How can you make a waterbed mattress firmer? Many people believe that best way to firm up a water mattress is to add more water to it. Others say filling it to its recommended fill level will achieve the firmest feel, which way is right? We will cover both methods in todays blog.

Adding more water to a waterbed to make it firmer:
This method will make a firmer surface feel in your waterbed, however it can cause other problems that may not make worth your while. Vinyl stretching, fatigue cracks, and out right failure of the seams or corners are just some of the problems that result from an overfilled waterbed. Many people often complain that they feel as though they are rolling off of the water mattress when they are overfilled, along with complaints of increased motion. This extra motion in the waterbed mattress is due to the increase of water to baffling ratio.

Firmer mattress from proper fill level:
The firmest and best support comes from a correctly filled baffled mattress. This is how the mattress was designed to work. It’s really just this simple, X amount of baffling is designed to work with Y amount of water. This this combination equals the best all around support, best wave control, and firmest support. Correct fill level also extends mattress life expectancy and protects the waterbed heater. Contrary to many thoughts out there the baffling or fiber system inside a water mattress controls the bed’s overall firmness much more than simply adding more water to the bed. The more fiber or baffling the mattress has the greater the firmness and more supportive the waterbed will be.

So what do I do to get a firmer waterbed?

We think it is more important to purchase a firm quality waterbed bladder in the beginning. as apposed to trying to make a mattress into something it cannot be, by adding more water. Adding additional water to a waterbed we believe is a risk that should not be taken.Knowing  How to properly install a waterbed mattress is the the key to acheiving the perfect waterbed firmness.

If you have questions about how much water to put in a waterbed give us a call at 636-296-8540 or Contact Us by email.

This is the 3rd part of our 3 part blog series on repairing a waterbed mattress:
#1: When is it Ok to repair my waterbed bladder with a patch kit?
#2: How to correctly find the spot of a leak in a waterbed bladder mattres

We always recommend taking your waterbed mattress to a store and have it done professionally. For those risk takers, repair at your own risk.

How to repair the hole in a waterbed mattress using a vinyl repair kit. Only use a vinyl repair kit. Do not use a rubber repair kit; they do not hold and you usually only get one chance for the patch to stick.

• Assuming you have located the hole in your water mattress and circled it the first step will be to clean the vinyl mattress surface with clean water or alcohol.
• If the leaking hole is less than ¼ of an inch in size the leak may be repairable. The idea is not to have a huge patch so it will be pliable and flexible. If the hole is round (like a pinhole leak) cut the vinyl patch in the shape of a nickel or quarter. Buy cutting the patch in the way it will eliminate corners that can catch and tear loose causing the waterbed patch to not hold.
• If the leaking hole in the waterbed mattress is a straight line cut or tear less than 1/4 inch in size then cut the patch in an oblong or oval shape, again with no pointed edges that can catch on bedding.
• Apply vinyl adhesive to both patch and the mattress surface area to be repaired. Let vinyl glue start to set up and become tacky and even hazy in color.
• Put the waterbed vinyl patch on to the waterbed bed surface.
• Most patches should sit and dry for an hour or so to assure a good bond. Read the directions on the patch kit for exact dry time.
• Another thing we like to do is once the original patch has dried we will run a consistent bead of vinyl glue all the way around the patches edge. Again let sit until the patch is dry. This additional step helps to hold down the edge of the patch.
• Fill mattress to correct fill level and regularly check to make sure the waterbed repair kit has held and is not leaking. This can last for many years. We never recommend repairing mattresses that are between10- 12 years of age or older. Waterbed mattresses are very cheep to replace especially when compared to regular mattress and boxsprings.

Always be sure to follow patch kits instructions for proper water mattress repairs.

Have you ever had a waterbed leak? Did you repair it or just buy a new water mattress? Leave your comment below or email us.

This is the second part of our 3 part blog series:
#1: When is it OK to repair my waterbed bladder with a patch kit?
#3: Please save my carpeting! How to fix and properly repair a waterbed bladder leak
(part 3 will be linked after publication next week)

Unfortunately leaks happen and when they do and it is repairable do not put the job off.

The hole in a leaking mattress must be found:
First locate the leak in your waterbed mattress. Below are a couple methods to finding the frustrating hole in your mattress, but first be safe, you will need to unplug the waterbed heater immediately.

You must make sure you dry up every drop of water you can get to. If you do not you will get a false positive result. This means you think you found the leak, when in reality you have only located remaining water residue from the leak you are looking for.

Some people recommend filling the mattress with air. Once you have inflated the mattress apply soapy water by rubbing it onto the mattress surface or applying the sudsy water with a spray bottle and wait for it to bubble up. This can be an affective method to find a waterbed mattress hole, but is often messy and could cause fiber baffle shifting if not properly handled.

The preferred method is to leave the partially filled water mattress in the wooden frame. Be sure to dry it off with an absorbent towel making sure to dry up any water remaining on the mattress. Next place your hands in a position where your index fingers and thumbs are touching as if you were going to give CPR chest compressions. This is another affective way to find a leak. Start by pressing down on corners until your hands bottom out on the floor of the bed. Next do the same with seams then all remaining untested areas. When a leak appears it will generally be a little bead or welt of water. Not a gaping gushing whole.

Once you have located the hole be sure to mark the mattress. You can do this by circling the area with a permanent black magic marker. Many people find the holes only to lose them when they walk away from the bed.

Whichever method you choose to find the leak is up to you. Eventually you will need the water mattress to be completely drained before reinstalling. This will allow you to dry the underside of the mattress. Be sure to dry up any remaining moisture within the safety liner as well.

This is the first of a 3 part blog series:
#2: How to correctly find the spot of a leak in a waterbed bladder mattress
#3: Please save my carpeting! How to fix and properly repair a waterbed bladder leak
(These will be linked upon completion/publication of the series)

Here is an ugly scenario. Your waterbed mattress pops and the flood roars down the hallway sweeping everything away in its path. It’s the cataclysmic stuff movie scripts are made of. “The dreaded leak in a waterbed mattress.”

Don’t worry; in my 22 years of selling waterbeds I have never heard such a story. Leaks are not as common as you might think and most stay within the safety liner. If a leak happens, we recommend that you do not put off repairing the hole or even replacing your water mattress. If you do not, the water can sour and start to smell giving off an incredible stench or even worse escape your safety liner and cause minor or even serious water damage to your house. So when is it a bad idea to repair a waterbed mattress? Here is what you need to know.

1. Do not repair waterbed mattress corners even if they have been reinforced.
   If the hole in your waterbed mattress is located in any of the construction seams or a corner do not attempt to repair. Waterbed seams and corners are not glued shut. A patch kit will not permanently fix your leaking waterbed mattress and is more likely to become a catastrophic failure causing serious water damage.
2. It is only ok to repair a waterbed with a vinyl repair patch kit.
   A patch kit includes a piece of vinyl and vinyl adhesive. Do not use rubber cement or superglue to fix the hole.
3. Do not attempt to fix seams on a waterbed mattress.
   See # 1
4. Waterbed mattresses should not be repaired if they are old.
   Unlike a fine wine vinyl breaks down and deteriorates as it ages. The normal life on a free flow mattress is only a couple years. The life on a quality baffled mattress is 10-12 years. This is best determined by talking to a sales professional. Tell them how old your mattress is and whether you own a Free Flow, Semi-Waveless, Waveless, Ultra Waveless, or Super Waveless. Different mattresses have different life expectancies. Ten to twelve years for any waterbed mattress is very old, do not repair it replace it.
5. When waterbed vinyl discolors it is a sign of a water mattress that should not be repaired.
   When this happens it is a signal of weakening vinyl. This could be due to age or body oils that have contacted the vinyl over and over again which hint to the signs of plasticizer migration. Use an absorbent mattress pad to protect from such problems.
6. Vinyl that has a waxy, hard, non-flexible or pliable feeling to it may be breaking down and should not be repaired.
   This is the same thing that happens when a plastic milk carton is left in the sun. The plastic becomes brittle. Waterbed mattresses are subject to the same hardening that can cause a mattress failure. Another example is old vinyl cars seats when they start to get brittle and crack apart.
7. Do not try to repair a hole that has already had a patch on it or you have attempted to repair but failed.
   This is by far the biggest mistake people make. They just do not get the idea that this is a patch and that it is going to hold back a couple hundred gallons of water. The reward of a successful patch that will enviably fail anyway is not worth the risk of damage to your house or personal property.
8. If the leaking hole or cut in the waterbed is more than ¼ of an inch in size the leak should not be patched.
   Holes or tears in the waterbed that are bigger than a quarter of an inch flex too much. The patch will not be flexible enough or small enough to flex properly and will ultimately fail causing another leak maybe bigger than the first one.
9. Too many holes in a mattress are a disaster waiting to happen.
   Use common sense here. If the area looks like Swiss Cheese buy a new bladder.

1. Change your sheets at least once a week
   Absorbent and breathable sheets not only feel good, but they can minimize perspiration stains on a mattress while allowing your body to breathe properly throughout the night. Absorbent fabrics offer additional protection to the mattress from sweat and all the icky stuff. We recommend cleaning bed sheets a minimum of once a week to reduce mattress smell.
2. Use a stain resistant mattress pad and clean it at least once a month
   Today a person can buy a breathable mattress pad that will protect the mattress from stains such as perspiration, body oils, and bodily fluids while meeting the terms of the factory mattress warranties. Use of a good mattress pad can minimize mattress smell.
3. Vacuum your mattress at least once a month
   By frequently vacuuming a mattress and boxspring with a vacuum cleaner a great deal of the dust, dirt and allergens can be extracted if done regularly. This can also help keep the mattress from smelling.
4. Turn your mattress end-to-end 180 degrees
   Most people wear their body weight from the shoulders to the hips, if you do not spin the mattress from end to end the area where you sleep will work harder than the foot end of the mattress causing uneven wear. Mattress rotation will not stop body impressions, however it will minimize them. The rotation of your mattress gives the layers of foam and upholstery a chance to recover.
5. Consider having it professionally cleaned
   On site mattress sanitizing or cleaning is available simply Google those terms or look it up in you local phone book.
6. If applicable, turn the mattress completely over
   Most mattresses today cannot be turned over.  If you are lucky enough to still own a two-sided mattress turn it over once a month. This will give the foam and materials a chance to bounce back. For most folks the old days of flipping a mattress are nearly gone.
7. If you have a flexible boxspring rotate it 180 degrees
   Turning a boxspring end to end promotes even wear and can extend the life of your mattress. Note many boxsprings today are not flexible and most people believe simply turning the boxspring from head end to the foot twice a year may attain additional life from a boxspring.
8. Purchase a new mattress more frequently
   • Know when to recognize the useful life of the mattress and boxspring has been exhausted. Although the more costly route both, one sided and two sided beds in a new fresh state can give your body great support and a healthy sleeping environment. Unfortunately a mattress does wear out which contributes to loss of support for the back and reduced comfort. Not only that but mattresses do get dirty which contributes to an unhealthy sleep environment.
   • A one-sided mattress will generally last around 6 years while a two-sided mattress tends to last longer in excess of 8 years. Keep in mind warranty is not an indicator of how long a bed should last. A person needs only to dollar cost average their purchase to realize what a true value a mattress and boxspring really is.
   • Not sleeping in the same mattress for 20 years can do more for your repertory health than you might think, ask your physician.

Did we miss anything? How do you do to keep your mattress clean and comfy? Leave your comment below or email us.