Mattress FindMattress CheckMattress PatcheMattress GeniusCleaning MattressCamping MattressMattressesCamping FunCamping StuffForwardHole in an air mattress? Find it, melt a glue stick with a lighter and rub the melted part on the hole. Dries in seconds & your air mattress is as good as new!Hot glue can provide a quick, but temporary fix for a leaky air mattress. The best way to repair a hole in a leaky vinyl air mattress is with a repair kit designed for the product, but hot glue can stop the air leakage and temporarily repair the damage in an emergency. After locating the hole in the mattress, it's best to use a low-temp glue gun to prevent damage to the vinyl, which is a type of plastic. Inflate the mattress as much as you can and listen for escaping air around the seams and all over the surface to locate the hole. If you can't hear any escaping air, dip a kitchen sponge into a soapy water solution and rub the sponge gently over the mattress surface, starting with the seams, to see where bubbles form.
Wipe the mattress dry with a soft cloth and mark the hole with a piece of tape or a marker. Insert a glue stick into a low-temp glue gun. Plug the glue gun in and allow it to fully heat up. Remove any tape from the hole in the air mattress if you used it to mark the spot. Squeeze the trigger of the glue gun and gently place a small dab of hot glue over the hole to temporarily patch it up. Allow the hot glue to completely dry before using the air mattress again. Things You Will Need Kitchen sponge (optional) Soft, dry cloth Tape or marker Low-temp glue gun Warning References Technology Student: Adhesives for PlasticsCampetent: Air Mattress Leak Photo Credits Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionSteps On How To Repair An Air MattressWe have a favorite air mattress that we have had for years. It has a flat top with a couple inches of memory foam on it. It is the closest to a normal bed that we have ever seen or slept on. But like all air mattresses they eventually get little holes in it and you are trying to pump air into it at 3 in the morning.
I’ve seen videos on Youtube of people trying to put their air mattress in a pool and try to sink it. With all of the movement and the super small air bubbles it can be incredibly hard to find the holes. My husband has a super easy way to find even the smallest of hole in an air mattress, inner tube, or any other kind of blow up toy like pool toys. Simply grab a rag or wash cloth, get it quite wet to the point it holds the water but when you squeeze it the water comes out easily. Then lather it up with a couple squirts of dish soap. Then scan the surface of the air mattress or tube or other inflatables and look for any irregularities in the surface. Small little discolorations in the surface sometimes are where the small holes are. Those small holes can be so small that you can’t feel the air coming out but if you run the soapy rag over the hole then it will create soap bubbles. Move the rag around that area till you pin point exactly where the air leak is. Then use you finger and point to the area and dry off the surface.
With a permanent marker make a small circle or X directly over the spot, maybe half and inch or finger nail width mark. That way when you use a patch it covers the mark as well. To fix the hole you will need kits based on what type of air mattress you have. Many of the older air mattress are more vinyl then a plastic or pvc type material. You can try to use a rubber cement type kit that most bike inner tubes use. But if it doesn’t stick or adhere to it then the next best thing, and the only thing we use now, is the rubber patch from those kits but instead of rubber cement we use super glue. And glue the same patch from the kit on and press it hard against the mattress till it dries. Holding a small clear saran wrap or plastic film against it, you can peal it back or if it sticks to it just cut the excess off. It will be firm and not flexible like the rubber cement but it works so much better and wont peel back like rubber cement patches do. Once the patch with super glue has dried, say after 5 or 10 minutes, you can go ahead and fill up the air mattress to sleep on it.
We have tried all kinds of repair kits and the rubber patch with the super glue has been the best fix for all types of air mattresses. For inner tubes the rubber cement will work best. It is just that air mattresses are all made out of slightly different materials that the super glue works best. Watch our How to Video Filed Under: Amazon Deals, Camping Ideas, DIY, Free Shipping, HacksAfter years of use and most likely some abuse, your air mattress may from time to time need some repair work. Most air mattresses are made very well but often they will develop small leaks with use and the normal damage of travel and over zealous kids using them now and again. There is no need to go out and purchase a new one. Many times the hole can be fixed by using an air mattress patch kit to take care of these small leakages. You can also be creative in your approach to repairing your air mattress leaks. There are several places that actually sell patch up repair kits. If you visit your Local Ace hardware store, Walmart, Bed Bath And Beyond or Eddie Bauer you may find these repair kits that can help you repair your mattress.
For others you may want to find a more inventive process to repair you air mattress. Many individuals have reported success with small leaks by using crazy glue, vinyl patches, bike tire repair kits, Mcnett Aquaseal and even plugs. These methods have proven successful for many consumers and can save them time and money.Certainly repairing your air mattress will be much less expensive than having to go out and buying a new one. Some consumers have reported years of additional use of their air mattress by doing their own repair work. With some goop or a seal all product you might be able to get several more years of use out of your air mattress.You may want to investigate some repair products from Coleman as well. Many of the outdoor retailers will often have suggestions on what to use as a good air mattress patch kit and can provide you help with any problems.Experienced campers know the inside secrets of what does the best job based on their experience. Do not be afraid to ask around to find out what works best with these type of problems.