We 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, HacksHow To Find A Hole In An Air MattressHow do you find the hole in an air mattress? To find a leak in an air mattress, inflate the mattress, inspect the valve, use your lips to find the leak, listen for escaping air, and look out for imperfections.
Using water to find air leaks on a mattress can lead to mold. How do you repair an air bed leak? How do you fix a hole in an air mattress? How do you shop for air mattresses at Target? Inflate the mattress Ensure maximum inflation by letting the air pump run for a little longer than usual. Over-inflating your mattress slightly makes it easier to find smaller leaks. Inspect the valve Check the air valve to ensure that it is properly attached to the mattress. Most air leaks occur at the valve. Check that the twist cap is not cross-threaded and that it is properly secured. Use your lips to find the leak Lick your lips to wet them, and get as close as possible to the air mattress. Move your lips back and forth starting at the bottom of the mattress and making your way up. Lips are sensitive to cold air, making them effective for finding air leaks. Listen for escaping air With your face still close to the mattress, listen for escaping air. You should be able to locate larger punctures.
Look out for imperfections Keep a close eye on the mattress for small imperfections on the mattress. A small speck could indicate a puncture hole. Learn more about Camping How do you repair an air mattress without the patches? Locate and repair an air mattress leak without the patches from the kit by using patch adhesive or tent seam-seal material and a patch cut from lightweight... How do you fix an air mattress? To fix an air mattress, find the hole and patch it up. Use a patch kit or glue designed for fixing holes in air mattresses or vinyl.... How do you repair an air mattress without patching it? To repair an air mattress without patching it, identify the leaking area or hole, and use glue to stick a piece of thick plastic over the top of it. What is a Boston valve? A Boston valve is a two-way valve typically used to inflate items such as a kayak or other inflatable boats, inflatable bed or air mattress. Water Sports & Activities
How do you register for an air miles program? What are some indoor plants that clean the air? Which parts of a Sanyo air conditioner contain copper? How can you safely make a fire in a teepee? What is a good way to eliminate urine odor from the air? Do guppies need an air pump?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. Take a wire brush or some sandpaper and lightly scrub away the felt coating until there is only plastic around your leak. Cut out a square of thin, malleable plastic, like a shower curtain. If you’re out of professional patches or cannot buy one, you can still improvise a patch from things around the house. Tarps and shower curtains work well and are easily cut to size. Make sure your square is big enough to cover the leak, with at least one extra centimeter on every side.