An inflatable mattress will provide a comfortable rest in the forest and will allow you to accommodate a guest staying overnight. The thing is convenient because it is compact when deflated, and you can inflate it in a few minutes. But a practical product is easily damaged, and then you need to find a way to seal the air mattress yourself. Simple repair instructions will help you repair your item reliably and inexpensively.
If the mattress is leaking air, do not rush to throw it away. The product can be sealed at home.
How to detect a hole or puncture
To properly seal an air mattress, you need to find the damaged area. Often you can simply see how the product is gradually deflated, but where the air leak is cannot be identified. There are simple ways to determine damage.
Aurally
Air will come out of a tightly inflated mattress with a characteristic whistle. To hear where the whistle is, you will need:
- inflate the product;
- eliminate unnecessary sound sources (turn off the music, ask others to be silent);
- leaning towards the surface, listen to where the whistling of escaping air is noted.
If the hole is not found immediately, then this method examines the surface of the mattress on both sides.
Using water
If you immerse an inflated mattress in water, small bubbles will appear at the puncture site.
This method is suitable if there is a pond or large reservoir of water nearby. The mattress will not fit in the bathtub.
Soapy solution
Any soapy liquid (shampoo, dish soap) is suitable for preparing the solution. To diagnose damage you will need:
- foam water with soap;
- Apply foam to the surface of the inflated mattress.
Soap bubbles will appear on the damaged area.
You cannot prepare a solution with washing powder. The coarse particles contained in the powder will scratch the surface and may damage the inflatable item.
Shaving foam
The method is used when there is a suspicion that an air leak has occurred in the valve system. Foam is poured under and around the valve. Bubbles will appear where the air escapes.
Starch
The advantage of using a loose product is that it saves repair time - you won't have to wait for the inflatable product to dry to seal the puncture. The powder can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner.
To detect a hole, you need to thinly sprinkle starch on the suspected area of damage. A small cloud will appear in place of the hole.
Instead of starch, you can use any fine powder (flour, soda).
Cling film
Moisten the air mattress with water and cover with cling film. Where air accumulations appear under the film, that’s where you need to look for a hole.
Moisten with a sponge or spray bottle.
Even if a hole is found, you need to continue checking the inflatable product. There may be several damages.
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 seams and at the joints, as these areas are the most vulnerable.
If large soap bubbles have formed in a particular place, then there is a gap there. When you find one hole, do not abandon 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 seal the mattress only after it is completely dry.
If you are near a pond or swimming pool, lower the 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 which water will begin to come out of the damage with a slight whistle. However, this method is complicated by prolonged drying, since drying such a product from the inside is difficult and time-consuming.
Before sealing a hole in an air mattress, release the air and dry the product. Remove dirt and dust from the damaged area with a puncture. Then the surface is degreased with alcohol, acetone or gasoline. A product with a velvet or velor surface is thoroughly cleaned of lint. After the preparatory work, you need to determine how to seal the air mattress.
How to seal an air mattress: choice of glue
It is better to use the adhesive recommended by the manufacturer of the inflatable product. If this is not possible, then when choosing what to seal the hole with, you should pay attention to the following brands:
- Universal moment. You can glue not only rubber parts, but also pieces of other fabrics (vinyl bases). The glued patch holds securely.
- Desmokol (polyurethane glue). Used to repair leather shoes, but also reliably glues rubber.
- PVC (liquid patch). Waterproof, durable. Available in different colors. Helps restore an inflatable item and keep the mattress looking beautiful.
- Super moment. It is made on the basis of rubber and hardens quickly. It is not advisable to use it for repairing inflatable products: after hardening, the adhesive mass becomes hard and may crumble.
- Uranus. The composition includes organic solvents and synthetic rubber. Provides good connection of any substrates. Suitable for rubber and rubberized materials.
If possible, it is better to take the adhesive recommended by the manufacturer. This will ensure quality repairs.
Those who are wondering whether it is possible to seal an inflatable item with hot glue should answer in the negative. This is because most hot glues are designed for tire repair and are not suitable for thin rubber. An incorrectly selected adhesive composition will increase the load on the taped area, and during use, fabric tears may appear along the edges of the patch.
When choosing glue, you need to consider what the air mattress is made of
How can you seal the velor side of an air mattress?
Air mattresses are made of a plastic polymer.
They are in great demand among buyers, as they are very convenient and practical to use. After a night spent in the forest or by the sea, it does not require special care and does not take up much space when stored. It would be a shame to forever lose such a necessary and functional item. Self-respecting manufacturers produce these products complete with a kit that will help eliminate all mechanical damage . It contains special glue, patches of various sizes and instructions for use.
If it is missing, you will have to find the necessary materials yourself. There are ready-made repair kits from a similar company on sale that are quite inexpensive.
How to seal a hole in a PVC air mattress
If the mattress is torn at home, you can select the necessary means and firmly seal the hole. And if an inflatable product is damaged during a hike or outdoor recreation, then it is not always possible to repair it “according to the rules.” Let's look at how to seal a torn item using available means.
Methods with a repair kit
Most air mattresses come with vinyl adhesive and a patch. With the help of a repair kit you can quickly repair your mattress. To fix a puncture you will need:
- prepare the surface (clean and degrease);
- apply glue to the patch and to the product;
- apply a patch and press with a weight.
Drying time depends on the characteristics of the glue. Typically, the repair kit includes quick-drying compounds that polymerize in 4-5 hours.
If a repair kit is not included with the air mattress, it must be purchased separately. This will help you quickly and efficiently seal the mattress while outdoors or relaxing in the country.
Lifehacks with other means
If you don’t have a repair kit, you can seal the mattress with any rubber glue or use improvised means. Not all proposed methods are reliable. Sometimes, after repair, the inflatable product can be used only as a sleeping place, without deflating it anymore.
Super glue
After polymerization, the adhesive mass becomes hard and non-plastic. But if there are no other means, and the hole in the air mattress urgently needs to be fixed, then it is permissible to use Superglue.
Superglue is applied to the cleaned patch, and then the patch is applied to the hole and pressed tightly for 3-5 minutes.
But the resulting connection is not waterproof and fragile. Superglue is used when it is necessary to urgently repair a sleeping place while traveling.
Shoe glue
If Desmokol is chosen, then it should be taken into account that after repair the item can only be used after 2 days. To keep the patch firmly in place, you need to:
- coat the degreased surfaces of the mattress and rubber patch with Desmokol;
- wait 10 minutes;
- Apply shoe glue again and wait 20-30 minutes;
- heat the adhesive mass with a hairdryer for a couple of minutes;
- apply a patch to the damaged area;
- press tightly and hold for half a minute.
Complete polymerization will occur after 48 hours, and the connection will become strong.
Rubber glue
An inexpensive way to reliably fix an air mattress:
- surfaces are prepared;
- apply the adhesive and leave for a quarter of an hour;
- The patch is pressed against the puncture and fixed with your fingers for half a minute.
The gluing area is pressed down with a press and left for 24 hours.
Liquid patch
This method does not require patches; you only need a container of liquid glue:
- deflate the product;
- place a flat base under the area with the puncture (plywood or board will do);
- remove dirt;
- carry out degreasing;
- shake the container with liquid adhesive;
- apply the product to the hole;
- wait about 10 minutes;
- reapply.
Liquid patch can be used to reliably seal a hole in an air mattress without ruining the design.
Method without glue
If there is no patch or glue, then repair is possible using an iron and thick paper. To do this you need:
- unscrew the valve mechanism;
- turn out the damaged area of fabric;
- move the torn edges and lay them on a heat-resistant base;
- cover the edge of the joint with a sheet of paper;
- iron.
After cooling, remove the paper from the soldering area and tuck the fabric inside. Reinstall the valve.
The proposed method allows you to repair the mattress in a few minutes. Once repaired, the inflatable can be used for swimming or as a sleeping place.
How to seal a mattress
- To seal the mattress correctly and securely, you only need to seal the product when it is deflated!;
- To seal a small or large hole on one side of the product, glue the patch to the outside. Apply a layer of glue to the surface and back of the patch, firmly press the materials together 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 from the 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.
In order for the mattress to retain its presentable appearance for a long time, not to deform or tear, you need to use and store the product 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 chemicals or 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 here.
Air Mattress Valve Repair
If during the diagnostic process it is revealed that air is being bleed due to a leak in the valve, you can try to fix the problem yourself. To do this, you only need lubricant and fine-grained sandpaper.
Repair algorithm:
- unscrew the valve and remove the gasket;
- remove accumulated dirt from the grooves;
- sand the valve end surface and lubricate it;
- Reinstall the removed parts.
To check the result, you need to inflate the mattress and test the tightness. If the air does not escape, then the inflatable item can be used.
If cleaning and lubrication do not help, then the breakdown is more serious. It is better to take the mattress to a workshop where they will carry out a high-quality repair of the valve mechanism.
How to seal an air mattress on the velor side
The velor base of the mattress is fleecy, and small hairs make it difficult to ensure a tight fit of the patch. Lint can be safely removed using solvent 467.
After detecting a puncture you will need:
- clean the area for gluing;
- fill the medical syringe with solvent;
- remove the needle;
- carefully apply the solution with a syringe to the designated area;
- clean off the fluff with the blunt edge of a knife (they will be easily removed after a couple of minutes).
Next, the area is degreased and a patch is applied to it.
How to find a defect?
There are several ways to detect a damaged area:
- First, inspect all seams and surfaces; sometimes the presence of a tear will be detected visually;
- having inflated an inflatable velor mattress, you can hear a slight hiss of air escaping;
- a tactile method using a palm placed at a short distance to the intended area will help identify damaged integrity;
- try to partially fill the mattress with water and shake it from all sides; water will flow out from the damaged area in a thin stream;
- If possible, immerse the mattress in a pool or pond after inflating it. Air bubbles will appear from the hole;
- when it is problematic to check in water, then simply apply soap foam or shaving cream to the defect area. This area will bubble.
How to seal seams that have come apart
A patch placed outside at the junction of seams is unreliable and the seal may be broken during use of the item. To avoid this, you need to seal the seam from the inside.
To do this, the valve mechanism is disassembled and the place where the seam has separated is pulled out. Next, the tissue sections are degreased and glued together. For seams, it is recommended to use Intex glue for PVC.
An additional advantage of internal gluing is that the patch is pressed down with air as it is inflated. This increases the strength of the connection.
How to seal a hole on the velor side
Owners of mattresses often simply do not understand how to seal a mattress on the velor side. The fleecy surface of the velor prevents patching. Before sealing around the puncture, you will have to remove all the lint, leaving only a smooth base. The separation of the pile from the surface is carried out using a glue solvent.
To properly seal an air mattress on the velor side, you first need to clean the pile.
You can repair a mattress on the velor side as follows:
- A portion of the glue solvent is placed in a syringe.
- The area with the puncture is marked. The boundary of the area should be 1-2 cm larger than the size of the patch.
- Using a syringe, the solvent is carefully distributed over the area. Time is biding its time. The rate of reaction with the glue is indicated on the solvent can.
- The weakened pile layer is cleaned off with a coin or token. It is not advisable to use a knife or sharp tools for stripping.
- The surface is thoroughly wiped of solvent and dried. It is not necessary to degrease the area, since organic matter will not have time to take root on the aggressively treated surface.
- The patch is glued, pressed with a weight and the time required for the glue to completely harden is waited.
On “velvet” the glue does not adhere well, so even a patch glued according to the rules most likely will not stick.
How to avoid new damage
Repairing an air mattress is not difficult, but it is better to prevent possible damage. It's easy to do:
- Before you put down your air mattress, you need to inspect the ground. Sharp branches, glass shards or stones will cause a hole to appear. You need to remove the trash and then put the product down.
- Be careful when pumping. Filling too tightly with air increases pressure on the seams. The mattress should be moderately soft.
- Keep pets away. Dog or cat claws will cause a puncture, even if the animal simply jumps on the inflated product.
- Do not drag when inflated. When dragged, an inflated mattress is scratched by uneven soil. Dragging is especially dangerous if a person is resting on the mattress. Such movement will cause rupture of internal partitions and divergence of seams.
- Do not use “aggressive” chemicals for washing. Detergents negatively affect the elasticity of rubberized fabric. It is recommended to clean dirt with a soap solution.
- Sit down carefully. Do not fall sharply on an inflated item or jump on it - this will cause the seams and partitions to rupture.
- Descend slowly. The air should escape through the valve on its own. Pressure on the inflated item will damage the partitions.
- Don't forget about drying. If you put a wet item away for storage, the humidity will cause the rubberized fabric to crack.
Pets should not climb on the mattress, otherwise holes will be inevitable.
A puncture or broken seam can be successfully sealed on your own using a repair kit or available products. But if the hole is large or there is a serious breakdown of the valve system, then it is better to contact a specialist. Service centers have equipment that allows you to repair ruptured septa and repair large cuts, as well as diagnose valve damage.
How to seal at home
Most manufacturers offer a special repair kit in addition to the velor mattress. It includes glue, a set of patches and instructions. Using a “original” repair kit is the easiest and most effective way to repair. There is no need to look for glue, cut out a patch, and most importantly, you can be sure that it will stick securely.
If the manufacturer has not provided such a kit, and you have not bothered to purchase it in advance, do not despair, all the necessary tools and materials can be found and made with your own hands at home.
How to choose glue
To repair a velor mattress, any “rubber” glue (suitable for rubber coverings, PVC or polyurethane) will do. This can be: Moment glue, Super Moment glue, Uran glue (synthetic rubber), Demoskol (made from natural rubber) and others. Glue from a mattress manufacturer, such as Intex glue, is ideal.
How to make a patch
Cut a round or oval patch from flock, PVC fabric or cotton fabric soaked in rubber glue. The patch should be several centimeters larger than the hole itself.
Repair kit Intex 59632
Intex is a leader in the velor mattress market, and its repair kits are popular. The repair kit includes a tube of VINYL CEMENT glue, several types of patches and instructions.
This kit will help you repair a vinyl product without ruining its appearance. It is compact and easy to use.
