How to Get Rid of New Mattress Odors

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By Corey M. Mackenzie
eHow Contributing Writer

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New mattresses commonly give off an odor. This is the natural off-gassing of components, such as foam and (sometimes) dyes or other chemicals. Sprays, cleaners and other products that generally get rid of odor will have little effect on this type of odor. In time, most odors caused by off-gassing diminish, but this can take days or even weeks. You can speed up the process and improve the quality of your air using a few simple tricks.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Fans
Carbon filter or activated charcoal

Step 1

Avoid using the mattress during this process. Strip the mattress of all sheets, covers and pillows. These can hinder the off-gassing process slightly.
Step 2

Open all windows to the bedroom containing the new mattress. The more ventilation you get to the mattress, the better. In fact, putting it outside for awhile would be even better--though this is not always practical.
Step 3

Turn on at least one fan in the room to keep the air circulating. Turn the mattress over once a day so both sides of the mattress have a chance to ventilate.
Step 4

Hang a carbon filter (the kind used for vacuum cleaners or cat boxes) in the room--or place sachets of activated charcoal on the bed. Carbon filters and activated charcoal are great odor neutralizers.
Step 5

Keep the room ventilated until the odor is at an acceptable level.

Tips & Warnings

If you own an air purifier, using this in the room should also help. You can usually find carbon filters and activated charcoal at large home improvement stores. If you have difficulty finding these, try using crumbled up charcoal (not the type saturated with lighter fluid, however). Place it in open containers around the room. Keep pets and children away from the charcoal.
Asthma sufferers and anyone prone to respiratory allergies can develop respiratory conditions until the odor diminishes. Keep odor-sensitive people out of the room until the mattress odor is less noticeable.