When your mattress has been sealed shut and rolled up for a period of time, the chemicals have a chance to build up, making it especially potent when you first unbox your new mattress. So what is mattress off-gassing and should we be concerned for our health? Off-gassing occurs as a result of the breakdown of volatile organic compounds VOCs. VOCs are emitted gases or vapors from certain solids or liquids.
VOCs can be found in thousands of manufactured household products, from cleaners and air fresheners to paints and even mattresses. Typically, the VOCs from foams and adhesives are the most common ones to off-gas in memory foam mattresses. Some of these include chlorofluorocarbons CFCs , formaldehyde, benzene, methylene chloride, toluene, trichloroethane, naphthalene, perfluorocarbons. Mattresses are also required to be flame retardant , and VOCs are used in manufacturing to ensure those safety requirements are met as well.
It can be unnerving to think about sleeping on a mattress that is made with chemical carcinogens like formaldehyde and benzene. However, experts say that the low emission levels of these compounds make it OK for us to breathe in each day.
I even slept on a mattress with an odor so strong that for the first few mornings after sleeping on it, my hair smelled like it. My experiences with mattresses and my hair stinking made me wonder, what is causing the stench?
Many mattresses in a box recommend letting the bed air out for at least 24 hours after you free it from the plastic wrap and before you sleep on it. Does that imply the odor is straight-up unhealthy? But allow me to explain.
The packaging that keeps your mattress tucked in for delivery also traps volatile organic compounds. VOCs are gaseous byproducts of the manufacturing process that largely dissipate over time. In mattresses that contain foam, the foam itself is the most likely culprit of off-gassing. However resins, adhesives, and other materials used to make mattresses can also off-gas, as can flame retardants applied to the mattress so it meets government mandated standards in the event of a fire.
All of this can be true of conventional mattresses, as well as upholstered furniture, which can contain many of the same materials and components. But immediately encasing a newly made mattress in air-tight packaging can cause VOCs that would otherwise dissipate to remain trapped until you unseal it, says Kevin Stewart, the director of environmental health at the American Lung Association.
Semi-volatile organic compounds, or SVOCs, are a sub-group of VOCs that can also be released by mattresses and other furnishings with foam components. There are two main types of flame retardants: additive and reactive.
She uses cookies as an example. Additive flame retardants are thrown in at the end of the manufacturing process, and are not chemically bonded to the base material. This makes them more prone to easy release despite the higher boiling point, Stapleton says. Don't let VOCs keep you up at night. A wrinkled nose is the worst side effect most people will experience. Memory foam and hybrid mattresses typically take the longest to break in, especially if they're high-density memory foam, which is heavier and contains more layers than low-density memory foam.
If your new mattress is made of memory foam, give it at least 60 days before you decide whether or not it's right for you. Many people find traditional spring mattresses comfortable right away especially if they have a pillow top since they're designed to adjust to your weight. It can take up to 30 days, however, to completely break them in. Because springs degrade more quickly than memory foam, it's important to rotate these types of mattresses every three to six months so they break in evenly and you don't get the dreaded mattress sinkhole.
Latex, which is used in higher-end luxury mattresses, has the shortest breaking-in period. The most effective thing you can do to break in a new mattress is have patience and give it time. But if you're like me and find patience a virtue that's hard to come by, there are some things you can do to help speed up the process.
Your foundation or bed frame may be an afterthought, but the proper support can make a world of difference in how your mattress feels. Before doing anything else, make sure your mattress and foundation are compatible. Traditional spring mattresses do well with box springs , but memory foam and hybrid mattresses usually need platform-style bases.
If your foundation and new mattress are a match, make sure the foundation isn't broken, sagging or worn out. If it is, you may need to invest in a new one that provides even and adequate support. When you first get your new mattress, resist the urge to climb right into bed and give it some time to breathe instead. This is especially important if you bought an online mattress that arrives compressed and wrapped in plastic.
It can take four to 10 hours for a compressed mattress to fully expand, although some companies recommend waiting 24 to 72 hours if you have the option of sleeping somewhere else.
For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. As Summer approaches, there are a lot of Spring cleaning tasks around your home or apartment that you might have on your to-do list.
You open the windows of your house to air it out. You take that smelly gym bag and set it outside for a few hours to freshen it up. You might even hang clothes outside to dry. You air out all of these other things, why not your mattress? This gives it time to inflate properly and allows fresh air to ventilate through it.
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