not you have a leak. Cold air, for example, causes your mattress to shrink. As the house cools down at night, your air mattress will likely soften a bit as the air cools. A space heater by the mattress can prevent this problem. Air mattresses need to “stretch” after they are bought. Don’t be alarmed if they feel soft shortly after you inflate them the first few times, they will quickly adapt.
Inflate the air mattress fully to test for a leak. If, after several minutes, it is severely deflated, then you likely have a leak. Sit on the mattress after you blow it up – it should not sink more than 1-2 inches under your weight. If you are still not sure if there is a leak, leave your mattress inflated overnight and put weight on it, like several textbooks. If it is more than a little deflated in the morning, you have a leak. Keep the mattress inflated as you search for the leak. If you feel the mattress becoming soft, reinflate it before you start searching again. The higher the air pressure inside the mattress the more forceful the leak will be, making it easier to notice. Check the valve holding in the air. Hold your hand over the valve and feel for any escaping air. It is usually located right next to the air pump and looks like a plug that you can detach to quickly deflate the mattress. Unfortunately, the valve is the one part of the mattress that is difficult to repair at home.
If your valve is broken or leaky, call the manufacturer to order a replacement. Stand the mattress up on its side in a quiet, large room to examine it for leaks. Place your ear 2-3 inches away from the mattress and listen for hissing sounds. Slowly move your ear across the entire surface of the mattress, keeping your ear close enough to hear escaping air. When you find the leak, it will sound like a thin, hissing noise, like someone saying “ssssss.” Start on the bottom of the mattress, then try the sides and the front if you don’t find anything. Wet the back of your hand and repeat this process if you can’t find anything. The air escaping from the mattress will quickly evaporate the water, making your hand feel cool. Run your moistened hand along the entire surface of the mattress, 2-3 inches away from it, to search for small leaks. You can also lick your lips and use them to sense escaping air, as your lips are some of most sensitive parts of your body.
Use soapy water to search for bubbles if you still cannot find the leak. While some manufacturers warn that this will lead to mold and mildew, soapy water is still one of the best ways to find a leak. It works just like a child blowing bubbles -- you will create a thin layer of bubbly water, and the air mattress will "blow" into it through the leaky hole, exposing in the leak.[5] To do so: Fill a small bucket with water and a few drops (1 teaspoon) of liquid dishwashing soap. Using a sponge, slowly wipe down the surfaces of the mattress with soapy water. Start near the valve, then check the seams, underside, and top. When you see bubbles forming you’ve found your leak. Wipe the soap away with a clean sponge when you are done. Circle the leak with a pen or sharpie. When the mattress is deflated it will be nearly impossible to find the leak again. Make a note of where the leak is so that you can easily repair it. If you used the soapy water method, use a towel to quickly dry the area near the leak and mark it.
Deflate and dry the mattress completely. Buy a patch kit. Almost every outdoor store will have these in the camping section. They are small, cheap sets that contain glue, sandpaper, and patches for tents, bike tires, and air mattresses. If you are in a pinch and the hole is small, a tire patch made for cycling should work fine. Some companies have dedicated air mattress repair kits that you can find online, such as the Thermarest Repair Kit, Tear-Aid, and the Sevylor Repair Patch. Make sure that the patch kit works on plastic or vinyl. Completely deflate the mattress. Sand away any soft felt near your hole. If your hole is on the top side of the mattress you’ll need to remove the soft covering to make the patch stick. Take a wire brush or some sandpaper and lightly remove the felt coating until you only have plastic surrounding your leak. Some mattress makers refer to this soft coating as “flacking.” Clean and dry the area around your leak. Using soapy water or a little isopropyl alcohol, clean off the leaky area so that there is no dust, dirt, or debris surrounding the hole.
Dry it completely before continuing. Cut out a patch roughly one and a half times bigger than your hole. Apply the patch according to the manufacturer’s directions. Press down on the patch with firm, even pressure. Let the glue dry on the patch for 2-3 hours. Inflate the mattress and check for leaks. Know that DIY fixes may void your warranty. Many manufacturers request that you only use patch kits, or you send the mattress back to them for repair. Though effective, DIY patches can lead you to lose your warranty on the mattress, so proceed with caution. Duct tape can be a temporary fix. Though effective in the short term, the glue on duct tape is not made to permanently bind to plastic, and it will eventually dry out and fall off. Never use hot glue to fix a leak. Hot glue will, in almost all cases, melt part of your air mattress and make the hole bigger. Sand away the soft felt around your leak if it is on the top of the mattress. This fuzz, though comfortable, will prevent your glue or patches from completely binding around the leak, causing it to fall off shortly after applying.