Usually, the air mattress comes from sturdy materials. However, it sometimes gets little holes in them, leading to leakage. When these holes gradually leak out air, it will result in your bed deflating out of the blue. So, when this happens unexpectedly, can you use super glue on an air mattress?
You can use superglue on any leak on your air mattress. Just begin by using sandpaper to scrub the soft felt gently. Rub on the mattress surface that surrounds the hole to enable the superglue hold. Then proceed with covering the section surrounding the hole with a sturdy adhesive like superglue and press down on that patch.
This article will show how you can repair your air mattress with glue. Also, we will discuss the best superglue to use on an air mattress and how you can check whether your super strategy worked.
Key Takeaways
- superglue is very efficient in sticking almost everything together and very fast.
- The majority of air mattresses are designed with textile-reinforced urethane rubber or plastic, or PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). As a result, if it sustains a hole within, superglue can work effectively.
- You can also use other glues to patch the air mattress, including Marine Goop Glue Hot Glue Gum, Duct Tape, patch kit, gel nail polish, etc.
Can You Use Super Glue on An Air Mattress?
There are different ways in which you can use to patch an air mattress with a hole. The best method is to use a repair kit or a unique mattress patch. But then, in the absence of these, you can use superglue to do the job effectively.
However, you need to do the following;
Locate the Leak
The first thing you need to do before repairing an air mattress is to find out where the leak is. See how to locate the leak;
- Inflate your air mattress a little, then soak a sponge inside a soapy water
- Use the sponge to wipe your mattress.
- Check out if you can see bubbles forming anywhere on your mattress
- Anywhere you see air bubbles form, that’s where your air mattress is leaking from. The escaping air forms a bubble, like that of a kid blowing bubbles.
- When you locate the particular area of the leak, you can then commence its repair.
- Use Super Glue to Fix the Leak
Superglue can repair almost anything. Moreover, it can hold metal pipes together when there is no epoxy or metal glue around. Superglue can quickly and effectively seal the leak on your air mattress.
Things You Will Need
- Superglue
- Thin plastic or rubber layer
- Fine sandpaper
- Weighs
After getting your instruments ready, you need to begin your repair work. Use these simple steps, and your air mattress will become brand new within 15 minutes.
How To Check If Your Super Glue Strategy Worked
After you are through with patching up the leak on your air mattress with superglue, you need to test your handiwork to see whether it worked. If you don’t allow the superglue to stay for some time to stick, it won’t hold. Depending on the weather conditions, hole size, and quality, you may need to wait for 6-8 hours.
Immediately after the superglue dries, you can proceed to test whether it worked. Use the following steps;
- Use some soap and water to form another soapy substance
- Pump air inside your air mattress until it reaches its full capacity
- Keep your ear close to the mattress at the area you plugged the leaks
- Splash or spray the soapy mixture on the entire surface. Then watch out for air bubbles
- If you find out air bubbles anywhere on the mattress, repeat the steps outlined here.
- In case you didn’t find any more leaks, go ahead to dry the soapy water and use it.
- Deflate the mattress and store it if you are not going to use it. Make sure you don’t crease sections that were leaking before.
What Kind Of Glue Do You Use To Repair An Air Mattress?
There are so many kinds of glue and ways to repair your air mattress with them. They are as follows;
1. A DIY Patch Kit
Creating a DIY patch kit and gluing your leaking air mattress is the simplest method of repairing an air mattress. Most air mattresses come together with their patch kit. However, in a situation where there is none, you can create one for yourself. Just do these;
- Cut one piece from your shower curtain
- Get one pool liner
- Cut a piece from the interior of the bike tire
Then do these to repair your air mattress
- Cut out the right amount of material you will need. It should be able to cover the entire leak with a remaining 1-inch on either side.
- Prepare the surfaces. You can use nail polish or alcohol to grease the surface. Degreasing the leak area can eliminate any lipid residue, which can hinder maximum adherence to the patch.
- Apply the glue following the instructions. Make sure you use a large quantity of glue to ensure a tight seal.
- Apply pressure on the patch with your hand or any heavy object. You can allow the mattress to keep drying overnight.
- After the glue dries, you can then inflate your air mattress.
2. Super Glue
Another glue that can successfully repair an air mattress is superglue. It is best used in cases where your air mattress suffers a thin and small puncture. For instance, where there is a knife puncture or small cut from scissors, you can use the superglue to hold together its 2 edges. With superglue, you can use the glue as an adhesive with patches or squeeze the superglue on top of the puncture.
3. Gel Nail Polish
Using a gel nail polish to repair an air mattress needs some preparation. You will have to get a UV light source which will bring about the polymerization effect in the gel nail polish. This method is quite effective, and it can cover every size of puncture, no matter how big it is. This is how you can do it;
- Sandpaper the surrounding area of the puncture
- Degrease the whole area
- Put a drop of the nail polish on top of the hole
- Switch on your UV light and place it atop the nail polish
- Allow it to remain like that for about 10 to 15 seconds to repair it
- Repeat the process if necessary
4. Marine Goop Glue
This glue is also called Amazing Goop, is among today’s strongest adhesives. This particular glue is UV-resistant and waterproof. Also, it serves as a sealant for almost anything.
It is a great option for repairing a leaking air mattress. This is how you do it;
- Sandpaper the surface area and degrease it
- Drop a light layer of the Goop atop the leak
- Let the sealant remain for some time to cure. Allowing it for at least 24 hours to dry is recommended by the manufacturers.
5. Hot Glue Gum
You may not be aware of it, but a hot glue gum is very helpful when you need to patch up your air mattress. Its effects may not last for long, though, just for 1 week. But it comes in handy when your repair kit is not available. See how to do it;
- Find the hole on your air mattress, then mark it.
- Fill a glue stick inside the hot glue gun, then switch it on
- Allow the glue gun some time to heat up
- Squeeze the glue gun trigger
- Dab a little blob of hot glue on top of the hole
- Seal the hole completely
- Let the hot glue cool for some time
- Then inflate the air mattress to test the seal quality
This method is perfect for smaller holes that need patching up. Do not forget to be careful when using hot glue to avoid accidentally creating a new hole on the mattress.
6. Duct Tape
Duct tape is another form of glue for repairing your air mattress when your repair kit isn’t handy. It is very simple. You only need to cut a large piece of duct tape that can cover the hole and place it on the hole. You will degrease the area first, of course.
Since the duct tape glue tends to loosen its grip after a while, this method can only serve temporarily. That is, until you can do a permanent repair job. Unless you are ready to repair the hole from time to time.
How To Fix A Hole In An Air Mattress With Super Glue
Steps to Follow:
Use the Sandpaper Around the Leak:
The first thing to do is use your sandpaper to gently rub around the felt. Make sure you are using super-fine sandpaper to avoid additional damage to the mattress.
When you rub gently around the fragile felt surrounding the hole, the surface area becomes adhesive for the patch/glue. Keep on sanding the surface area until it becomes smooth and nice.
Get The Patch Ready:
What you need to do next is to get a strong and flexible patch ready. Feel free to make use of your shower curtain or plastic table cover. If they are not available, you can use a little piece of a bicycle tire to form the patch.
Bring your scissors and cut out 1 square-inch piece. Wash the cut-out patch and leave it to dry for a better result.
Apply The Glue:
Get the superglue and apply some of it around the leaking area of your air mattress. Also, apply some superglue on the patch. Then cover the whole area with a large quantity of glue. That will enable the patch to hold tightly to the air mattress surface.
Place the Patch and Mount Pressure:
As you cover the whole leak area you have prepared with superglue, proceed then with the patch to cover it. Make sure to place the patch in a method that allows at least 1 cm of material around the hole. Then, use your hand to press down on the patch and clear away the excess superglue on the edges.
Keep A Weighty Item On It For 8 Hours:
It is true that superglue doesn’t waste time to stick; there is still the need to keep a weighty object on the patch for some hours. You can use 2 bricks or some big books to keep on the patch. Allow the heavy object to remain on the patch for about 6 – 8 hours until you are sure that the superglue has adhered to your mattress.
However, if you are doing this repair on a camping ground, you don’t need to wait for up to 6 to 8 hours. If there are holes in other areas of the air mattress, you can repeat steps 1 to 5 again.
Fill the Mattress with Air:
This is the final step you need to carry out so that you can determine whether you have successfully plugged the leak. If you adhere to the above steps perfectly, as you inflate your mattress, the air will remain inside it. One of the benefits of administering superglue on your leaky mattress is that you will not plug the hole again.
Conclusion
After reading through this article, you don’t need to ask, can you use super glue on an air mattress again. The process is very simple if you are using superglue. But apart from that, you can use other glues such as Marine Goop Glue Hot Glue Gum, Duct Tape, patch kit, gel nail polish, etc. If the mattress leaks again after repair, you can apply a bigger patch on the leak to cover it up.
