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To repair the fabric side of an air mattress, sand the flocking (the thin velvety coating on the sleep surface) away from the leak area, then glue a patch over the hole the same way as on the smooth plastic side.
The patches in a standard air mattress repair kit are made for smooth plastic and do not bond to fabric flocking. Sanding is the extra step that makes a fabric-side repair hold.
Repairing an airbed instead of discarding it keeps plastic out of landfills and saves you the cost of buying a replacement. The seven repair methods in this guide work on any air mattress make or model.
If your air bed is leaking from the flocked sleep surface and you want to fix it yourself, this guide is for you.
To prepare an air mattress for repair, locate the leak, mark it, deflate the bed, and clean the area around the hole.
Whatever repair method you choose, the way you prepare the air mattress for repair is always the same.
To locate the leak, inflate the mattress, then cover the surface with soapy water using a spray bottle. Bubbles appear where the leak is.
If you can't find the leak this way, try lying on the mattress and moving around until you feel where the air is escaping.
Placing thin sheets of tissue paper on the mattress can also help locate leaks.
Once you have located the leak, mark it with a pen or pencil. The mark helps you find the leak again when you are ready to start your repair.
Always deflate an air mattress before attempting a repair.
Repairing an air mattress when inflated can lead to poor seals and escaping air. It can even cause injury if you burst the mattress mid-repair.
Use a cloth and a mild dish soap solution to clean the area around the leak.
A clean surface helps the adhesive bond correctly with the mattress.
This is where extra work is needed if you're repairing the fabric side of an air mattress.
Repair patches and glue do not stick properly to the fabric side of an air mattress, so you need to remove the fabric from around the leak.
The best way to do this is to gently rub the area with soft sandpaper until the fabric has been removed. Then clean the area as mentioned above.
To stop air escaping, seal the leak with one of the seven repair methods below.
The mattress is now fully prepped. Next, choose one of the following fixing methods that best suits the materials you have at home.
The best method for fixing a leaking air mattress is the repair patch kit supplied with the bed.
Most good air mattress brands include a repair kit with your purchase. If you have no kit, six substitutes (DIY patches, superglue, Amazing Goop, hot glue, duct tape, and gel nail polish) also work to seal leaks.
Most air mattresses come with a repair patch kit, either patches and glue or self-adhesive patches. If yours is missing, you can buy replacement air mattress repair patches from Amazon for just a few bucks.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions to apply the patch.
If you can’t find your repair patch kit or have misplaced it, don't worry. You can easily make your own patches from scrap vinyl products and a suitable strong adhesive.
A DIY repair patch kit is a great way of repurposing something otherwise destined for the trash.
Things that make good DIY patches include a pool liner, a vinyl shower curtain, or at a push, an old bike inner tube.
How to use your DIY patches on air mattresses:
If the hole in your air mattress has two edges that need sticking back together (a knife puncture, for example), then superglue alone might be sufficient.
How to repair with just superglue:
This is a great temporary fix if you don't have any patches to hand. However, if the hole is larger than half an inch (1.3 cm), I suggest you try one of the other methods on this list.
Also, be careful that you don’t glue yourself to your air mattress when holding it in place. Use gloves to prevent this from happening.
If you can’t get your hands on superglue, then another excellent option is Amazing Goop.
Amazing Goop is a great all-purpose glue that you can use for various repairs.
The method for an Amazing Goop repair is the same as a superglue repair.
This option is not for the heavy-handed (if you’re careless, the hot glue gun can cause more leaks by melting the thin plastic of the mattress). It works best on small holes, and the repair lasts a few weeks at most.
The method for a hot glue gun repair is the same as a superglue and Amazing Goop repair.
Duct tape is another effective way to seal a leaking air mattress.
How to use duct tape for an air mattress repair:
If you’re in a pinch, then this is a great temporary fix. Just be aware that over time the duct tape will start to lose its stickiness and need to be replaced.
Gel nail polish is a slightly more complicated method because you need a UV light source to cure the polish.
How to use gel nail polish to repair an air mattress:
If the mattress still loses air after a repair, a puncture is not always the cause.
An air bed loses air without a puncture when the air inside it cools and contracts. Cold weather makes an air mattress deflate slightly.
The same drop in pressure happens an hour or two after first inflating, because the air enters the bed hot (from being passed quickly through the pump) and then cools.
Also, if your air bed has a built-in pump, it might be faulty with a slow leak.
When the mattress keeps losing air overnight at a steady room temperature, you do have a leak. Once you have patched it, a few simple habits prevent the next puncture.
To avoid air mattress punctures, keep the bed away from sharp objects and pets, and raise it off the ground. My three tips are below.
Yes. Flex Tape works well for temporary fixes.
Yes. Gorilla Tape works well for temporary fixes.
Gorilla Glue can be substituted for superglue in any of the repair methods mentioned in this article.
No, a bicycle repair kit is not designed for repairing an air mattress. The rubber cement or self-adhesive patches in bicycle repair kits are excellent at bonding to rubber but not so great with vinyl air beds.
If your air mattress is bulging, it’s probably overinflated. Let some air out. If the bulge doesn’t go away, you may have a leak.
The best way to store an air mattress is in a cool, dry place. Do not store your air mattress in direct sunlight or near any heat source.
When storing your air mattress for long periods of time, it’s a good idea to lightly dust it with talcum powder to keep the vinyl from sticking together.
When the air bed is firm to the touch, it’s time to stop inflating. If you overinflate your air bed, it will be uncomfortable to sleep on and more likely to develop leaks.
A leak on the fabric side of an air mattress is no reason to throw the bed away. Sand off the flocking, pick one of the seven repair methods above, and the patch holds as well as one on the smooth plastic side.
If your air bed is beyond repair, or the leaks keep coming, my guide to the best eco-friendly air mattresses covers the most durable non-toxic options I have tested.
