Are mattresses flammable? Yes, mattresses are flammable and it will be heartbreaking if your desired mattress is among the list of flammable mattresses. What if you have decided on the best mattress to buy but do not know if that mattress is flammable. What you have to do is read on, so you will learn more about why mattresses are flammable and which ones are flammable.
Mattresses are flammable due to the materials used in making them. Each of these materials is toxic and at any slight contact with fire, it explodes. So you should ensure that the moment you try to trash any mattress when it reaches its expiration period, do so appropriately.
Here’s a breakdown of toxic components in a mattress that makes it flammable.
1. Latex
Most mattresses contain synthetic latex which is generally made from these petroleum products (styrene and butadiene). This latex is not just flammable but also very dangerous to the health of humans. It can cause sicknesses such as weakness with headache, eye cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, tiredness, and hearing loss.
Manufacturers who make springy mattresses such as the Casper and Saatva mostly use synthetic latex rather than natural latex. For those who still use natural latex, they combine it with synthetic latex by using more of the synthetic.
Natural latex is not flammable therefore as a buyer, you should ask and request at stores for mattresses made with natural latex because some brands fake it by tagging their mattresses as purely natural whereas it has been mixed with synthetic latex.
However, some brands who stick to using synthetic because it is cheaper than natural latex do add fire retardants to reduce the harm they can cause when in contact with fire.
2. Chemical Fire Retardants
Similarly, chemical fire retardants are flammable and harmful to human health causing brain malfunctioning, cancer, and puberty delay. Manufacturers are advised and compelled not to use any chemical fire retardant in mattresses in compliance with the law and standards of the government.
Rather than using chemical fire retardants, wool was suggested to be used when making mattresses. On scrutiny, mattress manufacturers do not disclose what fire retardants they use as long as it is not chemically flammable.
3. Foam
A major component of a mattress is foam and it is highly flammable. But does it mean you should not use mattresses with foam? Like the Memory foam mattress? No. All it means is that you can decide to go with mattresses made with natural latex such as the Hastens and Vi-Spring if you are much concerned about your mattress causing any fire accident in the home.
4. Vinyl
One last component that makes mattresses flammable is vinyl. Vinyl is used by manufacturers simply because it makes mattresses water-proof and prevents them from being infected with bacteria.
Does that mean my baby’s mattress is made of vinyl? Yes. Most baby mattresses are made with vinyl because of their advantages. Therefore for your babies, buy only mattresses made with innerspring. You can also get one for yourself too.
How to Identify a Non-Flammable Mattress
1. Natural Latex
Like I said earlier, any mattress made with synthetic latex is flammable even if it is certified as “made with natural latex”. Do well to confirm from the store attendant or read reviews if you are buying online. Manufacturers avoid using natural latex because it is expensive to buy. Therefore, they mix natural latex with synthetic to repel to an extent its flammable feature.
I will advise you to pay keen attention to the specifications and make a request to know. Natural latexes that are non-toxic to human health and non-flammable are the Dunlop latex and the Natural Talalay latex.
Examples of mattresses made with natural latex include Casper, Zenhaven, Plushbeds, Brentwood, and Nest.
2. Made with Innerspring
Mattresses are made with one of these two major components; the foam and the innerspring. Foam is toxic and while innerspring is not. Innerspring is a better option when it comes to flammability because it does not contain any petroleum product.
Look out for mattresses made with innerspring if you want to turn your back on flammable mattresses. They are the best alternative no doubt except you want to use the hybrid mattress that is also made of supportive coils.
3. Plant-based Memory Foam
Mind you I made mention of memory foam as been one of the flammable mattresses but take note that it is only the traditional memory foam that is flammable. The plant-based memory foam is not because it has low chemical emission content. In addition, it is safe for human health because it is organic.
4. Made of Wool
Wool is a substitute for chemical fire retardants. Mattresses with wool components have a good record of keeping individuals warm at night. It does not contain any chemical therefore it is non-flammable.
5. Coils
You should also look out for mattresses with coils. Likewise, they do not pose any health risk for individuals.
Certifications That Show a Mattress Is Safe
The following is a list of certifications given to mattress brands after series of testing and scrutiny to certify that they are safe for human use healthwise and fire prevention too.
- CertiPUR-US
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)
- Eco-Institut
- Made Safe
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- GreenGuard
How to Use Flammable Mattresses
The following are ways you can handle flammable mattresses.
- Make sure you do not smoke in your bedroom.
- All fire matches and lighters must be faraway from your bedroom and children too.
- When installing space heaters, keep them far away from your bed.
- Do not allow your baby to sleep in an adult bed.
- No electrical cords should be placed under your beds.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there other safe flame retardants apart from wool?
Yes. Silica and Kelvar are other examples of safe flame retardants.
2. How much is a non-toxic mattress?
The average minimum price of any non-toxic mattress is $600. Prices vary depending on the brand type you are buying. Therefore if you are preparing a budget add some extra dollars or check the price at Amazon.
3. What are mattress flame retardants?
Mattress flame retardants are put in mattresses to make sure they do not burst into flames. It is the protection put on mattresses by manufacturers to make them safe for all sleepers (healthwise and for fire accident prevention specifically for sleepers who smoke).
There are two types of mattress flame retardants; chemical flame retardants and non-toxic flame retardants.
4. Do mattress flame retardants wear out?
Chemical flame retardants used on mattresses wear out when a mattress reaches its expiration period. That is for mattresses that last for 9 years, the flame retardants on them wear out in that period.
For non-toxic flame retardants like wool, they do not wear out unless the mattress is damaged.
5. Are mattresses fire-resistant?
Yes. Mattresses are fire resistant because they are made of fire retardants which last long till the mattress expires.
Conclusion
Fire accidents must be avoided at all costs in the home. Therefore all precautions should be obeyed correctly. Mattresses are flammable and you must be careful with how you use them to prevent any case of fire at home.