Foam mattresses are becoming more and more popular almost everywhere in the world. They will help you have a good night’s sleep and improve your sleep quality after using them.
However, Do Memory Foam Mattresses Have Fiberglass?. Why do some types have this chemical? What are some better alternatives, like a mattress without fiberglass?
If you are curious about the answers, read this article to address these concerns. Scroll down!
Do Mattresses Have Fiberglass?
The short answer is yes! But not all these mattresses contain fiberglass. You still can find a mattress without fiberglass easily. Most foam mattresses with this substance come from cheap brands.
These manufacturers suppose that this substance is cheap and safe. In fact, it still can provide the required protection level and decelerate the combustion process of your mattress.
Sadly, it is not completely safe for users. Especially when it is exposed to the air, it becomes hazardous. If you accidentally inhale it, you may get health problems like skin, eye, and nose irritation, and even respiratory issues.
So, why do foam mattresses still have fiberglass? The answer is right below. Keep reading!
What Does Memory Foam Do?
Contouring & Pressure Relief
When you lie on a memory foam mattress or pillow, your body heat softens the foam in the areas where you exert the most pressure, allowing the material to contour closely to your body shape.
This provides excellent support and helps relieve pressure points, reducing the risk of pain in areas like the shoulders, hips, and back.
Motion Isolation
Memory foam absorbs energy and isolates motion, which means that when one person moves or gets out of bed, their partner is less likely to be disturbed.
This feature is particularly beneficial for couples or those who share a bed with pets or children.
Supports Spinal Alignment
Due to its contouring nature, memory foam can help maintain the natural curvature of the spine by providing even support along the body’s length.
This can be especially beneficial for side sleepers.
Why Do Memory Foam Mattresses Have Fiberglass??
Here are the primary reasons why some memory foam mattresses comprise this substance.
Flame Retardant
First, several mattress companies have added materials to improve the performance of consumer product safety at their will over the years.
Besides that, Lawmaking has intervened in the production of these products. According to SPSC regulations, all furniture products must include flame retardants. Hence, materials like fiberglass are compulsorily added to a mattress.
All mattresses, including memory foam, are effortlessly set on fire. The main reason is these items are made of synthetic materials, making them easily flammable and release toxic when burnt.
Cheap Cost
Among flame retardant elements, this is one of the cheapest, most effective fireproof, and long-lasting supplements. Likewise, it is the fireproof barrier meeting the fire requirements of USA Federal Law.
However, not all memory foam mattresses contain fiberglass. Some types of foam mattresses use high-quality materials to ensure the risks to their user’s health.
Highly Heat Resistant
Fiberglass in memory foam mattresses offers excellent heat resistance and an insulating effect. On the other hand, this element is a warmth absorber. Thus, it is employed to adjust sleep conditions and product safety to compensate for this flaw.
What Risks Can You Face If Your Mattress Has Fiberglass?
Although this material has some benefits, especially its role as a fire retardant in the foam mattress to follow safety commission. However, it still causes problems for users. Here are some of the risks we can face due to fiberglass:
Risk To Health
The shards of this material under the inside cover may break and potentially stick to your skin. This material is not a carcinogenic agent at this time, but touching its shards will cause allergies and itching.
If you need to remove the mattress cover, your room’s atmosphere may get polluted because of fiberglass particles. It can irritate your nose, throat, and eyes, especially causing respiratory diseases.
In some bad situations, you might suffer serious diseases from a consumer product such as shortness of breath, asthma, or bronchitis when exposed to these substances at high levels.
Read more: How Long Do Memory Foam Mattresses Last
Expense Incurred
Imagine when this substance shards under the cover of the mattress break and fly into the air into your house; what should you do? The solution is to find a way to remove all of them completely.
Sadly, getting rid of this material in your home is not easy and simple. That’s because when these shards are exposed to the environment, they stick firmly to other surfaces, such as clothes, or carpets.
You should not put all these things into the machine washing since the mattress cover in the laundry machine can make glass wool get stuck there. This means you must replace your machine immediately. Otherwise, you can transmit fiberglass into other garments via the washing machine.
The cost you have to pay even is higher if you let these shards fly into your air conditioner. Fiberglass particles will spread throughout your house when you turn on this device.
Air Pollution
Some consumer products are reported that they even have to move to another new accommodation because the air in their house is full of fiberglass particles.
They have to suffer from itching, coughing, difficulty breathing, and a constant runny nose. It is extremely harmful to your health and can cause some more serious diseases like asthma if this goes on for a long time.
Read more: Best Mattress Without Memory Foam
How To Know If Your Mattresses Have Fiberglass?
If you don’t want to get into trouble with fiberglass, you need to avoid it right from the time of purchase. Here are some useful tips for detecting whether your mattress has fiberglass or not.
Read The Mattress Label
Consumer product should be checked on the label before buying. The mattress manufacturers can lie to you, but the label will always tell the truth.
When reading the tag, you can easily find the words like “fiberglass”, “glass fibers”, or “glass wool” with the percentage content.
Some consumer products may not describe the ingredients, but they alert “Don’t remove the cover” although they have zip covers. It means that these items contain fiberglass.
Check The Price
Some products don’t add ingredients or warning signs, so you should check their price. The mattresses with low prices, under $600 for large sizes commonly found in retail stores, often contain glass wool.
Check The Origin
One more tip for users to know about a consumer product containing fiberglass is to check the origin of the product tags. China mattress manufacturers often use glass fibers because they want to achieve good quality products with low investment costs.
If you see the tag “made in China”. Be careful! It might contain a high amount of fiberglass in the product.
Read more: Best Mattress Without Box Spring
What To Do If Your Mattresses Have Fiberglass?
If you accidentally purchase a fiberglass mattress, here is what you should do to use it properly.
Don’t Remove Its Cover
Removing the mattress’s cover or mattress protector can cause fiberglass particles to explode, which destroys your home, leaving you and other members with constant itching, sneezing, and coughing.
It’s like a ticking time bomb because just one hole pops up, caused by your children or pets or by wear and tear, and you will be in the dire situation mentioned above.
Invest In A Topper
The possibility that your mattress gets damaged or has a hole is extremely high. Thus, consider adding an extra topper above the mattress cover before everything goes unresolved.
Note that the protector or mattress topper should be firm and long-lasting enough to prevent potential breaks or scratches from your pets.
Buying A New Mattress
In some cases, if you purchase the best mattress without fiberglass is what you can afford, which is the best solution of all.
The cost of a new mattress is surely cheaper than that you have to pay for a professional cleaning service to remove fiberglass from your living space. So, this way is economical for your budget!
So, you can read mattress reviews from other customers to buy a new one that is without fiberglass for your bedroom.
Are There Safer Alternatives to Fiberglass in Mattresses?
Fiberglass is commonly used in mattresses as a fire barrier due to its effectiveness and low cost. However, concerns about potential health risks and environmental impacts have led consumers to seek safer alternatives.
Other Fire Retardant Materials Used in Mattresses:
Wool: Wool is a natural fire retardant. It’s inherently resistant to flames and can char without burning. Many organic and natural mattress brands use wool layers as a fire barrier, providing both safety and comfort.
Organic Cotton combined with Baking Soda: Some manufacturers use a combination of organic cotton and baking soda to create a fire barrier. While not as inherently flame-resistant as other materials, when used in specific combinations, they can meet fire safety standards.
Silica: Silica-based fire barriers are derived from sand and are used as a safer alternative to fiberglass. They are non-toxic and can effectively resist flames without the potential health concerns associated with fiberglass.
Natural Latex: Natural latex, derived from the sap of rubber trees, is less flammable than synthetic foams. Some mattresses use thick layers of natural latex as both a comfort layer and a fire barrier.
In conclusion, while fiberglass remains a common fire barrier in many mattresses, there are several safer alternatives available.
Conclusion
This article has got to the bottom of your question: Does a memory foam mattress contain fiberglass or not? All in all, some types of foam mattresses are fiberglass-free.
If you already have one, it’s not a matter as long as you follow the safety guides above. However, investing in mattresses without this substance is better to ensure your safety.
FAQs
The answer is no. Although this material is used as a fireproof barrier for mattress products, they still hide the risks to human health. When its fibers are exposed to the air, such irritation to the skin and eyes, and other health problems.
Yes, but you should be careful if you try to fix the fiberglass problem by yourself because you might make the fibers can become airborne and pose serious health risks. The best solution is to hire a professional service team to help you remove them.
To safely dispose of a mattress with fiberglass:
- Keep the mattress cover intact to prevent fiberglass release.
- Contact local waste disposal or recycling centers to inquire about proper disposal methods.
- If recycling, ensure the facility accepts mattresses with fiberglass.
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