The air mattress is foldable, easy to store, and easy to use. It can come in handy when guests stay overnight at home. However, even a pinhole-sized hole can leave a mattress flat after a night. Although mattress manufacturers list several ways to fix air leaks in mattresses, finding an air leak is no less difficult than finding a needle in a haystack. When you notice a mattress leak, the first thing you want to do is check the inflation valve. Most of the time, the problem with air leaks is the inflation valve. If you can't find it, try another method.
Method 1 Check the inflation valve
Remove sheets and remove other bedding. You won't find holes or breakages without removing the items covering the mattress.
Take your bedding to a safe place, or it will prevent you from finding air leaks.
Move the mattress to a place that is roomy enough for easy inspection. In spacious areas, you can walk around the mattress, turn it over, or inflate the mattress without hindrance.
If you are camping in the wild, it is recommended to check the mattress in the tent so that it is not affected by wind and other noises.
You should definitely check the mattress in a bright place. To find a leak, you must first be able to see clearly.
Fill the mattress with air as much as possible, but don't overdo it or the mattress will crack. Don't use an air compressor to inflate, the mattress can't handle such a high air pressure.
You can inflate it with your mouth or pump it up. Many air mattresses come with an air pump at the factory.
Do not overinflate. Most builders warn users not to over-inflate or cause the mattress to burst.
Check the inflation valve. You'd better check the inflation valve first, and then check other parts, because the inflation valve is the most common part of the leak. The inflation valve often leaks, so instead of looking for leaks in other ways, it is better to check the inflation valve first, which can save a lot of time.
Check that the valve plug is fully inserted into the valve stem.
If the inflation valve of the mattress is a double-lock valve, the valve stem must be fully pushed in after inflation until it stops.
Not easy to fix when there is a problem with the inflation valve. If the seal between the valve plug and valve stem is not good, you can temporarily fix the leak by inserting a thin piece of plastic between the two.
When the valve plug is fully inserted into the valve stem and the valve stem is fully pushed in, you can start looking for air leaks in the mattress.
Method 2 Bubble water detection method
Fill a watering can with warm water and squeeze in wholesale self inflating mats a little dishwashing liquid. Shake the watering can to make sure the entire mattress is covered with an even consistency of liquid.
If you don't have a watering can, wipe down the mattress with a cloth dampened in bubble water.
You can also use a sponge pad dipped in bubble water.
Spray or wipe the bubble water on the inflation valve first. Leaked air can form air bubbles on the mattress surface. Note that the mattress must be fully inflated. Whichever method is used, the inflation valve must be checked first, as this is where air leaks most often occur.
If there are bubbles near the inflation valve, check for a problem with the valve port seal.
Spray the foaming water systematically on the surface of the mattress. Spray the seams first, then the rest.
Where the bubbles are is where the air leaks.
Don't worry about your mattress getting dishwashing liquid. Wipe the dishwashing liquid off with a rag later and let the mattress dry.
Once you find the air leak, circle it with a marker. Ink from a marker pen is less likely to seep into a soaked mattress.
It will be easier to dry around the leak with a rag first and then mark it.
You can also use duct tape or a felt marker to mark air leaks more clearly after the mattress is dry.
Take the mattress to dry in the sun, or blow dry in a windy area. This process takes about one to two hours. Mattress seams dry the slowest.
Mattresses must be dried before being stored, otherwise they are prone to mold. Before putting the mattress away, you must make sure the mattress is completely dry.
No matter what kind of adhesive is used to repair the mattress, the mattress must be thoroughly dried first.