How to Patch Holes in a Vinyl Air Mattress
Air mattresses offer convenience and portability, but they are also susceptible to punctures and tears that result in small holes. The holes cause the air mattress to gradually deflate or not hold air, resulting in a mattress that is either unusable or inconvenient to use. Instead of throwing out an air mattress with holes, you can try repairing it by patching the punctures or tears. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Repair kit
- Water
- Dish soap
- Spray bottle
- Rubber cement
- Acrylic spray paint
Instructions
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Buy an air mattress repair kit. Inflate the air mattress. Listen for air leaking from the mattress and isolate the leak. If you can't pinpoint the exact location of the leak, fill a spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish soap. Spray the entire mattress with the soapy solution and watch for bubbles forming on the mattress wherever there is a leak. The repair kit includes small pieces of vinyl and an adhesive. Place one of the pieces of vinyl over the area of the mattress where you observed the leak. Use the adhesive to secure the piece of vinyl to the air mattress. The piece of vinyl should completely cover the hole. Apply the adhesive to the edges of the underside of the repair vinyl. Allow the adhesive to dry for approximately one hour. Reinflate the mattress and test to make sure the leak is sealed.
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Buy a bottle of rubber cement. Inflate the air mattress. Listen for air leaking from the mattress or use the spray bottle method to isolate the leak. Unscrew the top of the rubber cement bottle and dab the brush attached to the lid in the rubber cement. The rubber cement should completely cover the brush. Apply rubber cement to the section of the mattress where you observed the leak, covering the entire area. Allow the rubber cement to dry for approximately one hour. Reinflate the air mattress and determine if it is still leaking. If necessary, apply a second coat of rubber cement to the leaking area.
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Use acrylic spray paint if your mattress has small holes. Inflate the air mattress. Listen for air leaking from the mattress or use the spray bottle method to isolate the leak. Spray the portion of the air mattress where you observed the leak with paint. Slowly move the can back and forth, applying several continuous coats of paint to the area. Allow the paint to dry for two to three hours. Reinflate the mattress. If you still observe air leaking out of the mattress, apply additional coats of paint.
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