What To Do When Your Waterbed Smells Bad

There are basically 3 reasons for Waterbed odors and if your Waterbed Stinks, Smells, and Has A Bad Odor We are going to share with you How To Fix It.

How to fix a bad waterbed odor

1. Waterbed mattresses are made from PVC vinyl and to make it more flexible and pliable plasticizers are added and when a mattress is brand new and out of the box much like paint that hasn’t fully dried waterbed mattresses can sometimes have a stronger smell. The smell is similar to the smell of a blow-up air raft used in a swimming pool. This smell dissipates within a couple days or weeks after being unpackaged and exposed to air for a while. Some say to use a good vinyl cleaner but it too has a bit of a chemical smell and it really is only masking the smell.
2. If you notice a musty odor these can be tough to treat. Time and the following solution are the answer. The cause is typically bacteria growth. First look to see if there is moisture in the safety liner from a seam leak, puncture, or condensation. Start by cleaning and drying the mattress, heater, and liner. Don’t forget to clean bedding thoroughly as well. It is important to remove any possible mold and mildew. Leave the bed uncovered as long as possible to speed up the process of airing out. Don’t forget to then turn up the temperature on your heater to at least 80 degrees to reduce or eliminate condensation which in turn causes mold.
3. The odor is coming from inside the waterbed bladder. If you have removed your plug and cap and the stench spews like a volcano from the open you have the most serious of waterbed odor issues. The cause is usually bacteria. This can either develop over time when the bed has been used without conditioner or has been introduced by way of a garden hose that has not been carefully flushed. Bacteria multiply rapidly in a warm wet environment such as a waterbed mattress. There are no guarantees but you can try the use of a waterbed shock treatment especially if the odor has permeated the vinyl. Follow the instructions exactly. This is a slow tedious process that may or may not work. If it does not you may very well be in the market for a new water bed bladder.

Always use a multi-purpose water conditioner regularly to keep the water in the mattress free from bacteria, but multi-purpose water conditioner will not fix a bacteria growth that has already started. Use of shock treatment to clear this problem will be necessary. You will need to use the shock treatment for both the inside of the mattress, and also to wipe down the outside of the mattress, the safety liner, and the heater pad. Musty odors will permeate the vinyl to affect these other items, and if they are not treated, even though the bed had been treated, the odor will return.

An additional odor-causing source can be well water from private wells. Typically the water is not treated and there is often high mineral content. The solution is adding a second bottle of multi-purpose water conditioner. It may help keep the problem to a minimum.