What to do if there is a hole in the air mattress. How to seal - repair an air mattress with your own hands

No special skills required to seal inflatable mattress and extend its service life. It is worth mentioning that not all products make sense to repair. You can figure out whether a product cannot be disposed of if damaged, even at the time of purchase. Air mattresses worth trying to seal come with a patch and rubber glue. If there is no repair kit, it is most likely easier to throw away the product.

Features of repairing bathing mattresses

Mattresses for relaxing on the shore and water are damaged more often than sleeping mattresses when they come across a sharp stone, a random splinter - any sharp object. At the same time, a repair kit is rarely included with them - this means that the mattress cannot be repaired. You should pay attention to its design.

Products consisting of two or more independent sections can be glued together. A puncture in a separate part causes inconvenience, but has virtually no effect on safety when swimming. It can and should be repaired. It is better to avoid swimming on a sealed single-section mattress.

These recommendations apply to a single injury. If a multi-section mattress is damaged a second time, and in another section, use on water is not recommended. The same thing happens if there are punctures in one section, but from different sides (bottom and top), since in water the mattress endures strong loads - air pressure from the inside, water pressure from below and from the sides, and body pressure from above.

For repairs you will need:

a piece of material similar in quality to a mattress;
waterproof glue;
degreaser, solvent, acetone, alcohol or high octane gasoline;
heavy object with flat surface- press.

Important! The gluing area will always be a risk area. Do not swim far on a repaired mattress and do not load it beyond the limit specified by the manufacturer in the instructions.

How to determine the puncture site: two ways

Repair of air mattresses (of any type) begins with determining the location of the damage. It is not difficult to find cuts or tears along the seam; it is more difficult to see a pinhole. For cyclists and owners inflatable boats this problem is well known.

Method with water:

The balloon filled with air is lowered into the water and submerged.
Air begins to escape from the damaged area, bubbles rising in a stream - this is an indicator of the puncture site.
In order not to lose the detected defect, it is first pinched with a finger and then outlined with chalk, soap or a contrasting alcohol marker.

The disadvantage of this method is that you have to wet the product and then dry it thoroughly for further gluing. This is especially inconvenient when repairing velor mattresses - the silky surface takes a long time to dry.

Testing without water

If there is no container to put the mattress in or there is no time to wait for it to dry, then the puncture is found by sound. The product is arbitrarily squeezed and listened to. Coming out of a small hole, the air hisses.

You need to be careful not to make mistakes. It is more convenient if the mattress is not inflated tightly - then the dense part is moved around the perimeter in order to more accurately determine where the quiet hiss is coming from. The method is better suited than others for coated products, but is the least accurate.

Another method is using soap. The product will have to be moistened, but not as much as when lowered into water. The point is to inflate the mattress and lather the approximate puncture site. There is no need to press: if there is damage, the air will come out of it, inflating the bubble. It is from this that the future area for the patch is identified.

Advice! If you have absolutely nothing to circle the puncture with, insert a match or a toothpick with a cut tip into it.

Several ways to repair air mattresses

To firmly glue an air mattress, be sure to follow five steps:

Cleaning up.
Degreasing.
Drying.
Primary processing adhesive composition.
Bonding with placement under the load within 24 hours.

Important! The patch material must be identical to the mattress or as close as possible in quality and composition.

Ideally, a double patch is placed - on the inside and outside, especially if we are talking about a cut or a strong tear. For a small puncture, external sealing is sufficient. In any case, it is necessary to ensure that the glue does not leak into the mattress - otherwise it will stick together and become uncomfortable at best, and unusable at worst. Therefore, the glue is applied in a thin, uniform layer, not reaching the edge of the patch 1-2 mm.

Stripping is the complete removal of everything that will interfere with the adhesion of the glue and the base. Smooth products are washed thoroughly, but velor types Intex, you will have to free it from lint. To do this, use fine-grain sandpaper; you can use a knife, razor, etc. with caution.

Urgent repair of minor damage using improvised means

Mounting tape is used as an “ambulance” for a damaged watercraft. Its advantage over other products of a similar purpose is its tight fit and elasticity. The method is also convenient in that it can be used both at home and on the go, without the need to wait until the first layer of glue dries. The disadvantage of this method is less strength and durability and the inability to repair a strong tear. Scotch tape is good against pinholes and small cuts.

Interesting fact
Gray tape with a stretching effect is used by plumbers to temporarily fix leaks. And insulation made from such material lasts for years.

Mode of application:

Clean and degrease the damaged area.
Let dry.
Seal with tape. A long cut is preferably made in two layers: the first along, the second across.

About the same specifications has white insulating tape for electrical wires. It is inferior to “rubber” tape in terms of width and stickiness. It is suitable for temporary repair of a pinhole puncture in a sleeping mattress - but it must be secured with two cross-sections.

Repairing major damage

It is not practical to repair a mattress that is torn at the seams using adhesive tapes: the pressure on the side elements is too great. In this case, it is necessary to install a patch.

Advice! The encircling rigid frame reduces the deformation of the mattress, making it more comfortable to sleep on. And this same element is a guarantee that after serious repairs the product will still serve.

Possible difficulties:

A model in which the side elements are not an addition, but part of the inflatable balloon, is inconvenient for repair at home.
Reliable and tight coupling ensures uniform load pressure. To do this, it must be flat at the bottom, heavy and grip every millimeter of the patch. In case of significant damage, selecting the required cargo dimensions is difficult, but necessary. If such a pressing tool is not found, and improvised materials of different weights and shapes are used, then some areas will leak air after the first use of the mattress.

To repair a mattress along the seam you will need:

two smooth thin slats;
clamps;
rubber-based adhesive;
acetone;
rectangular patch.

Procedure:

The area around the damage is treated with acetone.
After it evaporates, glue is applied in a thin, even layer.
The same preparatory work carried out with two patches.
Leave the lubricated parts in air (the time for this stage is individual for each type of glue, it is indicated on the tube).
Carefully insert the inner patch and align its middle with the center of the damage.
The second patch is applied on top and smoothed thoroughly. After connecting the parts, there should be no air bubbles left between them.
From below and above the glued seam, on top of the patch, slats are applied and secured with clamps.
Leave the mattress in a vice for a day or half a day.

A more reliable method of repair is only vulcanization used for repair car tires. It is better to contact your nearest tire shop for this service.

Air mattresses are convenient for relaxing on the water or as guest beds. If the product is damaged and begins to leak air, you should try to seal it. The procedure does not require any special skills, just accuracy and time. A repaired single-section mattress will only last on the shore; if there are several sections, it is quite acceptable to swim on it.

Repairing air beds and mattresses at home: methods and useful recommendations.

Air mattresses or beds are easy to transport, easy to care for, have a small volume when stored when assembled, and a relatively inexpensive price. Thanks to these qualities, they are an indispensable thing when you have friends visiting you or when going on vacation, or when living in tents. Their only disadvantage is that even the slightest damage immediately eliminates further use of the mattress. How to repair an inflatable product yourself? We’ll talk about how to do it correctly in this article.

How to find a hole in an air mattress: methods

Looking for a hole

Finding a hole is not an easy task. As a rule, they are tiny in size and difficult to notice with the naked eye.
With some effort and a little patience, you can find the damage as quickly as possible using the following search methods:

Inspect the seams. Most often, it is at the joints that mattresses tear due to excessive inflation.
Next, proceed to inspecting the surfaces
If after a visual inspection you cannot find damage, use the following methods:

1 option

Inflate the mattress as much as possible
Listen to the sound coming out
Use a damp hand to help identify the source of damage. We bring it to the source of the sound signal - the air should cool the palm
Mark the found hole with a marker

Option 2

You can use it outdoors, if there is a pond
Immerse the product completely in water
A close inspection will reveal escaping air bubbles.
Record the damage with chalk

Option 3

Apply soap suds using a spray bottle to the intended damage site while the mattress is inflated
Bubbling foam will accurately indicate the problem area

Option 4

Mix five liters of water with liquid detergent for dishes
Pour liquid into the deflated mattress
Inflate the product and shake it slightly
Soap suds will actively come out whistling through the existing holes.
Mark leaks with a permanent marker

Precautionary measures:

Do not place the mattress on sharp objects during inspection.
Do not inflate the product too much. This could cause an explosion.
Despite the presence effective way check by pumping water inside, it has its negative consequences. In the future, it is problematic to dry the mattress - mold may appear.
Check the manufacturer's recommendations first. Perhaps your bed shouldn't get too wet. When in contact with water, seams may lose strength and this may also lead to peeling. protective coating on synthetic fabrics.

After detecting damage, you can begin restoring the product.

Glue for repairing air mattresses and beds: brand, names

The best remedy for gluing air beds

The following brands of glue are suitable for gluing mattresses:

THF (tetrahydrofuran)
Moment-Crystal
Quelyd "MaxiGlue"
The moment is universal
Desmokol
Nano Kleber

How and with what to seal a hole on an air mattress: recipe, instructions

Reconstruction process

Usually a repair kit is sold along with the mattress.

In its absence, we stock up:

Polyurethane glue
A specially purchased patch or piece of rubberized material

Main stages:

Clearing the damaged area sandpaper
Degrease with alcohol solution
Apply adhesive agent to the patch
Press to the surface
Leave under pressure for 12-24 hours
Then we remove the press
We do an inflation check

How and with what to seal an air mattress along the seam: recipe, instructions

More complex damage

The seam on the mattress is sealed from the inside
To do this, pull the damaged area through the valve and proceed with repairs in the same way as above.
Once completely dry, turn the mattress back to its original position.

How and with what to seal an air mattress from the velor side, from the flock side?

Gluing the fleecy covering

Choose a flat, hard surface
Straightening the mattress
Treat the damaged area and a few centimeters around it with varnish liquid.
After a few minutes, remove the lint with a dull knife.
We treat it again with a solvent for degreasing. It is better not to use sandpaper. This can lead to small cuts that lead to larger damage.
Next, cut out a patch a few centimeters larger than the hole. Suitable for this purpose: thin rubber, oilcloth, electrical tape
Wipe with solvent to degrease
Apply glue to the patch and surface
Dry for 5 minutes
Treat with glue a second time
We expel the accumulated air between the surface and the patch, leveling it with a cloth
We set the oppression for 12-30 hours
Next, we use the mattress, trying to avoid additional damage.

How to seal an Intex air mattress: instructions

One of the ways to do quality work

Blowing air out of the mattress
Straightening the damaged area
We clean the gluing area from dirt
Degrease with toluene
We apply any transparent material, trace the outline of the patch
Cut out a pattern 4 cm larger than the damage
Apply a small amount of glue to both surfaces
Dry without placing on the mattress
Apply a second time, dry for 5 minutes
Using a hairdryer, heat the glue to activate it.
Press the patch onto the cut
To avoid any remaining air, iron it with a roller. We press down with a load
Let it dry for at least a day

Additional tips:

Repair the smooth part with transparent vinyl film
When a defect forms on the flock surface:

First, sand the pile or rinse it off with alcohol - otherwise the patch will not stick.
Next, carry out the same manipulations as on the smooth side, but with a flock patch

Video: How to seal an air mattress on a velor surface?

Is it possible to seal an air mattress with superglue?

Is this remedy suitable?

This glue is universal, as it glues almost all materials.
But not all types of superglue are suitable for sealing an air mattress
There are varieties that have a cyacrine base. When they harden, they harden very strongly, which is not acceptable for a rubber product.
From this series of superglue, glue with a rubber base is suitable. It remains flexible after drying

Is it possible to seal an air mattress at a tire shop?

In emergency cases, when you don’t have a repair kit at hand, you can use tire fitting services
But then it’s better to re-glue the patch, since after all, mattresses taped in car workshops look very rough and not aesthetically pleasing

Instructions for use of the air mattress and warning against damage

Careful operation: the key to long service life

After repairing the product, try to avoid further damage to it.

To do this, follow a few simple tips:

Inspect the place where you plan to place the inflated mattress. If there are sharp objects, remove them
Avoid playing on it with cats and dogs. Their sharp claws can break the integrity
Move the mattress over the surface carefully. Pushing too hard can cause the seams to come apart.

One of the above methods will definitely help to identify the hole and make a high-quality restoration of the bed or mattress. A correct use and precautions will help long time use a practical and comfortable product.

Video: How to seal a mattress (easy as pie) "be sure to read the description of the video"

An air mattress is not only good decision for water activities, but also an alternative to a bed. At home it can be used to accommodate guests. Such products are compact and, when folded, take up virtually no free space.

They are durable, especially if handled with care. But even in case of a puncture, can be sealed air mattress yourself. For repairs you will need inexpensive materials, available in construction and hardware stores, a minimum set of tools and improvised means.

Should you repair your mattress yourself?

The mattress can be damaged both during rest - by branches, stones or even sand, and at home, for example, due to pets. But there is no need to get rid of it. For DIY restoration you need patches and glue. By following the instructions, you can seal an air mattress at home no worse than professional craftsmen.

It is easy to seal a rubber product; it is much more difficult to find a hole in an air mattress. As a rule, it is very small; it is difficult to find it by visual inspection and by sound. First of all, you need to check the valve. It could wear out and start leaking air.

In 90% of cases, holes form in mattresses at the seams. The next most common are damage to the lower surface. It is often damaged by debris present in nature or in a body of water, but it can also get punctured at home.

First of all, you should decide with the site of damage. First you need to visually inspect the entire product. If the puncture cannot be identified, several more effective methods are used.

Finding the damaged area

Often it is visually impossible to find a hole in the rubber due to its elasticity. But, with severe damage, such places are noticeable. If it is visible visually, place the back of your hand against it to check. If there is a hole, you will feel a cool air flow.

Better wet your hand in water. This makes it easier to detect the air flow, since air bubbles should appear when you apply the brush. There is no need to rush; examine the surface in detail; several holes may have formed.

Immersion in water

If the defect is discovered directly on the pond, the mattress should be inflated and immersed in water. To create additional pressure, you can sit on the product. Bubbles should come out of the hole formed. The place where they come out is the damage.

Using soap solution

Bubbles will be more noticeable if used soapy water. You can simply treat the entire mattress with soap using a sponge or cloth. Suitable for both regular and liquid soap. It is more convenient to work with the latter, since it already has a liquid consistency.

Add a little soap to the water and run the washcloth over the entire product. Special attention pay attention to the seams. Bubbles will begin to appear even from small holes.

By sound

A puncture can be found by its characteristic sound. But, it is advisable to do this in a quiet place, without distracting noise. Inflate the product and lean against it different places. There will be a characteristic hissing sound at the puncture site.

Liquid filling

Due to its inconvenience, this method is rarely used, but in difficult cases it can be more effective. The mattress must be filled with water. If there is a gap, liquid will flow through it. You can fill the product using a watering can.

The disadvantage of this method is the difficulty of subsequent drying of the internal cavity. The design is almost completely sealed, so even with the valve open, the product will take a long time to dry. Therefore, it is recommended to resort to this option only in summer in warm weather to speed up drying.

May remain on the mattress white stains. If this is not critical, follow these steps:

deflate;
prepare water with a little soap (you can use plain water, but with soap the effectiveness is higher);
pour approximately 3 liters of liquid into the mattress. When working with large models, a larger volume may be required;
inflate the mattress tightly;
Turn the product over several times so that the solution is distributed along the inner walls. The breach will be noticeable by the hissing and flow of water;
Use a marker, chalk or soap to mark the piercing.

Preparing the surface for gluing

The rubber at the site of damage must be cleaned of dirt. The surface must be completely dry. Do not dry the mattress hairdryer or heating devices, this may damage the material.

If a hole forms on the fleecy side, the area must be lightly sanded with fine-grained sandpaper. This is necessary to ensure a tight fit of the patch and improve glue adhesion.

Degrease the cleaned area. You can use alcohol, acetone (nail polish remover will do) or similar non-aggressive solvents. You can use a small amount of gasoline.

Tools and materials

There are several ways to seal an air mattress. The best option– use a special repair kit. The Intex company produces such restoration kits of its products. Set includes:

transparent vinyl film;
flock patch;
glue.

The set comes with instructions. Repair kits sold in stores specializing in the sale of mattresses and auto parts. It is advisable to buy 1-2 sets when purchasing the product. The set is compact, you can take it with you on vacation if necessary.

If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made set, you should resort to available materials:

the patch can be made from any piece of rubber - old inner tubes, children's toys, circles, etc.;
For gluing, you can use any glue for rubber products. But do not use superglue, it will damage the material.

To complete the work, you need scissors, fine-grain sandpaper, a brush for applying the adhesive, and a marker for making marks.

Glue selection

There are a lot of adhesives on the market designed for working with rubber. But, can not use products with instant gluing effect. They usually contain a substance that corrodes rubber.

The moment is universal

One of the most popular glues. Suitable for both rubber and other materials, including plastic, ceramics, wood and others. The joint reaches maximum strength in 24 hours.

Polyurethane shoe glue

Polyurethane based adhesive solution. It is also sold under the name “Desmokol”. An effective remedy recovery leather goods, but it also glues rubber parts well.

PVC glue

An effective solution for PVC products. Also suitable for air mattresses. The advantage is that there is no need to use a separate patch. It is formed by the adhesive composition itself during polymerization, due to which it received the name “Liquid patch”.

Not affected by moisture. Available in various colors, which allows you to repair any product without compromising its aesthetic qualities.

Super Moment

Composition based on natural rubber. But it is better not to use it to restore rubber mattresses. After hardening, it acquires a very hard structure and may crumble during further use, including damaging the mattress material.

Rubber glue

Apply on both bonded surfaces. After application, you need to wait 2-5 minutes, attach the parts and squeeze tightly. It is advisable to leave the connection under pressure for some time. Complete hardening occurs after a day.

Making a patch

The size of the patch should completely cover the hole, capturing a little of the surrounding intact material. But you shouldn’t make it too large, as this will create additional stress on the tires. Before gluing the patch and the damaged area, be sure to degreased.

If there are several gaps located nearby, they can be sealed with one large patch. But, it should completely cover the damaged area and have a small margin.

Sealing the surface

The thickness of the glue layer depends on its type, so you need to follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Thus, “Moment” is applied in a thicker layer, and “Desmokol” is applied as thinly as possible. After application, you should wait a while for the adhesive to dry a little.

Apply the patch to the damage and press firmly for 2 minutes. Try to press the entire part at once, preventing it from moving. The mattress can be used after the glue has hardened; the specific time is always indicated in the instructions.

Sealing seams

The seams can usually be sealed by pouring glue. It is important to wait until it hardens completely. The layer turns out to be thick, so you will have to wait a while, preferably at least a day. There is a more complex but effective solution:

the damaged part of the product must be turned out through the valve hole;
degrease the damaged seam;
wait for the product to dry;
cut out a patch from rubberized material and treat with glue;
Press the part firmly against the defective seam.

Using this method, you should not rush to use the product. Leave it for at least 12 hours. After the glue has polymerized, turn the product back inside out and inflate it to check.

If the restoration does not work, try to close the gap again. Do not dismantle the patch, but stick an additional one on top of it. bigger size. Be especially careful to coat the edges of the patch with glue. Peeling of the part usually begins at the edges.

To prevent the patch from peeling off after repair, sand it with sandpaper and completely cover it with glue.

How to avoid new damage?

Not recommended transport the mattress in an inflated state. If you don’t want to deflate it every time, at a minimum you need to carefully carry it in your hands, trying not to catch third-party objects. Select a separate place for it at home, preferably out of reach of children and animals. Store the product only dry. If the mattress is used at home as a guest bed, store it in its original packaging and deflate it when not needed.

An air mattress is a fairly durable thing, and by itself it is unlikely to begin to leak air. The most common reason, due to which the product fails, are sharp cat claws. But is it worth saying goodbye to your beloved cat because of this? Moreover, a damaged item can be easily repaired if you know how and with what to seal an air mattress.

How to find a puncture

Is it possible to seal an air mattress yourself? Undoubtedly.

For this you will need:

pump;
marker;
container with water (for the first method);
sponge and any foaming agent (for the second);
flour or starch (for the third method);
matches or lighter (for the fourth).

1st method: dipping

A reliable way to find the damaged area before sealing an air mattress at home is to immerse it in water. If the mattress is very small, a bowl of 10 - 20 liters will be enough, a larger item will have to be placed in the bathtub, but an “adult” full-fledged mattress will only fit in a country pool or a small pond.

The product in which you need to find a hole is inflated with a pump and placed in a container of water. Next, carefully observe: air bubbles will be visible at the puncture site.

To detect a defect, there is no point in throwing a thing into a river or other body of water with a constant flow, because small air bubbles in such water are unlikely to be visible.

Having discovered a hole, it is immediately marked with a felt-tip pen. But do not rush and immediately remove the product from the water. Perhaps there is more than one puncture and there are tiny holes nearby, due to which a mattress, repaired in the most thorough manner, will still leak air.

Method 2: soaping

If the product is large and there is no pond or swimming pool nearby, you can use foam to find the puncture that is causing the air mattress to deflate.

To do this, take any detergent or laundry detergent and beat it into foam. Using a foam sponge, apply the resulting foam to the entire surface and record where air bubbles appear. On thick foam they will be easy to spot.

What if there are no bubbles? Then the puncture is on the other side, and you will have to repeat the soaping procedure all over again.

3rd method: powdering

In addition to those described above wet methods there is also dry. It is used before sealing the air mattress on the velor side.

A soap solution on such a surface foams very poorly, and besides, wet furniture, even inflatable, is not the best nice thing in the house. Therefore, a completely dry mattress is powdered with starch, flour, ground mustard or other powdery substance. At the puncture site, the light powder will be blown away by the air escaping from the hole.

After all the punctures are found, the scattered flour from the surface is collected with a vacuum cleaner.

4th method: fire test

How to find a puncture in an air mattress this way? Very simple. All you need is matches or a lighter. You need to carefully monitor the flame: at the puncture site it will be slightly blown out by the air coming out of the hole.

5th method: pets

There is another proven way to find a puncture. If you have a cat or cat in your house, then after you inflate the mattress, they will definitely find a hole from which air is blowing. And this will happen for several reasons:

Good hearing. The faint sound coming from the opening of the mattress is clearly audible to them.
Curiosity. Thanks to him, the pets begin to search.
Playfulness. After the discovery, they begin to play with a thin “trickle” of air.

This method is not fiction and it has happened more than once.

How to seal

After making sure that all damage has been detected, you can begin repairing the air mattress yourself. To do this, apply a patch or a special sticker to the puncture.

Side 1

Before sealing a hole in an air mattress on the smooth side, prepare:

glue;
patches;
fine sandpaper (sandpaper);
scissors;
degreasing liquid (solvent).

The area marked with a marker is cleaned with sandpaper and degreased with a solvent.

Cutting out the patch the right size, better without sharp corners, – oval or round in shape. The patch should be at least 3 centimeters larger than the cut on each side.

To repair the smooth side, use clear vinyl film.

After gluing, the product is not used for another day or two until the seam acquires the necessary strength. It is advisable to press down the gluing area with something heavy.

Under no circumstances should super glue be used to repair a PVC air mattress. The alpha-cyanoacrylic acid it contains will irreversibly damage the vinyl, and the item will simply have to be thrown away.

Side 2 (velor)

If the defect has formed on the flock-coated side, the soft pile (“velor”) is carefully sanded off with sandpaper or washed off with alcohol, otherwise the patch will not stick. Then proceed in the same way as when repairing the smooth side. Only a special patch is used - made of flock.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to apply such a patch unnoticed. To avoid creating bald patches on the velor, you can try sealing the product from the inside. To do this, helping yourself with a ruler, pull the defective area towards the wide hole used for inflation. Glue the patch and wait 12 hours. After this, the product can be turned back inside out.

The advantage of this method is that the product can be repaired almost unnoticeably. And, in addition, the patch holds especially tightly because air presses on it from the inside.

And finally, the most difficult question: how to seal an air mattress along the seams. This is the worst type of damage. In this case, it is unlikely that it will be possible to properly repair the item at home. It’s better to find out where the air mattress repair shop is and contact the professionals. After all, they have not only experience, but also special equipment.

If you do carry out the repair yourself, turn the mattress inside out, degrease the damaged area with alcohol and attach a patch.

Advantages of INTEX glue

People often ask what glue to use to seal a PVC air mattress? By and large, any one designed for gluing rubber or PVC products will do. You can use desmocoll, an adhesive for repairing air mattresses that contains natural rubber.

The reliability of the connection will increase significantly if you use a certain technology. To do this, apply desmokol to the parts to be glued, wait for the glue to dry, after which the dried layer is heated with a hot hairdryer and both parts are pressed firmly.

But it is logical to assume that best glue for intex mattresses, the one that is produced under the same name, that is, the proprietary adhesive of the INTEX company. The repair kit includes several types of patches and the glue itself.

Those who have already tried intex glue in practice claim that it reliably glues not only mattresses, but even inflated swimming pools. The patches last for several seasons.

An air mattress can be successfully used both as a bed and as a watercraft. And for it to serve for a long time, you need to fulfill only two conditions - dry it well before storing and protect it from sharp objects.

You shouldn't inflate it too much. In order not to “overdo it,” it is better not to use powerful automobile pumps and compressors for this.

Release the air gradually. If you press hard on the surface to speed up the process, you can damage the seams.

Clean such products with a solution of neutral soap or shampoo. The less chemicals, the better. It is also better not to use abrasive powders.

In case of a cut or rupture, of course, you can seal the mattress yourself, but if the damage is large (more than a centimeter), it is better to contact a specialized workshop to repair it. Professional help will also be needed if the mattress has been damaged by dog teeth or claws.

The technician will not only repair the ruptures, but also completely replace the damaged parts, if necessary.

The popularity of inflatable furniture is explained by its ease of use and compact folded size. It can be used both on tourist trips and at home, as an additional sleeping place. Active use of the product often leads to the appearance of holes through which air escapes, so owners often wonder how to seal an air mattress themselves.

Seal the mattress with glue (click to enlarge)

Violation of the integrity of a PVC product is not a reason to throw it away. Typically, sales centers for branded inflatable furniture provide repair services for their products. Specialists know how to properly restore a product. However, when choosing where to seal an air mattress, you must take into account that this is an expensive service.

Why is air coming out?

Intex products can deflate various reasons. This is not always due to a puncture or rupture. The valve may be the source of the problem. It is possible that debris accumulated in the grooves does not allow the lid to be screwed on tightly enough; in this case, it is enough to rinse the part. A broken plug can be replaced.

Sharp objects or pets' claws may cause cuts in the fabric of the product. Seams come apart and tear due to improper use. internal partitions air mattress.

Defect detection methods

To repair the product, you need to find the location of the damage. Often the holes are small and almost impossible to notice. There are several methods by which you can detect a gap:

The inflated product can be immersed in water. The hole will reveal itself as a stream of small air bubbles;
at home, the rupture site can be found using foam soap solution, which is applied to the surface of the mattress. A large bubble will inflate over the rupture site;
several liters of foam solution are poured into the inflated product. Turning the mattress over, you can find liquid flowing from the defects with a quiet whistle;
It is recommended to sprinkle the surface of the air-filled mattress with flour or any powdery product. The air escaping from the hole will blow away the powder. Once a rupture is detected, the mattress is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner;

You can learn more from the video:

IMPORTANT! Usually, several damages appear at once. The area with a relief pattern that rips most quickly on air mattresses.

The detected defect should be marked with a felt-tip pen or marker.

We need to localize the place (click to enlarge)

Repair of inflatable product

When choosing how to seal an intex air mattress, you should, if possible, use a branded repair kit, which is sold complete with the product. Manufacturers complete the set with velor patches, special glue and vinyl film. How to seal the mattress is described in detail in the instructions. It is included with the set.

If the set is lost or used, you can seal the mattress in other ways. The gluing process can only begin when the product is dry. It is important to choose the right glue to use for these purposes. It is better to use a rubber-based adhesive or another composition that retains its plasticity after drying. By gluing a patch with superglue, the owner risks irreversibly damaging his item.

Typically, the repair approach changes based on the location of the damage.

Repairing punctures and cuts

The question of how to seal an air mattress is easily resolved. The patch can be cut from a rubberized item or use a patch from a tire repair kit.

On the smooth side of the product, it is enough to degrease the area around the hole with acetone or alcohol. The same tool is used to process the patch. For mattresses they are cut without corners. Glue is applied to both surfaces, which are pressed tightly against each other. The repair site is placed under a press for 12 hours.

If the mattress is damaged on the velor side, the lint from the surface around the hole should be cleaned off with fine-grained sandpaper. Next, the patch is glued in the manner described. Defects on the velor cannot be avoided with such repairs.

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You can seal an air mattress with wrong side, then on the surface the puncture site will be almost invisible. To do this, the defect area must be pulled out through the hole to inflate the product. The patch is fixed with glue. After half a day, the product can be turned out and filled with air. When thinking about how to seal an air mattress, you need to take into account a number of advantages of the latter method: the tear site is effectively masked, the patch is held on the inside more securely, since the air that fills the bed presses on it. Although the repair process is more labor-intensive.

Failure to comply with the rules for operating the product leads to the fact that the consumer is often forced to look for an answer to the question of how to seal an air mattress at the seam. It is quite difficult to eliminate defective joints on your own. A patch placed on the seam from the wrong side will not last long. Manufacturers recommend contacting a service center for help.

ADVICE! Insulation tape can be used as a temporary fix for punctures. The sealed mattress can be used for several days.

Inflatable furniture is simple and easy to use. Thanks to such products, it is possible to provide full-fledged sleeping places for guests, and make outdoor recreation more comfortable. Careful use and adherence to operating techniques can save you from having to look for the answer to how to seal an air mattress at home.