How does the high spot develop?
It is very common for both queens and kings to have such strange wear. The majority of mattresses that get these humps have significant layers of padding. The ridge in the middle is the result of infrequent use for the reason that the middle of the mattress is rarely used. Most couples tend to nest comfortably on their respective sides of the bed. The constant and consistent usage of the same sleeping areas causes mattresses with multiple layers of polyurethane foams and other comfort padding layers to compress. These indentations are sometimes-called body impressions. The body impressions are actually low spots in the mattress where the sleeper lies night after night.

Is the hump in the middle of a mattress going to go away or am I just stuck with this unsightly ridge?
Most likely the hump will not go away. It is much more common that it may in fact begin to look worse as the mattress gets older. Many times unless excessive wear has taken place such ridges are not covered by the manufacturers warranty. Be sure to contact the retail store you purchased your mattress from or mattress manufacturer if you believe your mattress is defective.

Why didn’t my old mattress have this ridge in the middle?
This is primarily because mattresses in the past did not have all the padding that they do today. Not so many years ago mattresses were thin and not very padded and had their own set of frustrating issues. Back in the day it was not uncommon for coil springs to fail and poke you in the night and cut directly through thin layers of padding creating discomfort.  Even further back some had obnoxious buttons that were design to keep the few comfort layers the bed had into place.

Is there any way to fix the hump I have in the middle of my mattress?
There are some things you can do to help prevent uneven wear. Turning or rotating your mattress frequently can help even out mattress wear and give the padding a chance to rejuvenate and bounce back some. We recommend doing this even if your warranty says you do not have to rotate the bed. If you have a two-sided bed you can flip your mattress over to extend mattress life. Another helpful hint when your taking a nap try to make a conscious effort to use the middle of the bed, especially when your partner is not in bed with you. Finally our favorite suggestion is to move to the middle of the bed and snuggle with your bed buddy. It’s good for promoting even mattress wear and breaking down high spots in your mattress and more importantly it may very well spice up the relationship in the bedroom.

The majority of doctors and allergist think so. Unfortunately mattresses are often overlooked because they are out of site and out of mind. Mattresses are the forgotten necessity of sleep and good health. People don’t buy new ones until a spring pokes them in the rump or it has more craters in its surface than the earth’s moon. So why would cleaning mattresses be any different? Well it’s not and we all need to keep our mattress clean as possible for a safer and healthier sleep environment throughout the life of our bed.

Tips for Keeping Your Mattress Clean

• Use a mattress pad
• Change the sheets on a mattress on a regular basis
• Vacuum your mattress frequently
• Don’t go to bed dirty
• Make your bed with better quality sheets
• Have the mattress cleaned professionally
• Don’t eat or drink in bed
• Do not leave your mattress uncovered
• Keep cats, dogs, and other pets out of the bed.

Mattresses are expensive and knowing how to keep your mattress clean cannot only protect the long-term investment that is your mattress but more importantly can be a lifelong investment in your health.

A drain and fill kit includes
1 Venturi pump
1 mattress adapter
1 faucet adapter
The kit will also include hose washers for all the female fittings.

All 3 methods require your to make sure that the waterbed heater has been unplugged and that the mattress has been burped and bled of any air bubbles before starting any draining process. 
 
Choose the Method below you would like to start the siphoning process with.
 
Method 1

Gravity siphon started with drain and fill kit.
Follow the drain and fill kit Instructions and turn the faucet all the way up. Let the water run until you hear a change in pitch of the exhausting water from the Venturi pump. While running disconnect the female end of the garden hose attachment from the side of the Venturi pump. Drop the hose to the ground immediately. If the end of the hose is lower than the bed the siphon will now start. You will obviously need to make sure that the draining water is going into a tub, basement floor drain, or out a window or you will have a mess on your hands.
 
 
Method 2

Gravity siphon started with only a mattress adapter.
Connect the female end of the garden hose to a faucet and the mattress attachment from the drain and fill kit to the male end of the hose. Over the sink carefully flush all air from the hose and then shut off the water. With a towel in hand, walk to the bed and connect the mattress adapter to the mattress then push valve in. Go turn on your water and count to 10. Then shut off the water disconnect and kink the hose. It is best to carefully drop the end of the hose out of a window. The lower the end of the hose the greater the tronger the siphon be due to gravity the drop.

 
Method 3

Gravity siphon started with an electric pump.
Follow Electric Waterbed Pump directions. Once the pump has been primed and water is flowing, shut off the pump and again carefully disconnect the garden hose and drop out of a window to a lower point than the waterbed. 

Many people choose the siphoning method to save on water consumption, electricity, or they just aren’t aware that there is better ways to drain a waterbed. If you have a wave control mattress, siphoning a waterbed mattress can be very tricky. In order to achieve the necessary vacuum required for moving a baffled mattress so you do not ruin It or Damage it by bunching or shifting the baffling system you must achieve a vacuum. You will need a very large drop around 8 to 10 feet or you will need to finish the vacuum process with a wet dry shop vac or Venturi pump and replace the cap and plug insert immediately to maintain the vacuum on the mattress. It should look like a package of beef jerky in the shrink wrap when finished.

Contact a waterbed store for more detailed information.

 
How can we all sleep in a cleaner mattress ?

 
Start by purchasing a quality breathable mattress pad or mattress protector and placing it on the mattress surface. Top that off with a nice set of sheets and your ready for bed.  Remember to at least once a week wash your sheets and mattress pad. These can be replaced for much less than a new mattress if they wear out due to frequent washings. An often overlooked mattress cleaning tip is to vacuum your mattress regularly with the upholstery attachment. Take your time with slow overlapping swaths and be thorough. You should vacuum your mattress at least once a month. Allergy and asthma suffers may want to vacuum your mattresses more frequently. Be sure you are using a quality vacuum with a hepa filter and then replace your bedding immediately.

 
A smart investment would be to have your mattress professionally cleaned and sanitized one time a year or more so if you do not frequently care for your mattress or have allergy related concerns. There are companies that will clean mattresses across the country and here in the St. Louis area as well.  So if your New Years Goal was to make a healthier you, why not start with a cleaner mattress or get rid of that old one and buy a new mattress set. Talk to a bedroom store if you have more questions.

As a thinker and a businessman I constantly try to better understand my customers and by thinking like they think. Knowing that most mattress shoppers already believe that mattresses and boxsprings are priced too high. Many people opt out of buying a new set. I wandered about their decision to put off such an expensive purchase what might they do instead.

Buying a slightly used mattress was one answer I came up with or continuing to use their existing mattress was another. I then wandered if a mattress could be cleaned if so what a reasonable cost might be. I thought that I would be willing to pay less than $100.00, and if I could do that purchasing slightly used or keeping my old mattress would make both choices feasible.

Lastly knowing how health conscious people are today and their concerns with allergies and asthma which I know both are on the increase, I wandered if the used mattress buyer realized that sleeping on an unclean unsanitary mattress may not the best or healthiest choice night after night?

Slightly used or older mattresses can involve many secondary issues including dust mites live and dead, their feces, dead skin, perspiration, body oils and drool. I won’t even get into the other nasty things found in mattresses. This is why Missouri does not allow the selling of used mattresses with out the proper mattress cleaning and sanitation or the appropriate licensing permits and tags. This law doesn’t stop the average person from selling their mattress or giving it to someone through a charity or even other avenues like Craig List who are not required to comply with such laws.  

I know an awful lot of mattresses are changing hands out there that are used but are these mattresses being cleaned and properly sanitized either by the seller or the buyer? I think the answer is no.

If you are in the mattress cleaning business and are looking for potential customers contact STL Beds or call 1-888-785-2337. Since I know this is being done anyway I would like to offer those people the company names of mattress cleaning services. After all a clean sanitary mattress is a healthy mattress.

Filling Free Flow Tubes or Cylinders:

1. Remove the pull caps and insert plug from the tube.
2. Fill each cylinder with warm or tepid water at a sink or bathtub.
3. Fill the Somma tube to the fill line noted on the cylinder that best suits your personal comfort requirements. We suggest you use less water and add more to discover you optimum comfort level.NOTE DO NOT OVERFILL CYLINDERS OR TUBES
4. After filling cylinders, be sure to wipe excess water off outside of cylinders.
5. Slowly lay cylinders down flat to force air out of them. This is called burping the air out.
6. Replace insert plug into the tube valve stem. Screw cap on evenly and tightly. Do not cross thread, then press down and invert the valve like a beach ball.
7. Next, place one cylinder lengthwise so it is running head to foot inside the foam safety lined tray. Lay it in the center of the tray.  Each subsequent tube should then be installed working your way toward the foam side rails. Make sure cylinders are snug, but do not overlap each other.NOTE VALVES SHOULD BE AT THE FOOT END OF BED
8. To prevent possible condensation, let the water in the cylinders reach room temperature before covering the tubes with the quilted zipper or shell top.
9. If you purchased the optional removable pillow top duvet, now you would place it on top of the completed mattress, attaching it to the mattress with the provided straps.

Filling Baffled or Foam Filled Tubes and Cylinders:

• You must be careful not to allow the insert to slide to one end!
• While filling tube hold insert firmly so it cannot shift.
• Fill each cylinder with warm or tepid water preferably in a bathtub or in foam safety lined tray where the tubes can be filled laying flat.
• If installing foam filled cylinders, carefully walk on cylinders with stocking feet to expel air from foam. Then remove cap and plug and repeat Steps 5 & 6.
• Again while transporting tube from the tub to the bed, hold insert firmly so it cannot shift out of place.

Care and Maintenance Instructions

• You can be assured of years of comfort and performance if you follow these simple suggestions.
• Use a mattress pad to protect the mattress and the duvet
• Always use proper supporting foundation under the mattress. For other applications such as platform beds etc. contact your local waterbed dealer.
• Add recommended dosage of waterbed conditioner or tablets.
• Be sure to burp or bleed your tubes to reduce noise and increase waterbed comfort.
• Keep bed clean and free of dirt.

These are general fill instructions. If you have never filled a tube waterbed please contact your local dealer for more helpful hints or follow the installation instructions supplied with or on your tubes.

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.

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.

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.

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