14+ Why Does My Memory Foam Mattress Smell
Typically there will be a few layers of foams of varying densities and firmnesses stacked atop one another.
Why does my memory foam mattress smell. There are ways however to eliminate that odor if you do not think you can tolerate it for the week are so that it may last. This is because certain chemicals inside the mattress foam called volatile organic compounds or VOCs are now reacting with the air. Its quite a sickly sweet smell more like cheap caramel shortbread or condensed milk but not in a good way. Memory foam is manufactured using polyurethane and several other chemicals so it isnt surprising that it emits a chemical odor.
However aside from the sweaty smell of memory foam mattresses the most common complaint about this type of mattress is the off-gassing phenomenon which can disappear over time. It is already fully plumped when you noticed that the smell is gone. The truth is each mattress has its own expansion time and features. Polyurethane is used in clothes furniture paint and all kinds of other safe devices.
The smell that is coming off your new mattress will only last a few days so itll be too alarmed. Most common reaction is headache although much worse side effects have been reported. And now it stinks. Place a bowl of white vinegar in the room to help remove the odor from the air.
Some memory foam mattresses take one week to air out but they lose the new-foam smell at the same time. Where the Mattress Smell Comes From. I would suggest using a good quality breathable mattress pad and sheet set. Remember they have been vacuum-packed and have had all the air effectively sucked out at the factory.
Perspiration and body oils can cause a mattress to smell after time. Anyway back to the point. This is called off gassing. The longer the memory foam airs out the lesser the odor will be noticeable.
Why does memory foam smell so bad. Polyurethane is what memory foam is made of. The fumes are often compared to those experienced in a freshly painted room. We have a memory foam mattress topper and being made of sponge it has soaked it all up.
Lets delve deep into a good foam mattress. A common complaint people have with memory foam mattresses is something known as off-gassing or more colloquially memory foam smell Off-gassing refers to the chemical odor emitted when you first take a memory foam bed out of the box - some compare it to the smell of a freshly painted room or the new car smell. My advice for the sake of your respiratory health is to get rid of it. When you bring home newly purchased memory foam you may notice that there is a distinct odor that emanates from it.
This off gassing of volatile organic compounds is a common and well-documented property of memory foam pillows and mattresses. Memory foam was created by NASAs research center as far back as 1966. Polyurethane foam is created by a term called off-gassing. Some products are also treated with flame retardants to comply with safety standards.
What makes that distinctive smell when it comes out of the box. They are a petroleum-based product with a lot of chemicals used in them. Not BO as you might expect. It will continue to do so for some time although the initial strong acrid smell will dissipate in a while.
As the mattress off-gases airborne. A brand new memory foam mattress may make the entire room smell for a few days. New mattresses smell because of a process that the industry calls off-gassing. This can be resolved quickly by airing it out outdoor for several hours.
It was initially developed to improve airplane cushions. Memory foam mattresses though mostly foam may have dozens of different materials in their composition. This does not sound like your problem. That memory foam smell is usually no more than an annoyance and will typically significantly fade over a week or two.
This is a chemical found in many everyday products. Memory Foam when first purchased new can have an odor to it. Its made from polyurethane plus other chemicals. Its a strange sort of smell.