How to Patch a Flocked Air Mattress
You begin your evening on a cozy, velvety-soft flocked air mattress. You sleep soundly for a few hours before the restless shifting begins. Tossing and turning, you sink slowly toward the ground only to awaken in the morning lying flat on the floor with a crick in your neck and an ache in your back. Your comfortable bed has developed a slow leak. No need to toss it in the trash; it's an easy fix. Follow the steps in this guide and we'll have you off of sofa city and back in your own bed in no time. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Permanent marker
- Toothpick
- PVC patch
- Flexible adhesive
- Book or heavy item
Instructions
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1
Inflate the mattress and locate the leak. To do this, cover the mattress with a coat of soapy water. Press down slightly on the center of the air bed and watch for bubbles to appear. Alternatively, you can overinflate the mattress and run the backs of your hands across the entire surface area or slowly move a tissue around the surface of the bed to detect air movement.
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2
Mark the leaking area with a permanent marker and slide a toothpick into the hole.
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3
Let the air out of the mattress and lay it on a flat surface. If water was used in the process of locating the leak, allow the mattress to dry completely before moving on.
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4
Cut a circular patch from flexible, waterproof material that is at least 1 inch larger than the area to be covered. Sources of patching include old air mattresses, raincoats or shower curtains. Clean the patch with isopropyl alcohol to remove any coating which may interfere with the bonding of the patch to the air mattress.
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5
Rub sandpaper across the patch material. If the leak is on the flocked part of the air bed, rub it with sandpaper as well to remove the flocking. Creating abrasions on the surface will increase the bonding power of the adhesive. Once the flocking is gone, clean damaged area of the air bed with isopropyl alcohol.
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6
Apply flexible PVC adhesive to the area in need of patching and wait until the glue becomes sticky. Press the patch onto the adhesive. Push down hard and smooth the patch with your knuckles to remove any air bubbles.
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7
Set a book or similar heavy item on top of the patch to hold it in place and leave it to dry for two hours.
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8
Re-inflate the air bed once the glue has dried completely. If the patch does not work, soften the glue by heating the patch with a hairdryer and press it down again. Or apply a second patch on top of the first one, making it 1 inch larger on all sides for complete coverage.
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Tips & Warnings
In a pinch, duct tape can be used in place of patching material once the flocking has been removed with sandpaper. If you're having trouble locating the leak, try pouring 1 cup of water mixed with a few drops of food coloring into the mattress. Shake the bed around a bit and then inflate and watch for the water to leak out. Most leaks begin around the valves or along the seams.
Wear a mask when applying the adhesive to avoid breathing the fumes.
