A common complaint people have with memory foam mattresses is something known as “Off Gassing”. Off Gassing typically refers to the chemical odor emitted when you first take a memory foam bed out of the box – some compare it to the smell of a freshly painted room or the “new car smell”. So what causes that smell? We’ll save you the full chemistry lesson, but as you’re probably aware, memory foam doesn’t grow on trees. The base for all memory foams is a synthetic resin called Polyurethane. You’ve probably heard of it before – its used in hundreds of applications you encounter every day, from clothes & furniture to paint & adhesives. Every brand of foam is made of a different “recipe” of Polyeurethane mixed with other components such as water & flame retardants. When a foam mattress is enclosed in air-tight packaging, low levels of vapor from those chemicals can build up. The human nose is extremely sensitive to these types of chemicals, and can pick up even small traces in a room – so that is where the smell comes from.
The good thing is, this smell is not harmful to humans, and usually subsides fairly quickly. According to mattress review site, Sleep Like The Dead, the vast majority of memory foam bed customers reported the smell subsiding within 0-3 days of opening. That being said, besides the environmental benefits, one of the reasons we chose to use a Bio-based foam in The Dromma Bed is far lower levels of Off-Gassing than traditional petroleum-based foam beds. Our manufacturer was one of the first foam producers in the country to innovate the substitution of natural Soy-based “polyols” for a portion of the petroleum-based polyols found in traditional foam beds. This natural foam creates significantly less Off Gassing of chemical vapors – as a result, our customers report hardly noticing any initial smell at all. Chemical vapor sounds dangerous, are these beds safe? While it may sound scary, research has confirmed that the vast majority of memory foam produced in the U.S. is completely safe & non-toxic (barring any specific allergies you might have).
Even though you smell them, there is not a high enough level of vapor to affect your health. A very small percentage of people who are naturally more sensitive or allergic to certain chemical fumes have reported minor irritation or headaches until the off-gassing subsides. However, if you have concerns about the safety of your bed, there are certain precautions you can take to make sure your bed meets safety standards & is 100% non-toxic. Only buy a mattress that uses foam produced in the U.S. The United States has the highest level of regulatory standards for the manufacturing of of foam products. Foams produced overseas in countries such as China are typically cheaper, but they not meet such stringent regulatory standards. Check if its been approved by a U.S. foam testing authority. We recommend only buying a bed that has been certified under CertiPur-US standards. CertiPUR is a U.S.-based foam testing & certification agency, which ensures all foams it certifies meet a rigorous set of standards, including lower levels of flame retardants & VOCs, which ensure they are completely safe & non-toxic.
Buy foams that are at least partially made of plant-based materials instead of petrochemicals (such as Dromma’s Preserve Foam). These foams typically create less off-gassing of chemicals than traditional types of foams. So what can I do about it? As we said, the smell usually subsides fairly quickly on its own. However, if is bothering you, there are some simple steps you can take to minimize the effects of off gassing. As soon as you receive your bed, you should take it out of its packaging, take off any mattress covers, and allow it to air out. If there are any fans in the room, you should run them to increase circulation – another option is putting your bed somewhere safe & off the ground outside. If possible, let the bed air out for a day or two until the off-gassing subsides before you put on any sheets or mattress covers back onto it.I know you're going to be shopping around for the best memory foam topper. Maybe I can save you some time and money with the short memory foam mattress topper reviews below.
First though, let's finish up one very important health question. It's left over from my part one article on bed toppers. (You can read the part one article here. If you haven't read it, you should because it will help you pick out the best memory foam topper for you.) Anyway, here's a question people sometimes ask... To me, the biggest factor in choosing a memory foam topper or mattress is to make sure it is not toxic. Many memory foam products put off a chemical odor (called off gassing or out gassing). This is because the foam contains chemicals, including petroleum. For several days after you get it, you may not even be able to use the memory foam topper. It may take a week to air out the topper. In the meantime, it's stinking up your home unless you put it outside in the garage. For a lot people, this smell is no big deal. For those people...and perhaps you...the top consideration for the best memory foam topper is that it gives you the most comfort. Also keep in mind that a new natural topper may smell just because it's new and not because it has toxic chemicals.
One such company is called CertiPUR-US®. If a mattress company using memory foam in their products has the CertiPUR-US seal of approval, it has gone through rigorous testing for safety.That means their products have no harmful chemicals. It means their product is not putting out emissions into the air that can ruin indoor air quality.Here's the CertiPUR-US web address so you can see what I'm talking about: http:certipur.us Please note they do not sell anything. Nature's Sleep specializes in memory foam products. They have been certified by CertiPUR-US. And they have four memory foam toppers at just the right memory foam density...and for a reasonable price.They even have a memory foam sleeper sofa mattress. Please note this company only ships to the lower 48 states in the United States. If you want them to ship to Alaska, Hawaii, and some international areas, you'll have to send them an email. Nature's Sleep sells memory foam mattresses, toppers, slippers, dog beds, and even pillows.
They also have a huge following on Facebook (over 100,000 people like Nature's Sleep) because of the quality of their products. Based on the people who visit my website, it’s clear a lot of people want to know if they can get a good memory foam topper at Amazon. The answer is sort of, although I do not think the quality is as good as what I have just given you from Nature’s Sleep above.However, if you are determined to buy at Amazon or feel more comfortable there, here is what I suggest. First, never buy a topper that is not certified to be freeThat means look for the CertiPUR-US certification, as I mentioned above. look for the Oeko-Tex certification. the way, you may also see memory foam that says PurGreen certified and think that is okay. I think a PurGreen certification is about as valuable as an expired giftAlmost all the big players in the memory foam game get certified byThat should tell you something about PurGreen. Second, as a general guideline, you are best off getting a
topper that is three inches thick or less and with a density of at least fourHowever, someone over 250 pounds may want to go for a 4 inch topper. The difficulty with shopping for toppers at Amazon is that the companies that advertise there are terrible at telling you about their foam. They rarely mention CertiPUR-US. Fortunately for you, I have done your homework for you. Lucid is a memory foam company that has been certified byAnd they do have a three inch topper that is a good size for most The problem with the Lucid on Amazon is, they do not tell you what the density is. Higher density means you have a memory foam that will be more durable over the long run. Higher density also means you’ll typically have to spend a bit more for better quality. With that said, a high-quality 3-inch 4lb density queen topper at Nature’s Sleep will cost you $380. A Lucid queen will cost you about $130, although I do not know the density and how long it will last you.
My feeling has always been you get what you pay for and I’m sure you know that already. To get the best memory foam topper, you have to pay the price. Anyway, here’s the link to the Lucid at Amazon. I was just surfing around Amazon checking out their memory foam products and lo and behold, Nature’s Sleep pops up! They must be doing some sort of special promotion or something because they’ve put two new toppers on Amazon they don’t sell on Even so, if you can afford it, I would buy from the Nature’sThey have a best-selling 3-inch 4- pound density topper there. size seems to be the sweet spot and best memory foam topper for most people. However, if funds are tight for you right now, click on the links below and grab one of these new Nature’s Sleep toppers at Amazon. They’re a terrific value and you’ll get your If after shopping around, you decide a topper is not for you, here's a great suggestion. You can get huge savings on an ultra luxury mattress, the kind in the world's finest hotels.