Fiberglass Mattress Hidden Dangers

Fiberglass is an excellent material to use for fire barriers to comply with the Mattress Flammability Standard because it doesn’t catch on fire, but is fiberglass safe? 

The short answer: I don’t think so. 

There are many reasons why fiberglass mattresses could be dangerous. 

For one, the fibers in the mattress can become airborne and inhaled when you sleep. 

This can lead to respiratory problems like asthma or bronchitis. Secondly, if you’re allergic to fiberglass (and about 1% of people are), then sleeping on these mattresses could cause life-threatening reactions like anaphylactic shock. 

Thirdly, some people may develop skin sensitivities from long-term exposure to materials made with fiberglass and latex foam combination products.

Fiberglass Mattress 3 Dangers

Is it safe to have fiberglass in your mattress? The short answer: I don’t think so.

There are many reasons why sleeping on these mattresses could be dangerous, including the following three dangers outlined below and explained more thoroughly later under “fiberglass safety.”

Anyway, not all the mattress contain fiberglass

Some manufacturers choose to use organic materials instead of fiberglass. 

The problem is that organic materials can be more expensive than traditional fire barriers, which means they use less material in their mattresses, and the price goes up significantly for consumers.

Most people do not know their mattress contains fiberglass as a fire barrier, but this is common for many mattress manufacturers. 

It’s cheaper and faster to produce than other materials like cotton or wool that are slower-flammable in case of an emergency where the building could catch on flames quickly.

Here are the three most significant dangers of having a mattress containing fiberglass in it inside your home.

1.Fiberglass Health Risk

Just because you’re not in direct contact with the fiberglass in your mattress doesn’t mean you can ignore the potential risks. Why? Because fibers from your mattress could become airborne (and inhaled) when sleeping on it, according to a study by Drs Anne Steinemann and Mona Hanna-Attisha published in 2014.

But it can be worst if you try to remove the cover to the mattress to wash it and find that fiberglass has been used in its construction because you will inevitably release more fibers into your environment.

2.Financial Expense

Getting rid of fiberglass in your home isn’t easy once the shards are embedded in the carpet, upholstery, other superficies even your skin. If you cannot remove it yourself, you may need to hire an expensive professional company that will charge a fee for their services.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult and time-consuming getting rid of these materials since they’re so tightly woven into the fabric that makes up your furniture or carpeting. 

If this material is not removed properly, then whoever touches it can become sick from coming in contact.

3.Forced to move from your house

Due to fiberglass fibers in your house, you can be forced to move from your house. Look at the video below and you will understand that this type of horror story can happen.

How to avoid fiberglass in mattresses

Reports feature Zinus mattresses, which are confirmed to have fiberglass, but Zinus is not one of the major mattress manufacturers. 

There are also reports that some mattresses from Tempurpedic may contain fiberglass, though at least three other sources have refuted this.

Here are three steps to identify if you have fiberglass in your current mattress and how to avoid buying a new mattress with fiberglass.

Check the label

If you check your mattress label, you can see if the manufacturer has listed any materials used in its construction.

However, these labels are not always accurate and may be misleading to consumers so you will need some additional information about your mattress’s fire barrier layer before making a decision.

Know the Warning Signs

Although not a guarantee, a couple of factors can indicate whether or not the mattress contains fiberglass.

• It’s a cheap memory foam mattress – It is hard not to be skeptical when you find a mattress on retail sites for less than $600 that claims it provides the same sleeping experience as memory foam mattresses, which often contain fiberglass.
• The mattress was made in China – Chinese mattress factories often use fiberglass to pass fire barrier tests because it is cheaper, even though the result may be harmful for some.

Go Organic

If you’ve yet to buy your mattress and want to avoid fiberglass, I suggest you go organic.

Organic mattresses are free of chemicals, toxins, and metals, which is a concern with some Chinese-made memory foam models that often contain fiberglass insulation as part of the fire barrier to pass flammability tests.

What if I already have a mattress containing fiberglass

If you had a look at your mattress label and it contains fiberglass, I would be worried. Here are a few things you could do.

Do Not Remove The Cover

Do not remove the mattress cover if you want to avoid more dust. It would just be a waste of energy and time because the fiberglass is entrapped in some sort or protective layer, so removing it will not make much difference anyway. You could cause a fiberglass particle explosion.

If you notice any hole on your mattress, then the fiberglass particles could spread everywhere, and you will be inhaling them.

The video below shows you what can happen if you remove the cover

Remove the mattress if damaged

If your fiberglass mattress has a hole, you might want to consider replacing it with a safer mattress.

Because if fiberglass particles have not yet started to seep out, they might begin to do so as soon you remove the cover. 

You will be able to see them quickly because of their small size and light color – making a big mess in your bedroom. The most effective solution could be to buy a plastic cover to wrap your mattress.

Consider buying a fiberglass free mattress

If you have a mattress containing fiberglass, then the best solution is to buy a new one. Many companies manufacture mattresses without fiberglass, which is the best way to ensure that you’re purchasing an environmentally friendly product with no potential health hazards associated with its production or long-term use.

FAQ:

Is it dangerous to inhale airborne fiberglass fibers?

Inhale airborne fiberglass fibers is one of the dangers with a fiberglass mattress. The fibers in the mattress can become airborne when you sleep, leading to respiratory problems like asthma or bronchitis.

If one is allergic (around a quarter of people), sleeping on these mattresses may also cause life-threatening reactions such as anaphylactic shock, which occurs due to long-term exposure to materials.

What does fiberglass dust look like?

Fiberglass dust looks like a powder. It’s a very fine, flaky white power that can look like salt or sugar on your kitchen countertop if you spill some while cooking and don’t clean it up right away!

How to clean fiberglass from mattress 

You shouldn’t clean fiberglass from a mattress because it is woven into the fabric, not painted on top.

Prevent is better

If you bought a cheap mattress containing foam online is possible you are sleeping on a fiberglass mattress. You should check the label and follow the steps outlined in this article.

A professional fiberglass cleaner could ask you up to $10000 to clean your house from fiberglass.

They will use heavy-duty soap, water, and a brush that is designed for this type of material.

If your mattress has fiberglass in its core to meet fire safety regulations, do not worry – but be careful when shopping for a new bed!

More about Fiberglass:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiberglass

https://www.doh.wa.gov/communityandenvironment/airquality/indoorair/fiberglass