Inflate the mattress, remove all sources of noise, and listen carefully. Damage to the mattress can give itself a slight whistling sound. For fidelity, the noisy part can be immersed in water: small bubbles will indicate the location of the puncture.
If the previous method did not help, it’s time to feel like a real barber. In a container, whisk water with detergent and with a brush we apply a thick soapy foam to the surface of the mattress. At the puncture sites, the foam will begin to bubble.
Once you have found the damage, trace it with a pen or chalk so you don't lose it.
How to prepare the surface
Before starting, release all the air from the mattress. Clean the area around the puncture from dust and dirt, degrease the surface with gasoline or alcohol. If you need to patch a velor or flock-covered mattress, it is important to remove lint using acetone or fine-grit sandpaper before applying the patch.
How to prepare a patch
Sometimes special repair kits come with the mattress. If you don't have one, take pieces of thin rubber from a car inner tube repair kit or cut up a children's rubber toy. The patch should correspond to the size of the puncture with indentations of 2–3 cm and be oval or round in shape. Before use, degrease its surface with gasoline or alcohol.
How to seal an air mattress
How to seal a hole in a mattress? Suitable glue for PVC, universal “Moment” or polyurethane shoe glue.
How to do it? We already have a mattress ready for repair and a grease-free patch cut to size. Now apply an even layer of glue to the mattress and patch, wait 5 minutes for the glue to set a little, and align them. For greater effect, you can put a load on the gluing site for a day.
What to do if you need to seal a mattress along the seams
If the mattress is torn at the seam, a patch placed on the outside may not help. In this case, it makes sense to seal the mattress from the inside. To do this, use your hands or a ruler to pull the damaged area through the valve hole. Then glue the patch (according to the instructions from the previous paragraph) to inside mattress. You can turn the mattress out and use it as usual within 24 hours after the glue has completely dried.
How to avoid new damage
To be repaired inflatable mattress made you happy for as long as possible, follow the following simple rules.
- Before placing the mattress on the floor, grass or sand, inspect the surface for sharp objects.
- Do not play on the mattress with pets: they may puncture it with their claws or teeth.
- Do not drag the mattress across the floor if people are lying on it: the seams may come apart.
Today, air mattresses are in great demand - comfortable, compact for storage, and, if necessary, easily converted into sleeping area at home or on vacation. The service life of any inflatable product depends on its quality and how it is used.
Of course, if a mattress or an air bed is used as a trampoline, then it is hardly necessary to talk about a long service life. But even if punctures or some other damage are found, you should not despair: you can repair air mattresses at home. You just need to arm yourself with a special kit and carefully study the instructions.
The tips given below will tell you how you can quickly bring an inflatable product back to life at home without damaging it even more. In some cases, such repairs will become only temporary and you will have to contact a specialized workshop, but often home repairs turn out to be of very high quality.
The location of the damage is not always immediately determined, sometimes the puncture is almost invisible and you need to carefully approach the detection of an air leak.
- Conduct a thorough inspection of the mattress.
- Attach the back of the hand to the alleged site of damage - a current of cold air is felt.
- Partial immersion of the product in water will also tell you where the air is leaking - by the appearance of bubbles it is immediately clear where the damage is.
- Damage is clearly visible when treated with a soap solution. With a sponge or just a piece of foam rubber, you should lather the entire mattress, after inflating it. Even the smallest punctures will show up as air bubbles.
- Mark any damaged areas with chalk or a piece of soap. Blow off the mattress, clean it of dirt, dry it well (not near the battery!).
When a person tries to repair a mattress on his own, there are often advisers who recommend pouring water inside the mattress to find the puncture site. This will be quite effective, but it will hardly be possible to use the thing in the future: not only do ugly whitish stains form, but the fabric itself will remain wet. Surely you will not want to sleep on such a mattress.
Home repair of air mattresses
- For DIY repairs, it’s easier to use a repair kit. similar products. For example, Intex (59632).
- Absolutely do not resort to using any superglue!
If the damage is minor, on a flat surface
In case of minor damage, cut a piece of approximately 1.5 x 1.5 cm from the repair kit material. Use a swab dipped in alcohol to wipe the patch and damaged area. You can simply wipe it well with a dry, clean cloth: the area to be glued must be dry. Apply the glue to the patch in a fairly dense layer, then immediately apply it to the place intended for repair, smooth it and press firmly until the glue dries (one or two minutes). After half an hour of exposure, the mattress can be used.
If gluing is carried out with dismacol, then it should be applied by thinly spreading it over the surface of the patch; Let it dry for about 10 minutes, then apply a layer of glue again. Now you should dry it to the state of adhesive tape, stick it and smooth it well. You can use a hairdryer for drying, just do not turn it on with hot air.
If the damage on a flat surface is large enough
In case of significant damage, the best solution is to contact a workshop where repairs are carried out by specialists using special tools and adhesives.
If this is not possible, you can do everything at home. And then you should act in the same order as when puncturing. But at the same time, cut the patch so that it protrudes a centimeter on all sides of the gap.
How to use the product after repair?
Eliminating punctures and small cuts will not in any way affect the process of further use. Despite the size and material from which the mattress is made, the product will last a long time.
If necessary, repairs to air mattresses can be done more than once. Even if there was significant damage to flat surface mattress, but the repair work was carried out in compliance with all recommendations, the consumer properties of the product will remain for a long time.
If the seam edge is slightly damaged
If there is slight damage along the edge of the seam, to detect it, it is enough to inflate the mattress halfway. Having found a leak, you should fill the damaged area with glue and let it dry, then repeat the operation until the air bubbles disappear. After a couple of hours, you can use the mattress, but there are misfires when it is not immediately possible to correct the damage.
But, if there is damage of more than one centimeter, you need to contact a specialized workshop.
If there is a small puncture or mini-tear in the seam
For repairs you will need a tube of polyurethane glue, a piece of leather or PVC.
Cut a patch about 2 cm in diameter. Clean and dry the damaged area and patch well, without removing the lint from the surface of the mattress, because trying to remove it can further damage the item being repaired. Apply glue to the surface of the patch and the damaged area, dry for 10-15 minutes; Apply another thin layer of glue and dry so that the glue sticks slightly.
Now you should apply the patch to the surface of the mattress, press it and hold it for a while, smoothing the edges. To speed up the process, you should not use lighters, burning matches, irons, etc. - you can only ruin everything. You can use a hairdryer with caution, without turning it on to the maximum setting. After everything, leave the mattress for an hour. Then inflate to check. There should be no trace left of the punctures, although the leak at the rupture site will most likely not be completely eliminated.
If the mattress continues to deflate, you need to be patient and do everything again, from beginning (searching for damage) to end. If even then you do not get the desired result, repeat until the mattress stops deflating.
If the seam along the edge is damaged by more than 0.5 cm
In this case, there is a direct route to an air mattress repair shop. You won’t be able to repair the breaks on your own, but having a professional do such “after-repair repairs” will be more difficult and will cost more later.
Could the valve cause an air leak?
Often the fault is with the valves when the mattress begins to deflate. This can be easily verified. We need to cook soap solution and a brush or sponge. Inflate the mattress and close the valve, then apply soap foam thickly around the valve. If air bubbles do not appear, then there is no need to blame the valve - the reason is different. If bubbles appear, then you need to contact a specialist. And you should not try to trim the surface of the valve with sandpaper - this will not give anything.
An air mattress has one significant drawback - the product can be easily punctured or cut. This problem can be solved with a few tools and specially selected glue.
How to seal a velor mattress at home
To seal a velor mattress yourself, you need to prepare:
- Solvent 647 or analogue acetone;
- patch from PVC fabric;
- Hair dryer;
- Scissors;
- Dull knife;
- Hard roller;
- Weight (for pressing down surfaces);
- Glue brush;
- Glue.
Not just any glue is suitable for sealing holes and seams. It is necessary to purchase an adhesive mixture designed specifically for rubber, PVC or polyurethane.
- Glue Uranus. It is a synthetic rubber mixed with organic solvents. Firmly fixes rubber, PVC, polyurethane, plastic and other materials to any substrate. Can be used for both hot and cold gluing methods. Provides an elastic adhesive seam that is waterproof. Excellent for repairing rubber and fabric products.
- Kleyberg Master Glue. Waterproof, transparent adhesive mixture. Used for gluing most different surfaces: rubber, PVC, polystyrene, metal, wood, ceramics, paper, fabric and other materials. Waterproof, maintains a strong connection even with temperature changes. Gives a transparent adhesive line and leaves no marks. Cost of a 30 ml tube: about 60 rubles.
Instructions for repairing holes and seams
A hole in an air mattress may appear on the velor side, and it often tears along the seam. First of all, it is very important to find the puncture.
This can be done in several ways:
- Inflate the mattress and apply shaving foam to it - where there are holes, soap foam will bubble;
- Immerse the inflated mattress in a large container of water, if you have one (it will not fit in a regular bathroom). Bubbles will come out of the punctured areas.
When you have found problem areas, you can independently seal the hole in the mattress on the velor side:
- Spread the mattress well on a flat surface;
- Before gluing the patch, remove lint from the punctured area and the area surrounding it, the diameter of a coin. This can be done with solvent 647 from a syringe without a needle. After a couple of minutes, the lint can be easily removed with a blunt knife;
- Place PVC cloth over the hole;
- Circle the area to be glued;
- Use scissors to cut a piece of PVC fabric the right sizes. It is best that the patch has a rounded shape without sharp ends. Its length should be 2-4 centimeters longer than the length of the puncture;
- Squeeze glue onto the damaged area and patch. You don't need to apply a lot of it. The optimal quantity will ensure the most reliable fastening;
- Spread the glue evenly over both surfaces to be glued with a brush;
- Wait for the glue to dry;
- After 10 minutes, do the same procedure and again let the glue dry for 5 minutes;
- Then proceed directly to gluing. Heat the applied glue with a hairdryer, but do not overdo it so as not to melt it;
- Place the patch on the velor side of the mattress so that no air voids form under it;
- Press and roll the patch with a hard roller;
- To allow the glue to dry completely, leave the mattress for a day. It can be folded in any place convenient for you, but do not allow it to bend in the place where the patch is glued.
VIDEO INSTRUCTION
Mattress repair is not limited to just sealing holes. If it is regularly inflated all the way, the seam may rupture.
Repairing a seam is more difficult than sealing a regular puncture.
- Pull the damaged seam through the flap using your hands or a ruler;
- Degrease and clean the punctured seam from dirt with alcohol or acetone;
- Wait for the area to dry;
- Apply a small amount of glue to the patch and damaged area;
- Spread it evenly over the surfaces to be glued with a brush;
- Press the surfaces tightly and fix them in this position with any heavy object for 10-12 hours, until the glue is completely dry;
If you want your air mattress to last a long time, you need to know how to use it correctly:
- You can’t not only jump on inflatable velor mattresses, but you can’t even stand on them - this product is designed only for a person to lie in a horizontal position;
- It is not recommended to allow pets near air mattresses. With their teeth and claws, they can easily make cuts and punctures on the surface of the mattress;
- You should not inflate an air mattress often - this should be done no more than once every five days;
- Once deflated, the mattress should be stored dry in a dark place.
Like these ones simple rules will help to avoid damage to the integrity of the mattress and you will not have to waste your time on sealing punctures and restoring seams.
Even if the mattress is used rarely and carefully, over time it stops holding air. This may be due not only to the fact that the product has holes, cuts or punctures. Sometimes it begins to deflate due to a malfunction and loss of tightness of the valve.
To check this, press on the product and listen to the valve. If air comes out from there, this part must be pulled out and cleaned, repaired or replaced with a new one. By the way, to make the valve last longer, when inflating the mattress, do not screw the pump too tightly and tightly.
If the problem is not in the valve, most likely there is a hole or rupture in the product. In this case, you need to first find the air leak and then start sealing. Let's look at how to seal an air mattress at home quickly and reliably.
How to detect a hole in a mattress
Sometimes finding a gap is quite difficult. To do this, use bubble bath or dishwashing detergent. Beat the product in a separate container until foam forms. Inflate the mattress with air and apply foam section by section using a soft sponge, brush or spray bottle. First, inspect the product along the seam and at the joints, as these areas are the most vulnerable.
If large bubble, so there is a gap. When you have found one hole, do not quit the process, but study the product completely. There may be several gaps! Mark each hole with a pen or other method so you don't forget where it is located. You can repair and glue the mattress only after it is completely dry.
If you are near a body of water or a pool, dip an inflated mattress into the water and you will immediately find a puncture. In addition, soapy water can be poured into the deflated product. Then the mattress is turned over in different directions, as a result of the damage, water will begin to come out with a slight whistle. However, this method is complicated by prolonged drying, since it is difficult and long to dry such a product from the inside.
Before sealing a hole in an air mattress, release the air and dry the product. Remove dirt and dust from the damaged puncture site. Then the surface is degreased with alcohol, acetone or gasoline. A product with a velvet or velor surface is thoroughly cleaned of villi. After preparatory work you need to determine how to glue the air mattress.
How to glue an air mattress
For gluing, you can buy special parts and patches that are sold in the same store or department as mattresses. But, if there is no repair kit, you can use improvised means. In this case, you can make an oval or round patch larger size holes two to three centimeters in diameter.
The patch is made from any rubberized material. Use thin rubber, rubberized flock, velor or bars. For a classic inflatable rubber mattress, you can take an old rubber toy, a baby life buoy, or swim sleeves. The patch must also be degreased before use with gasoline, acetone or alcohol. This will ensure strong and reliable adhesion of the material to the mattress.
It is not recommended to apply a patch to a vinyl surface using standard clear super glue as it may damage the material. In addition, after drying, such products become glassy and crack.
To seal an Intex air mattress or any other company, it is better to take an elastic adhesive for rubber, rubber glue made of natural rubber or special glue for rubber boats. If you choose “Moment”, take a PVC product.
How to seal a mattress
- To glue the mattress correctly and reliably, you need to glue the product only when deflated!;
- To seal a small or large hole on one side of the product, glue the patch on the outside. Apply a layer of adhesive to the surface and back of the patch, press the materials firmly against each other and wait five minutes. Then fix the patch using gravity and leave it for a day;
- Sealing a mattress at the seams is much more difficult. The procedure must be carried out with wrong side. To do this, pull the affected area through the valve hole and glue the patch from the inside. Press the materials to be glued tightly against each other, hold for about five minutes, place a weight and leave for a day. After these manipulations, turn the mattress back out;
- The product can be used no earlier than 24 hours after sealing. It is important that the glue dries completely and that the parts are fixed firmly and securely;
- If the mattress begins to deflate while traveling, for example, on a hike or at a tent camp, where it is not possible to make and glue a patch, you can seal the hole with strong electrical tape. However, this tape does not adhere well to the velor side.
To keep the mattress presentable for a long time appearance, is not deformed or torn, the product must be used and stored correctly. Before placing it on the ground or floor, carefully inspect the surface for sharp objects. Do not play on the surface with pets as they may scratch or damage the rubberized material with their teeth and claws.
After use in water, the mattress must be thoroughly dried and only then folded and stored. Store the product deflated. For cleaning and washing, use a regular soap solution. Do not use chemical compositions and abrasives! Do not drag the product along the floor or throw it onto the surface, otherwise the seam may tear or come apart. How to properly clean a mattress at home, see.
Air mattresses (beds) are convenient when you need to quickly organize a temporary sleeping place. They are cheap and available different sizes, shapes and colors. Most modern air mattresses are made from soft, thin sheets of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Their most common problem is air leakage through small damage (holes) that spontaneously forms during normal operation; in other words, the mattress deflates.
For such cases, large manufacturers of air mattresses offer their own repair kits (repair kits), consisting of special PVC glue and several patches. Such a repair kit can be recommended for purchase immediately (along with the mattress), since sooner or later it will definitely come in handy.
If you don’t have a branded repair kit at hand, you can use improvised means.
To seal an air mattress you need:
- Soapy water.
- Glue "Moment universal".
- Degreaser (acetone or gasoline).
- Pieces of thin rubber.
Transparent glue will help eliminate flaws in its application.
In the car camera repair kit you can find ready-made patches of suitable sizes. It was experimentally found that its glue is not suitable for gluing PVC.
The first thing to do is to look for any damage on the mattress from which air is escaping. To do this, prepare soapy water, shake it until a rich foam forms. Having inflated the mattress tightly, we begin to slowly and consistently apply foam with a brush to its entire surface. An inflating bubble is evidence of an air leak. As a rule, the holes are very small, and in order not to lose sight of them, it is better to immediately circle the problem area with a marker.
“Bubble bath” dissolved in water allows you to quickly get a lot of foam.
The air escaping from the mattress inflates the bubble.
The holes are usually very small, and most often occur in the places where the internal connectors of the mattress are attached.
On a flocked surface it is even more difficult to see the hole.
After all the damage has been localized, we proceed directly to sealing the mattress, having previously expelled the air from it. We degrease the area where the patch is applied, as well as the patch itself. If the damage is on the top flocked surface, the flock must first be removed using acetone.
Degreasing (photo above) and removing flock using acetone.
Apply glue to both surfaces (mattress and patch) in an even layer of moderate thickness. We take a five-minute pause, apply the patch and press it firmly to the damaged area. It makes sense to press down the patch with some kind of weight for up to 24 hours.
Applying glue.
Applying a patch.
