New mattresses are the stuff of dreams. Are they not?
I don’t know about you, but when I see a mattress store, I absolutely have to go in and test them all out. I’m like Goldilocks, except without the breaking and entering tendencies.
Sadly though, a nice, new, expensive mattress was never in our humble little budget. For 12 years of marriage, the ol’ man and I have slept on a “less than mediocre” mattress.
Until now.
That’s right, folks.
Just last week, I was ready and willing to walk right into a mattress store with my big pickle jar of change and purchase a beautifully clean, new, and deliciously comfortable mattress.
Imagine my despair when I found out that new mattresses are completely TOXIC.
GAH! DREAMS SHATTERED!
My sweet friend Caroline (who blogs over at Gutsy) found out the hard way that her mattress was toxic. Blurred vision, slurred speech, headaches, and extreme fatigue were some of the symptoms Caroline experienced just hours after she started sleeping on her new mattress. You can read about her full mattress fiasco here. After extensive research, she found some very disturbing things about those brand spankin’ new mattresses.
Why Standard New Mattresses are BAD
Brand new mattresses may seem gorgeous and beautiful on the outside. But really, they’re a crapfest of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals. These include polyurethane foam, formaldehyde, boric acid, antimony (a heavy metal similar to arsenic) and worst of all, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (also known as flame retardants). They are all wreaking havoc on your sleep and health.
“What’s the big deal? I’m only sleeping on it, I’m not eating it!”
The biggest problem with all mattress chemicals is that they emit strong gasses that can make you and your family sick. Really sick. They’re linked to asthma, allergies, neurological disorders, SIDS, reproductive problems, thyroid disruption, and various forms of cancer. Recent testing from the government has confirmed it!
“…growing evidence shows that PBDE compounds are escaping from the products they protect and making their way into the products’ users. Moreover, the chemicals may disrupt human thyroid hormone functioning and cause other health effects, prompting many nations to ban or suspend their use in new consumer goods.” (source)
Knowing that you may be spending an average of 6-10 hours a day laying on your bed, doesn’t it make sense to avoid absorbing these toxic chemicals as much as possible?
Option #1 – Purchase a mattress made before 2007
I knew that the safest way to go was with a company that makes non-toxic mattresses. But, the hefty price tag was difficult to swallow. Keep in mind, I also wanted the bed to be comfortable. In my initial search, organic mattresses don’t always have the best track record for that.
I decided to try out some organic mattresses by searching on Craigslist, asking sellers if I could come by and lay on their mattress before I bought it (not awkward at all, by the way). I found a couple organic mattresses for sale and was ready to try them out. But after just talking on the phone to the two separate sellers, they admitted they were selling them because their non-toxic mattresses were uncomfortable. I’m sure there are some great, comfortable, non-toxic mattresses out there. But for me, I just didn’t want to risk spending $4,000 on an organic mattress and risk sacrificing comfort.
Luckily, I knew one great tip about the chemicals in new mattresses:
Older mattresses that have been around a few years have out-gassed. This means that they don’t emit any gasses anymore. Even better, mattresses that have been made before 2007 should NOT have been sprayed with PBDE’s (flame retardants). If any chemicals were used at that time, they should be out-gassed by now.
My new mission: To find a used mattress made before 2007 that was also in excellent condition.
My problem: I was a little grossed out at buying a used mattress and I thought my chances of finding high quality ones were slim.
Luckily, Kevin had a great idea. We searched again on Craigslist for guest beds made before 2007. We made sure the bed had been primarily used as a guest bed and that the seller was the original owner. With those qualifications, there were a ton to choose from!
We tried out a couple, and ended up with a high quality mattress (with a wonderfully soft pillow top) in brand new condition. No toxic chemicals, thank you very much. It had been sitting in a guest room (in a pet-free, smoke-free home) for the last 6 years.
The cost? Only $200! The owner had originally bought the mattress for $3000. I am not kidding.
Here I was, ready to spend all my hard earned pennies on a new mattress. But I got a healthier and non-toxic one, for way less. WIN!
Prepping Your Used (but new to you) Mattress
My great-grandma used to do this thing to her mattress and pillows about once a year. She called it “sunning,” and basically all it was was setting them outside in the sun for about day on each side. It’s an old-fashioned method of sterilizing and cleaning mattresses, pillows, blankets, etc. Sunning kills bedbugs, dust mites, and basically just makes your used mattress smell amazing.
Ours was barely used and smelled fresh already, but we still sunned it because I knew Great-Grandma Alva would be proud.
This option gave us a toxic-free, insanely comfortable, and inexpensive mattress for those years when purchasing an organic mattress wasn’t in the budget. I really don’t think you can ask for anything better than that.
Option #2 – Purchase a non-toxic mattress that IS ALSO comfortable.
As our gently used mattress started to get saggy over the years, I knew I was in the market again for YET another solution, so I hunkered down and did my research.
And I found the same name recommended again and again. IntelliBED. Intelli-what?
Turns out, IntelliBED is this non-toxic mattress company that STARTED out with a goal of eliminating bed sores. As somebody who spent years taking care of a bedridden patients in nursing school AND being somebody who suffers from back pain, this impressed me.
So, I called ’em up. And I was fascinated at the results they were getting. Working with nursing homes and chiropractors all over the world, they had some amazing credentials. A good friend of mine described sleeping on an Intellibed mattress was like sleeping on a cloud. She said she could fall asleep and wake up in the exact same position. And honestly, that sounded AMAZING!
But I needed to do a bit more research, and here’s how they measured up:
- As far as non-toxic goes, they definitely match up. No flame retardants or other nasty chemicals that can mess with your hormones and brain function.
- The Intelligel design has been proven to eliminate bed sores by collapsing under *just* the right amount of pressure.This means less tossing & turning for us younger folks and less stiffness when we wake.
- They offer the longest warranty around – 30 years!
- They have a 60-day guarantee, and when you return it, THEY pay for shipping. If that doesn’t boast confidence you’ll love it, I don’t know what is.
Honestly, after all my research, I was pretty excited to jump on board. Although I can manage a lot of my chronic pain naturally, I loved the idea that during those 8-10 hours a night of sleep, I was providing my back (and my overall body) with the healthiest option there is!
The day it arrived, we both laid on it and said, “Wow, that’s a sturdier bed than we thought it would be!” (truth be told our old mattress was pretty saggy, so our perspective was off)
Our first night was truly AMAZING! I really thought it would take an adjustment period, but nope, totally went straight to sleeping soundly and without hardly any tossing or turning.
In the end, we’re incredibly happy with our bed! Option #1 of starting with a used mattress was perfect for our budget then, but I wish I wouldn’t have waited so long to go with Option #2
UPDATE: I’ve had so many comments over this post that I’ve asked IntelliBED if they’d be willing to offer a coupon code to my readers and they AGREED!!! If you go to www.intellibed.com and enter WEED10, you’ll get 10% anything in the store!
Most people are not familiar with other options and they choose non-toxic mattresses because it’s the safest option but the price range is a trade-off. Thanks, DaNelle, for sharing your personal experience via this post and letting us know about other cheaper and healthier options. I value and respect your opinion.
I’m so glad an eco-friendly person like you is out here on the web now. DaNelle i wont buy anything since the EPA and the FDA have been all but gutted! i pray that this kind of madness ends soon like gutting our EPA, FDA and shredding the plan that was already in place to deal with a pandemic. I’ve been into natural living since 1970. All the things that matter to you, matter to me too and yes, i had a debilitating and mysterious condition that led me to be more natural than i was already. Even before i felt ill, i was volunteering in The Ecology Movement that i think started in 1968. Danelle, i wont even buy coated cookware unless it is some good old enamel. At present, we have zero regulations on anything. That’s why when i first saw these PURPLE mattress commercials i was suspicious since i thought they came out since 2016 (i’m not sure about that). It seems lots of new-fangled sheets and pillows and fabrics are flooding the markets now ~YIKES! i wont touch with 10 foot pole and wish we could get the whole population to put a ban on all of such textiles! Personally i think we need a lot more hemp fabrics like cellophane with the strength of plastic, i hope so someday soon! ~Thanks from the bottom of my heart for all you do!
My dad bought bought new mattresses for my sister and me that makes the whole room reek of chemicals even with our window open, and makes me feel ill. So I m interested in your idea of buying BabeSafe covers and taping them together to protect us from breathing in the chemicals, do you think that would offer sufficient protection?
Hello-
Haven’t tried that exact method, but covering the mattress does help.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Totally agreed. There are much better mattresses out there.
Falsehoods all of it.
https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/verify/verify-can-mattresses-be-toxic/277-522253702
PBDE’s were used prior to 2004 because that’s when they became illegal. Folks don’t be fooled by someone offering or suggesting products. For them it’s about a good story so they can profit from your ignorance and fears.
Although I don’t think this blogger is trying to make money, it appears you are correct in when this was banned. And it looks pretty complex even with keeping that date in mind. It doesn’t look as cut and dried as this article suggests. Not yours, the person who wrote above. I have to check out your link. Thanks. But this is one I found.
https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/green-science/whats_in_your_mattress_part_228632
Because if it’s in a news article, then it must be true LOL
Thanks for the article on toxic bed mattresses. I am reviewing and looking for the truth about what is in and on a mattress. Looks like the best choice is organic Naturepedic or maybe the new Wovenaire for cribs. I do believe that this contributes to SIDS!
Has the cause of crib death (SIDS) been found?
“The statistics showed that the proof of the validity of mattress-wrapping for crib death prevention was one billion times the level of proof generally accepted by the medical community as proving a scientific proposition.”
https://www.healthychild.com/has-the-cause-of-crib-death-sids-been-found/
Hi Danelle,
DH and I are in search of a mattress currently, and may end up going with Intellibed (thanks for the coupon code!), but wanted to get your input on the Eco Terra mattress – https://ecoterrabeds.com. DH was commenting on it, and I did a little bit of research on it. Like that it has the coils for no motion transfer and the natural latex would be really nice. What are your thoughts on the Eco Terra?
Thanks Much!
Belamie
Hi Belamie-
I can’t say that we know much about the Eco Terra. DaNelle suggests on things like this, that if they seem comparable, go with the one with the best comfort reviews. I hope this helps and you get a great mattress! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
s the free meals that are a major hit with the children drawing even dropouts to come back to schools.
They use high quality of educational materials not
to compromise the quality of education they are giving.
Can you imagine a high school where all of the young women were learning to cook and
sew in Home Ec, and all of the boys were learning to do auto repair in auto shop.
what are you talking about? I am 55 and was extremely annoyed I could not take shop, (auto repair, welding etc) I didn’t want to make brownies out of a box duh pretty easy to figure out how to boil water found that out in chemistry! So what are you saying that you are young people and this is a foreign concept? And sewing was ridiculous for the amount of time you spend breaking those antiqued machines with dull scissors to cut ugly material to make bags they called dresses when everyone was wearing levi’s.
I don’t think she said everyone fits this idea, however MOST girls don’t really want anything to do with working in a garage. Personally I do…..yah! (I grew up in a racing family, mostly boys) however I wish I could stay at home these days caring for my family, but am forced to go to work to survive and try to be the parent and wife the world expects me to be. I guess I should pretend this is progress. Even though my Dad, you know, the one who taught me about the garage, took care of his family, and could afford to, was a jerk. Right…..?????
Ain’t it funny how our government is so concerned about us, they don’t want us to go up in flames (a rare occurrence anyway as spontaneous combustion doesn’t happen much today), yet they don’t seem to mind if we get cancer from our mattresses.
Well said.
Thanks for sharing the information. I was very shocked to hear that the mattresses nowadays were gassed with toxic materials to make it more comfortable. I recently read a blog from surplus furniture that mentions some tips on how to make the mattress last much longer https://www.surplusfurniture.com/blog/know-when-to-say-good-bye-to-your-old-mattress/ . I like the idea of sunning the mattress and the bedsheets, my mattress have been smelling a bit musty lately. I definitely have to try the method out.
You can also wrap mattresses in plastic (to contain off-gassing of chemicals inside). New Zealand reduced their SIDs rate by wrapping infant mattresses in a plastic protective cover.
caution, the plastice you suggest wrapping your mattress with may be a plastic that off-gasses!!
I’d love to read the data on that ‘study’ from New Zealand. The Amish have no SIDS with their kids and most of them also don’t have their kids vaccinated with a bazillion vaccines either. They also don’t have Autism.
I felt sorry for your friend for buying a toxic mattress. Uggh. That’s scary. Well, thank you for this option you’ve shared. Now, I’m confident in buying a new mattress (not really new, it’s what you’ve shared to us :)) Thank you so much!
When I was looking at a mattress that didn’t have any chemicals or off gassing. I was doing a Google search and came across a company that has all latex mattresses. When I called them they were very friendly and knowledgeable about latex mattresses. Plus, for $2,000.00 and a discount witch came out to only be $1,500.00 I bought and all organic latex mattress where I can choose my own comfort level by unzipping my cover. I would always recommend this company for any mattresses for adults and kids.
What company?
I love your idea!!
I buy and sell stuff on Craigslist all the time, but I have never thought about buying a mattress from CL.
I am starting my search this weekend. The mattress that you bought/pictured looks soooo comfortable what kind is it?
Thanks for the great idea!!
Update. I got my wool mattress and pad from Soaring Heart and am very disappointed! I wake up and again have puffy face, under eye circles and frog in my throat. My voice is raspy for hours after waking. I aired both out for 1 week before sleeping on them again and no difference! I am NOT allergic to wool either. Now these products are certified organic which makes me believe even more that these certification standards are only as good as the shystery regulatory agencies that approve them. I no longer trust the “Certified Organic” label when it comes to mattresses. Like Nick, who posted a few comments above, I am going to try TheHomeofWool from etsy.com. They are extremely affordable (even with overseas shipping costs) and are made in the Bulgarian countryside. Rosica was very informative and went into great detail as to why the mattresses they make are superior to the certified organic American variety. We’ll see. Like I posted earlier, Abundant Earth was the only company I found to have true ethics, however, this was some years back and I am not going to spend $3,000 for a new mattress and box spring. Their prices have risen dramatically in the past 5 years. What a girl has to do just to get a good night’s sleep!
Hi, did you purchased the mattress from TheHomeof Wool on Etsy. If , yes what are your expirience? I am interested in their mattress and will be great to hear what is your opinion on it. Thanks.
I am really no one mentioned here that IKEA has 2 all natural mattresses that have no flame retardant. They use wool wrapped around latex to make them flame resistant. They cost a little more than their other mattresses but are nowhere near as expensive as the organic brands you see online and are VERY comfortable.
I recently went to the IKEA store in Charlotte and asked if IKEA sold any mattresses (including the latex kind) that didn’t have flame retardants. The salesperson checked and told me, “No, by law we have to sell mattresses with flame retardants.”
“by law we have to sell mattresses with flame retardants”
Wool is a flame retardant.
Thanks for cool advices and informations in this article. I appreciate it
@Nick
You should check 3mart.com.au
i bought king size mattress from there recently and it was totaly worth of the price.
Hi, I’m currently investigating the market for a new mattress and I would like to buy a wool mattress, but their prices are high for me. Fortunately I found this small manufacturer https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHomeOfWool and I’m looking for reviews – if anyone can share.Thank you!
Hi Nick, I am going to purchase from The Home of Wool next month and will post a review maybe a few weeks after sleeping on the mattress. If you order before I do will you go ahead and post a review? Thanks.
Did you ever try the Home of Wool mattress?
I am thinking of them for a 4″ mattress for a trailer, if they make to order, and would love to know if you were satisfied.
Thank you
Lucia, Correction …. I just went to Abundant Earth’s website and it says 2 -4 weeks for delivery which is so much quicker than when I ordered some years ago. Soaring Heart offers the crib mattress with the latex. Anyway, good luck with your search.
Hi Lucia, I would recommend making the investment and going with the (genuine) organic crib mattress. If you really need to purchase a used one just be sure it does not have flame retardants (of course there are plenty of other possible toxic materials). You can usually tell from the tag on a used mattress if it has flame retardants. One conventional manufacturer started with the flame retardants voluntarily as early as 2004, either Serta or Sealy, I can’t remember which. I now need an additional mattress and just might go back to Abundant Earth, though they are very pricey and you have to wait between 4 – 6 weeks to get it. I am currently looking into a company out of Washington called Soaring Heart. So far, I am impressed and they also have a few in stock and offer free shipping. Their actual mattresses are extremely expensive so I would opt for a cotton/wool futon with a plush 2″ thick all wool mattress topper. Soaring Heart guarantees no Boric Acid, PBDEs, etc. as is stated on their website. Could there be another type of flame retardant incorporated that we don’t know about? Who knows for sure? It’s not easy with the lax values of regulatory agencies with what they allow to go on with these mattress companies. I know some people like the latex variety but I can’t stand the smell. Good for you for being a concerned parent. The world should have more of you.
A savvy piece of advice. The truth is… It is really scary to know that brand new mattresses are potentially unsafe. I was looking to buy a baby mattress for my newborn. Does it mean I have only 2 options? 1. Buy organic baby mattress (which is expensive); 2. Buy used mattress. Any advice?
Lucia, you can actually purchase an organic baby mattress from Costco online for a very fair price. It’s made with bamboo, organic cotton, etc. When we bought ours 2 years ago, I think we paid $130. I know they have some cheaper and some more expensive, but I they were by far the best options I found.
I see that someone has posted here regarding Naturepedic mattresses. I contacted this company by phone and later my email and was NOT satisfied with the reply they gave me regarding their materials. Their representatives insisted that an all cotton organic mattress (without wool) could pass the flame retardant tests with no chemicals added. I know this to be false. If someone wishes to purchase a 100% cotton mattress, organic or not, that does not have flame retardants added, they must present a note from their Doctor, Naturopath, etc. stating that this is a necessity for their patient. Naturepedic does not require such a note. So how are they able to sell the 100% cotton version without requiring a Doctor’s note? Only they know for sure and they’re not telling.
A few clarifications ….. Not all flame retardant mattresses have been sprayed, the more expensive versions actually have an insert. Also there are some brands that started using flame retardants in their standard mattresses well before 2007. Do your homework. Also, do not assume because a mattress is labeled organic that this means it does not have flame retardants! This is America folks land of manipulative advertising unfortunately allowed by our government. Yes, by law a mattress can be sold as organic and still contain deadly flame retardants. The only luck I have had was with Abundant Earth. I am also looking into My Green Mattress as I need an additional mattress set but am not sure about them. Their prices are extremely low so I’m a little skeptical. They informed me that their wool/cotton mattresses only had 1 inch of wool wrapped around the mattress.and I thought it had to be 2 inches to pass regulations. After grilling My Green Mattress on the phone they did let slip that the Joma wool they use is also mixed with polyester. See what I mean? This is not a drawback for me as I don’t believe it to be toxic but shows what companies do not openly disclose unless pressed to do so. Anyway, as I said, do your homework before making this investment. BTW I highly recommend sleeping on a genuine flame retardant free mattress! It has helped my health enormously and I believe assisted in reversing a serious illness that I contracted after sleeping on a flame retardant mattress for 8 months. Who knew? Stay healthy!
what kind of mattress did you get that helped you?
People should sleep outside under the stars. This is the reason why the Old Testament tells us those folks lived to be 300 years and older…… But seriously, the mattress industry is a huge scam. They sell us the same mattress with a different label slapped on it all the time, so we can’t compare products to get the best deal. It’s worse than the used car industry. The fact is, that it is not well regulated, and their high pitched salesmen won’t reveal to the customer any info on materials used or true mark-up on a discounted sale. Let me tell you…The mark up is 500% profit or more on any new mattress set. Another little unknown tidbit is that when a store offers you their “FREE OLD BEDDING REMOVAL” that set doesn’t end up in the landfill…Well, you may ask, where does it end up? It ends up back in the store folks! They recycle your old sets by first cooking it in an huge oven at 250 degrees (kills bugs, & sanitizes), then they strip it down and reuse just about all the materials to make a new (and improved with cheaper components..LOL) mattress set. A lot of people don’t know this either, but there are only a few mattress factories in the USA, and they make ALL the brands for each individual mattress company (Sealy, Beautyrest, Spring-Aire, Generic, etc,etc,) only the cover and label is different. Another thing to understand when you purchase any new mattress is “the warranty”….It’s not worth the paper it’s written on folks. Google it, and you will read thousand upon thousands of complaints from consumers who NEVER received satisfaction after they tried to use their warranty when a problem arose. I will let you into a secret. If your mattress sags within the warranty period, it better sag more than 2 inches or your out of luck. They get away with this because most sagging is only one and a half inches deep, and that’s enough to give you a really bad backache, but not enough to get a new mattress..LOL. So, remember. If you want to get the best night’s sleep ever buy a Latex mattress (don’t matter who made it) , and try to buy it second hand. They last 25 to 30 years (tons of money saved right there) are non toxic, nonallergenic, won’t get dust mites, and they are the most comfortable sleep set in the world. I bought a queen sized one ten years ago on Craigslist for $250, (it was originally $3,500) and I haven’t regretted it a single night. Yes it is heavy to move, but that is such a small price to pay for the value and comfort I have received from it. Hope this info helps someone out there.
Thank you Celeste for the great info as well! I’ve heard they recycle mattresses too, bleech. What a racket.
Makes me want to make a hammock and just sleep on that! I’ll have to check out latex mattresses and do the ‘sunning’ tip that the author mentions. Great idea! I know that sunning gets rid of viruses too.
You mean “sleep outside under the chemtrails” being sprayed non stop. No thanks!
The best way to treat a polyurethane mattress is to leave it in the sun for atleast one week exposing it to the suns energy. Also if used daily try to do this every day for one month
If anyone is looking for one more resource for finding an organic mattress… my shop: Moss Envy (Minneapolis, MN) sells both Savvy Rest and Naturepedic mattresses. Both awesome and CLEAN mattresses.
Hi!
I am on your website now and would like to order. However, I see that you announce your mattresses are flame retardant free. How are you following the new law that states that all mattresses have to contain these chemicals?
I am getting very ill form my mattress and need help
I noticed you wrote this post back in 2013. How are things with the mattress? Curious if your plan worked out, or if you have found any health issues with using it yet. Enjoyed this post and all the comments… though I think all the info has left me wondering still what the best option is… on a VERY tight budget. Would love an update, thank you! 🙂
Don’t go for a mattress made of chemicals! We go for organic food, why not mattresses? I’ve gotten a lot of good mattresses and bedding over at AustinNatural Mattress. Great stuff over there. https://austinnaturalmattress.com/
I’ve done extensive research on mattresses & off gassing. Ultimately we ended up purchasing a Naturepedic Organic crib mattress for our newborn. This company also makes an adult mattress but the queen was a little too much for us at $1600.00 so we bought a cheaper mattress (Denver Mattress Co – Doctors Choice for $500.00 queen) that’s probably very toxic so now I’m trying to find a way to off gas and cover it to protect us as much as possible.
The best solution I’ve found so far is to cover it (encase it really) in at least a 5ml thickness food grade polyethylene plastic wrap. https://www.yourguidetogreen.com/store/greg-39-s-picks/mattress-covers-no-chem-mattress-wraps/prod_1768.html but I’m still looking for one that fits a queen mattress. The next best option is to off gas for a couple weeks and what I’ll likely end up doing is buying a Naturepedic waterproof mattress pad & hoping it will at least reduce some of the toxins. https://www.healthychild.com/prevent-toxic-off-gassing-when-you-cant-afford-to-buy-an-organic-mattress/. Hope this helps someone.
If you don’t want to sleep on plastic, how about a charcoal blanket? They’re military grade for chemical warfare and quite effective at reducing odors as well as chemicals.
I had a new baby last year and my midwife talked about a study done in Europe to reduce SIDS. I’m sorry I don’t have a link, but they simply covered the mattresses with 5 ml plastic and drastically reduced SIDS. I really appreciate your willingness to blog about things that people give you a hard time over. It makes me think more about the choices I make for my family and also how I treat other people. It’s not easy to share. Thank you!
One would imagine that a mattress may off-gas faster if there’s regular pounding going on. Merely tossing and turning won’t be enough. To be safe, a person should be active in all parts of the bed, every square foot, to ensure the gasses have been sufficiently agitated and released.
So the used mattress looks like new…but what happens if the previous owner had c-diff?
That might make one pause about buying used.
Hi Ken,
I was sure to get the entire medical history of the owner before purchasing our mattress.
Mattress should be foldable. So everybody can move it from one place to another place easily.More
So, for those of us that probably have toxic mattresses due to budget and not knowing better at the time of purchase, what do you recommend? Do you recommend wrapping the mattress? I get so sick to my stomach as I continue to realize how bad everything is for us. It is so overwhelming and I don’t even know where to start. My main concern right now is in regards to our crib mattress and our toddler’s used twin mattress…wrap with something to prevent out-gassing? Any other options other than that as we are not in a place to buy new right now.
I’m not sure if you can wrap it in anything, but I do know that it takes about 2-3 years to outgas a mattress. So, if you’re already past that point, I’d say don’t worry about it. When it comes time to buy a new mattress, just opt for an older one:)
To all above,
The original article is actually I incorrect in stating that all mattresses made before the year 2007 are not toxic. This is not true. I purchased mattresses in the 90s that are made of 100% polyurethane which is very toxic. However, instead of making the foam illegal our government decided instead to mandate all mattresses be made with fire retardants to offset the high flammability of the polyurethane. These chemicals (arsenic types included) sit right under the top cover and will never “gas out” or they would no longer work. Furthermore, and most important, is that the law was to take affect in California in 2005 which is where many of the big name mattresses are made. In 2007 it was to take affect everywhere else in the US. So, if you plan to buy a used mattress, you will only be safe by asking what the mattress tag states it is made of. If it say polyurethane, throw it out. It causes infertility, colon cancer, ovarian and blood cancers, breathing problems, and many other things. The mattress tag will say what is in it as far as what it is made of. Do not buy anything made after 2005 unless it is 100% organic cotton, latex, wool, or water. Avoid polyurethane altogether, and, If it doesn’t have a tag, run!
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Hi back! I am so new to blogging that I only stumbled onto this by playing with my tracking system. Brussels? I googled it and it is a legal term? Something I should be worried about? I am hopeful that my blog brings awareness to this issue. I think it will be a hot topic in the next year or two and I am hopeful for some positive change!
MATTRESS COMPANIES DO NOT TELL THE TRUTH! I spent a month of extensive reading & asking lots of questions before getting our new organic latex mattress from a small, trusted, one man shop (specializing in only Latex mattresses) Tim at https://seattlenaturalmattress.com/, that custom builds latex mattresses to your liking. He also sewed the 100% cotton bed cover, which zips, so you can actually see what the contents are & remove it to wash. It was well worth saving up for 2 years. The best investment for the next 15-20 years! NOT ALL LATEX MATTRESS ARE EQUAL! Here’s the scoop, There are two methods in the production of latex. Dunlop & Talalay, which use different methods to a final product. But, depending on the source, the manufacturer could use synthetic petroleum based along with natural latex in the production method, usually Talalay method. A simple explanation
https://www.habitatfurnishings.com/blog/?p=7 MATTRESS COMPANIES ARE NOT REGULATED! They can say it’s “100% natural latex” when only the top two inches is latex, but the rest is something else, which will break down & cause sinking or off gassing. They can say “it’s 100% organic cotton cover” when perhaps the only thing that’s cotton is the stitching. YOU CAN GET PRESCRIPTION FROM DOCTOR! The only regulation on mattresses is that they must be sprayed with highly toxic FIRE RETARDANTS! Tim at Seattle Natural Mattress asked if we had a doctors prescription??? I’d never heard of this, but you can actually get a prescription from your doc against spraying fire retardants on your mattress. Tim’s are not pre sprayed. I believe most mattresses, at regular mattress stores, are presprayed. Plus only stupid that smoke in bed are the ones that catch beds on fire. Do your research!
Not true, “The only regulation on mattresses is that they must be sprayed with highly toxic FIRE RETARDANTS!” The regulation CF CFR1633 states that a mattress, defined as “all its parts contained in the ticking” must pass a burn test.” The easiest way to pass the open torch test is to use chemicals, but there are other ways to pass it. Compressed wool is one way. Also, the prescription from your doctor states that you are chemically sensitive. It is not a blanket pass to buy a non treated bed. And one more thing, legally, USDA organic fabric is only required to be and to state the majority of their contents. So Target’s organic sheets could be only 51% organic and 51% cotton. They’re not being illegal to not state the 49%, just unethical. While a lot of companies do play the semantic games, there are those of us who say it straight and call it what it is. Read reviews on the companies to get a good idea of their trustworthiness in information sharing.
Oh for crying out loud, this post exhausted me. Excuse me while I go zip up my organic hazmat suit.
Kristen – I was just thinking the exact same thing. 🙂
I laughed so hard at your comment that I fell on the floor! I too was thinking the same thing. I think I’m just going to sleep in my car from now on because I can’t figure out what mattress to buy!
I was able to get our guest room used mattress for 200. Works great for us. I would love to get a “organic” one but I have a severe latex allergy. I would be covered in hives just by sitting on it. This is one case that I don’t mind my non-organic item:)
Where did you read older mattress do not of gas? I have read that 10 yr old mattresses can STILL off gas 🙁
And I have read the same.
I bought a new mattress from a guy on Craigslist for 1/4 the new cost. Date of manufacture was the same month we purchased from him. We didn’t have the money for the natural organic one but we set it up in another room to off gas for a while. Once I stopped smelling the mattress I knew it was off gassing a lot less. Then I proceeded to cover with allergen cover, waterproof cover, mattress topper and a heavy sheet with the regular one on top. Not only is the bed protected from pee and vomit from our kiddo it also is less toxic. If I could sun it I would but its cal king and upstairs and weighs a TON!
@ Jessica, a mattress cover is fabric and cannot protect you from off gassing 🙁
I wish i could afford a new mattress. I want one without springs, they are like an antenna so I have read. I would love a natural latex!
Buying an organic and natural latex mattress for each member of our family was super important to me and I scrimped and saved in other areas and ways to finally be able to afford it. I wanted to make absolute certain that myself (pregnant) and my kids weren’t spending half their lives on something toxic. Also, since all my babies and kids stomach sleep, I wanted to make sure that they didn’t have a toxic mattress that could lead to SIDS. Since changing to the new latex mattresses, they have been sick a lot less and my youngest daughter’s ear infections that were chronic even with ear tubes, have since gone away! Plus, the mattress my husband and I got is super squishy and super comfortable. (And our old mattresses were all several years old that we had gotten used from others or off of CL).
No, I’m sorry, I don’t want to ‘lay’ on you. I am NOT a hen. I might be tempted to ‘lie’ on you… Now that’s a different matter entirely! ^^
Buying a new matteress is no guarantee you wont have bed bugs. I knew someone who bought a new mattress and it came with the bugs. I would recommend any mattress purchased whether used or new to also purchase the zippered covers that you can buy for any size bed. If you buy a new matteress, the gas fumes will be contained and if you buy a used mattress the bed bugs if any will be contained. The suggestion for putting it outside for a while is good too along with the covers.
not so, scroll up . . .
An alternative method that I have used it to buy organic allergy mattress covers. The fit over you mattress and zip underneath and trap all allergens from being able to off-gas. I got mine for $100 on Amazon.
Ummm… Sunning does not kill bedbugs. They ONLY thing that kills bedbugs is heating up your house, an expensive, time-consuming, and annoying endeavor. Not worth it to me… Ill stick to a new mattress.
Diatomaceous earth does, in fact, kill bed bugs, although not as quickly as we’d like. Sunning in a sealed, controlled environment (or in an oven) can kill them, too, as long as the temperature reaches the right level – not just by leaving in the sun, no, but we were able to kill the suckers on clothes and plush toys by bagging them securely and leaving them in a hot car in July in Texas for three days. 🙂
I was going to say the same… sunning, in itself, does NOT kill bed bugs. How do I know? because I’ve had them. If the bugs are dry ( meaning empty of blood and ready to eat) the Diatomaceous Earth only takes two days to kill, but if they are full of blood, it takes two weeks! I experimented with them… that is how I know that.
We put our things into storage in freezing temperatures and washed and dried anything that would go into the machines in order to get rid of them.
Is there a list I can refer to of which mattresses are toxic? I have a tempurpedic mattress for four years… It’s out gassed but It really worries me… Could this still be toxic (if it ever were ?)
I don’t have a list, but you could call the tempurpedic people and ask them.
Mattress companies do not have to disclose this and most refuse to.
We bought a used mattress for my baby with that intention (we let is off gas in the sun). Later I found out that SIDS is higher in second children (older mattress, that has toxic urine, sweat vomit, etc) and you shouldn’t buy a used mattress. I do feel comfortable now because we let it off gas again and we got a babesafe mattress cover. So our mattress was only $30! I think as long as you let your mattress breathe outside every once in a while it is fine.
I’m sorry but… toxic urine?
I believe when she says “toxic” urine, sweat and vomit, she means that those things will grow bacteria and mold eventually, when left inside a mattress, so yes….it’s toxic.
What exactly is off gassing and is it legit with all types of mattresses? And also, what is the purpose of a babesafe mattress cover? I’m sure our crib mattress (bought new in 2012) is not the safest, best as it wasn’t something that even crossed my mind to look into at the time of purchase, but I am wanting to make it as safe as I possibly can now. Any tips would help:)
I just was reading into this as I wanted to find out if my child’s mattress, that she just stopped using is safe to use for my sister who just found out she’s expecting her first. I wasn’t looking into gas info, but actually the age of it, if it’s worn out having seen the commercials saying if your mattress is 8yrs or older it’s time to replace it.
Well, I read one site ( I’ll share) and then I read this one, thinking I’d find actual answers to my question, to no avail. But I thought I’d answer yours Ktabb and Leah. If a mattress isn’t cared for properly, urine and drool from baby ( and other liquids) can cause mildew and such to form which are harmful for people to breath. As for the SIDS, and babesafe covers, here is the link for the site I just found: https://www.stopsidsnow.com/index.html
Can you get any type of the dust mite covers and or a waterproof cover? anything to wrap the mattress to keep the toxic gases from releasing and then use a padded organic top on top of that ?? Any alternatives out there?
I would be very cautious of used mattresses. With the bed bug outbreak you can never be too careful. I think I would rather buy a new mattress and cover it.
bed bugs are everywhere; even on brand new items, they aren’t picky. I read this years ago in a big article. also, food grade diatomaceous earth, a white powder, will kill them, fleas, etc.
Yes, diatomaceous earth works as well. And I agree, I think people are too worried about bedbugs, when there are perfectly natural ways to get rid of them.
We’re need a new mattress and this is exactly what we’ll do when it’s time to get one. I absolutely love your idea about buying a mattress that was used as a guest bedroom mattress! Thank you!
Great idea! I faced the same problem when buying a mattress for my 2 year old 5 years ago. I went ahead and bought a decent new mattress and then I found this activated charcoal felt that you lay down under the mattress pad (which I also made sure was organic cotton). The charcoal absorbs most of the gasses. I could REALLY tell the difference once I put the felt on. Here’s the link: https://www.nontoxic.com/activatedcarbonblanket/activatedcarbonblanket.htm
I’m not looking it up, but I seriously doubt that the sun kills bed bugs or dust mites. I think this is just old wives tales. Things left in the sun will smell of the outdoors, which makes people think it is surely “improving” whatever we’ve left outside. Bleach or Lysol sanitizes. The sun does not. Fire, however, does sanitize. As well, I agree with the other person mentioning that putting your mattress in the heat of the sun, thus increasing it’s temperature can cause toxic chemicals in the mattress to heat up and outgas again. Not to mention, the heat can cause chemical changes which might be very very bad for all we know. A toxic mattress may be bad, but a toxic mattress put in an “oven” is even worse.
While I like the idea of buying all things used, my concern with a used mattress is bed bugs. And NO ONE wants those…I hope yours works out for you though!
Used mattresses are not the answer, IMO. The synthetic foam mattress material breaks down and forms sVOCs as the mattress ages, which are even more toxic than the VOCs that are off gassing for the first few years.
I personally bought an organic/natural latex mattress with an organic wool topper to get more of that pillow top feel. It is not as soft as some mattresses I’ve been on, but I’m ok with that.
Some of us don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on an organic mattress. That must be nice. A used mattress is a good alternative for those of us truly on a very small budget.
I wouldn’t trust the source you linked to because they are an Organic Mattress Company. In my research, mattresses do “out-gas” and are safe after 3 years. If you can afford an organic mattress and are fine with the comfort factor, I say go for it!
I spent $500, FYI, it doesn’t have to cost thousands.
You can not trust the source if you don’t want to. I personally don’t trust the sources that tell us that all the chemicals that are put into conventional mattress are safe. There are other places to learn about SVOC’s, if you’re interested. They just have a nice little intro.
Leah, please tell me where you bought a latex mattress with a wool topper for $500! I’d love to know!
I had the idea of trying to buy natural latex by the roll or some other bulk way and making my mattress. I wonder if there is anyone out there that’s made their own mattress?
Latex is an expensive, but well worth it product. I bought an 8in, no frills, latex mattress, 100% organic. It came rolled up in a box, by UPS and it just popped out of the box and onto my bed. My bed was made up of 2 Pieces of latex a 6in core which was firmer and a 2in latex top that sat on top of the core. I had the option to have it glued or unglued and i chose unglued to keep it perfectly organic. It’s an incredibly comfortable mattress, only downside was that it does not come with a box spring. I was assured by Pete that it work great on a platform and he was right. I get the best sleep with no pain on my hips anymore. The place I got it at was http://www.themattressexpert.com and talked to a guy named Pete. He was very knowledgeable and patient with all of my questions, heaven knows I had a bunch. This seems to be much easier then building your own…maybe 🙂
most organic mattress companies will also sell “bulk” latex in whatever size you want. I know this because I’ve looked into making furniture with it. It’s not cheap, for sure. But I think it’s worth it.
The latex pillows alone are pretty expensive, as pillows go. But I found a couple of latex pillows in a discount store years ago (for $10 each! wow!) and now those are only pillows I want. They are so comfortable and, even when you squash them, they pop right back into shape. What’s not to love? 🙂 I like the idea of a latex mattress but would like the chance to try one before I spend the money on one. But, if they’re as great as the pillows and healthy, TOO, I’m sold.
You bet there are people out there who have made their own mattresses. We made three of them for our kids and now offer natural and organic options for others who want to do the same. Wool from local MN farms, natural latex (tree based, not petroleum) and GOTS organic cotton fabrics. While latex does carry price tag more than a spring mattress, especially a thrifty find like a guest bedroom pre 2007 mattress, it makes up for it with its 20-30 lifespan.
http://www.diynaturalbedding.com
We live in a cooler climate, I like to wait untill we get a few days of really cold weather. Like -30c and we put our mattress outside for a few days. That way it gets sterilized also. I like the idea of sunning also.
Used matresses do gross me out, but so do toxic chemicals So thanks for the heads up!
I moved into a new place six months ago and mum bought me a new mattress and I didn’t know about any of this bad stuff when she got it, so I’ve been breathing it all in by the looks of things! Is there any way to ‘gas’ the mattress faster than just letting time get to it? Maybe like sunning it or something? 🙂
yes, i would try sunning it for several hours a day. i read an article that said they did this with a new bed frame that had been bought and stained and it took 3 months to get the smell out. but bed could be less time i imagine.
I was going to say what Faye said 🙂 The more fresh air and air circulation it can get, the faster that stuff will be circulated out of the mattress and carried away. I sleep on an all foam mattress – a 5 inch layer of high density foam with a 4 inch layer of memory foam, all wrapped in a fabric cover. I bought it in 2005 and it stunk of foam smell then. Now, it has no smell at all. It’s comfortable, too.