Today, for active recreation on the water, many people buy various rubber products: they are compact, easily filled with air using a pump. One of the most versatile devices that can be used not only for relaxation, but also as a sleeping place for guests is an inflatable mattress. However, when faced with a sharp object, the surface of the mattress tears easily and requires repair. But don’t worry, it’s enough to learn the step-by-step algorithm on how to repair an air mattress and other nuances of carrying out repairs, and the problem will disappear.
Main aspects
First of all, you should find out whether you can repair an air mattress with your own hands. Of course, it is possible, it is only necessary to observe safety techniques and have tools and materials at hand.
The repair procedure involves sealing the damage or making neat patches. If you follow the step-by-step instructions, it is quite possible to achieve a result that will be indistinguishable from repair in the workshop.
In itself, restoring the integrity of the product is a fairly simple task. But whoever decides to do it, will definitely face a very serious problem – finding the place of damage. Practice shows that it is quite difficult to find a hole in a mattress. Most often, the rash is so microscopic that it cannot be detected during a superficial examination.
However, before starting to look for a hole, you should carefully inspect the valve. Often, a product for resting on the beach does not hold air due to the fact that it has failed or does not close completely. If no problems with the valve are found, you need to study the algorithm and only then try to seal the air mattress yourself.
Phased recovery
The successful process of repairing an inflatable rubber product involves the sequential execution of certain manipulations. First of all, it is necessary to identify the place of damage, then prepare tools and materials, and only then start work. Each stage of recovery should be considered in detail.
Search for a place
Repair of the inflatable product should begin with the detection of the source of the breakthrough. Of course, first of all, you should conduct a thorough inspection of the mattress. It is quite easy to detect large damages, but it is more difficult if we are talking about small cracks.
Yes, if suspicious areas are visually detected, first you need to put your hand on them. Streams of cold air masses, which will come out during the process of pressing, will be confirmation that the integrity of the mattress is broken at this point. There are several ways to detect small damages:
- Soap foam . First, the mattress must be fully inflated, and then treated with a soapy solution. A foam sponge will be needed for the work. The resulting liquid should be evenly applied to the entire area of the product. If there are gusts, soap bubbles will appear in their place.
- Filling with liquid. If water is poured inside the product, streamers will flow out of the cuts. The main disadvantage of this method is that it will be problematic to dry the mattress after carrying out such manipulations. It should be noted that there are models that become unusable after filling with water. Not only that, even with perfect execution of all actions, white spots may appear inside the mattress.
- Immersion of the device in water . When a violation of integrity is detected near a reservoir, the fastest method of determining the location of the hole is to immerse an inflated mattress in water. It is advisable to put several people on the product so that it falls under the weight. Air bubbles will appear on the water, which will reveal the area of damage.
- Identification by sound . People who have 100% hearing will be able to find the puncture without effort. To do this, it is necessary to inflate the product in a quiet room, and then find a cut on the hissing notes of the outgoing air.
Product preparation
Before proceeding with the direct repair of the product, a number of preparatory manipulations should be performed. After the hole is found, it is advisable to mark it with chalk or a marker so as not to lose it.
The mattress must be thoroughly washed from the remains of dirt and dust, and dried well. It should be noted that this product should dry naturally, without the use of heating devices.
If the hole is located on a piled velor part, the area should be treated with fine sandpaper. This is necessary so that the patch fits tighter to the hole.
Then the treated area should be well degreased. For these purposes, it is advisable to use alcohol, acetone or gasoline. With careful application of the listed products, no traces will remain on the surface of the mattress.
Selection of materials
At the next stage, you need to prepare a repair kit. The product itself must be completely lowered, and the tools and materials that will be needed in the repair process should be laid out nearby.
Yes, you can buy a ready-made repair kit in special retail outlets or in online stores. The latter includes an adhesive mixture and a special patch. In addition, such sets include instructions that can be used to quickly navigate the basic principles of restorative manipulations.
The repair kit can be purchased in advance, directly during the purchase of the mattress. Thus, if necessary, the set will always be at hand. However, in the absence of inventory, it is quite possible to use improvised means. For example, it can be any rubber toy. A piece of material of the required size should be cut off from unnecessary toys for the baby.
Instead of a special composition, it is quite possible to use glue for rubber products. In addition, you need to prepare:
- a brush for applying the adhesive mixture;
- sandpaper;
- scissors;
- a piece of soap or chalk to mark the damaged area.
It is important to understand which glue is suitable for repairing an air mattress. You can buy a special warehouse for mattresses in stores that sell technical accessories or sports goods.
Most often, the repair kit for removing punctures in inflatable accessories comes with “Adgeziv” glue. You can also use compounds for rubber, bicycle tubes, etc. It should be noted that the use of superglue is strictly prohibited in such situations. Otherwise, you can damage the air mattress.
After preparing the glue and materials, you can start searching for and cutting out the patch. If it is not possible to purchase a repair kit, you need to choose such a patch so that its thickness is as close as possible to the material of the mattress. In addition, it must be flexible if it is supposed to glue a cut on the fold line.
When determining the size of the patch, it is important to understand that it should be larger than the area of damage. Only in this way will it be possible to completely get rid of the breakdown and ensure the integrity of the product.
Gluing the surface
As practice shows, the amount of adhesive mixture directly depends on its type. So, when using a tool like “Moment”, it should be applied in a thick layer. In the case of carrying out restoration work with “Dismacol”, the latter must be thinly and evenly distributed over the patch.
After applying the composition, the patch and the damaged area should be dried for 10-15 minutes. If a person does not have time, it is permissible to use a hair dryer. The only caveat: you must turn on the cooling mode so that the air is not too hot.
Then the patch should be tightly pressed to the product and left for several minutes. This is necessary in order to glue the parts better. After performing all the manipulations, you can start using the mattress after half an hour.
If there are minor areas of damage in the seam area, you just need to fill this area with glue and wait for it to dry completely. There is another method of gluing seams, which is considered reliable. However, the procedure itself is more time-consuming. The essence is as follows:
- After detecting the place of leakage, the necessary area should be pulled out. This can be done through the valve using a ruler.
- Then degrease the damaged area well.
- Allow the finished product to dry thoroughly. Meanwhile, cut a patch of the required size, apply glue to the inner surface.
- Apply a patch, press firmly.
- When carrying out such manipulations, let the mattress dry for at least 12 hours. After the adhesive composition has completely hardened, turn the product out and inflate it.
It is much more difficult if you need to repair an Intex air mattress, which has damage on the velor side. Manipulations are easier with the rubber part. The fact is that the pile worsens the adhesive properties of any composition and the adhesion of materials. That is why not everyone will be able to close a crack in a Chinese product without a preparatory stage.
In such situations, experts strongly recommend buying a suitable repair kit. It will be much easier than choosing similar material.
Tips for repair and prevention
If patching the mattress at the first attempt did not work, repair manipulations should be repeated. In such a situation, it is not recommended to remove the primary patch. It is best to cut a new piece, which should be larger than the previous one, and glue it on top of the old one.
In this case, the fixation will be more reliable. However, it is necessary to ensure that the edges of the patch are well coated with glue. Many people are worried that the edges will eventually fray and the patch will fall off. To reduce the likelihood of such a result, you should sand them a little immediately after fixing the part. It is advisable to apply a little glue on top.
Before starting the repair, you must wash your hands thoroughly. In addition, safety measures should not be neglected. Gloves should be worn if the mattress is being repaired using a strong adhesive.
If a person understands that he will not be able to complete the task on his own, it is better to immediately seek help from specialists. Qualified employees of the workshop will be able to perform the work correctly and qualitatively.
After each use of the rubber product, it must be deflated and only then transported home. If you don’t want to constantly inflate the mattress, you should carry it to the water in your hands, avoiding contact with sharp objects (stones, branches, etc.). At home, it is better to put the product in a corner so that children or animals do not damage it. The mattress should be stored exclusively in a dry state.
Quality repair of an air mattress can significantly extend its service life. If the recommendations for use and further storage are followed, the product will please the owners for many years.