A leak can ruin a perfectly good air mattress. No matter how many times you refill it, it will still deflate during use. This problem has a cheap fix with the right equipment. Your air mattress may come with the necessary kit; but if not, repair kits are available at camping stores and at retailers such as Wal-Mart or Target. Find out what you'll need to stop that pesky leak for good.

Inflate the air mattress. Press down on the mattress and listen for the sound of leaking air. If you cannot hear the air leaking, take a soapy washcloth and wipe soap across the air mattress. Push on the mattress and look for soap bubbles forming from the leaking air.

Mark the leaking area with tape. Clean the air mattress with a damp washcloth and dry with a towel.

Deflate the air mattress.

Remove the tape and apply liquid sealer from a repair kit, either for an air mattress or a bicycle tire. Read the back of the package to make sure the sealer will work on the material your mattress is made from.

Allow the sealer to dry for 5 minutes before applying a second coat. Apply three coats total for small leaks and five coats for larger leaks. Wait 5 minutes between coats.

Apply a patch by coating the area with liquid sealer, then cutting out a large patch with rounded corners. Lay the patch on the sealer and apply a coat over the patch to seal it to the air mattress. The patch is optional, and small leaks can be fixed with liquid sealer alone.

Apply repair tape to the mattress instead of liquid sealer for small leaks or temporary fixes. Clean the air mattress, and cut the tape long enough to cover the leak. Pull off the paper backing and press the sticky side down. Smooth the tape out over the leak.

Photo Credits

  • William Alan Photo/Demand Media
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