Some mattress brands put fiberglass in their beds because they need to pass the flammability test. But since natural barriers are expensive, most mattress manufacturers opt for fiberglass, which is cheaper and doesn’t come with chemicals.   

However, fiberglass in a mattress is not safe, and you should never sleep or use a mattress with fiberglass. The good news is that not all beds come with fiberglass. Nonetheless, most beds with fiberglass are those made in China, memory foam, and polyfoam mattresses.

Fiberglass is not safe as its particles can irritate the skin or eyes when they come into contact. Additionally, fiberglass can irritate airways and heighten asthma symptoms. If you want to know everything concerning fiberglass in a mattress, continue reading this article.

Why do mattresses have fiberglass?

Every mattress made in the USA is required to have a fire retardant under Federal Law. As a result, some mattress manufacturers use fiberglass because it’s an affordable fire barrier solution without chemicals.

In the past, chemical fire retardants were used in mattresses but were harmful to the user’s health. Instead, look for a bed with a natural fire barrier, and it should be Ceri-Pur US certified.

The main reason for including a fire barrier in mattresses is to prevent it from burning as fiberglass and silica melt on the mattress. But, more importantly, this barrier is vital for memory foam mattresses, which are constructed using chemical foaming processes and can cause an inferno without the fire barrier.

Where is the fiberglass located inside the mattress?

Most mattresses with fiberglass have it woven into an inner cover layer. This is because the fire retardant layer of the bed has to surround the foam to protect it from being engulfed in a life-threatening wave of flame. That’s why manufacturers of mattresses with fiberglass layers don’t recommend users remove the top cover to clean it.

How can I tell that a mattress has fiberglass?

Identifying a mattress with fiberglass is super easy. The first way you can locate fiberglass is by looking at the mattress’s label. Most mattresses indicate the materials used to construct the mattress. The second method is to identify whether the bed was made from. If it’s cheap and from China, there’s a high chance that the bed has fiberglass.

What are the dangers of fiberglass in a mattress?

It does not mean that a mattress is dangerous when it has fiberglass. However, if the fiberglass material is disturbed, it becomes unstable and poses several risks. Some of the risks include the following:

• Health

A fiberglass is a form of reinforced plastic that is featured in most mattress covers. When fiberglass is in woven form, it poses no danger. But when it produces several strands of fiberglass, this becomes a problem.

When fiberglass shards break down and are inhaled or get in contact with humans, they irritate the skin, nose, throat, and even eyes. Besides, they can also worsen conditions like bronchitis and asthma. However, fiberglass is not carcinogenic at the moment.

• Finance

Apart from being a health hazard, fiberglass can also cause financial burdens, as getting rid of this material in your home isn’t simple. If the shards get embedded in your clothes, carpet, curtains, and other surfaces, cleaning will be cumbersome and costly. On top of that, you may have to replace most of your things in the house, as fiberglass doesn’t go away quickly.

• Change of residence

The most heartbreaking thing is that fiberglass can make you change your residence. If it gets to your clothes, ceiling, clothes, upholstery, window sills, cupboard, and many other places, you may lack any other options than to move into a new house.

What mattresses use fiberglass in their structure?

Surprisingly, there are a variety of mattress brands that use fiberglass in some of their mattresses. Most beds that contain fiberglass are typically polyfoam and memory foam mattresses. Since natural and organic fire barriers are expensive, many companies turn to fiberglass. The following mattress brands use fiberglass in most beds: Zinus, Lucid, LinenSpa, and Purple. Please stay away from mattresses from these brands as they are very likely to have fiberglass under their covers.

Summary

Before buying any mattress, it’s crucial to find out the materials it’s made of. Whether cheap or expensive, it’s essential to sleep on a safe and healthy bed than to harm your health slowly by slowly. Most mattresses made in China and memory/polyfoam beds typically come with fiberglass.

Avoid sleeping on a mattress made of fiberglass unless you want your skin to be irritated, get eye rashes, eye irritation, or even have respiratory issues. With such dangers, it’s better to spend more and acquire a natural latex or memory foam mattress without fiberglass.

FAQs

How can I clean a mattress with fiberglass?

Cleaning a mattress with fiberglass is very tricky, but you can still do it. So, if your mattress that contains fiberglass gets stained, you shouldn’t remove the cover. Instead of cleaning it like regular mattresses, you will be required to spot-clean it. On top of that, you will have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

You can also use baking soda to clean it. If you make up your mind to use baking soda, sprinkle it on the affected area and let it stay there overnight before washing. Then, use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of all the baking soda.

Since cleaning a mattress with fiberglass is quite challenging, use a mattress topper and a waterproof protector to prevent stains from reaching the mattress cover.

What are the benefits of sleeping on a fiberglass-free mattress?

Sleeping on a fiberglass-free bed has a lot of advantages. These include:

• A fireproof mattress without toxic chemicals or other irritant substances
• You don’t have to mind about the dangers of sleeping on a bed with fiberglass
• These mattresses are straightforward to clean as the cover can be removed
• You will sleep more soundly as you won’t experience nose and throat irritation brought about by inhaling fiberglass stands.
• The mattress is more eco-friendly as it doesn’t come with fiberglass

How do I get rid of the fiberglass in my room?

If you accidentally remove a mattress cover from your fiberglass mattress, you have to clean your room immediately to avoid being exposed to fiberglass. Wear a protective mask and follow these steps:

• Use a high-end vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to clean your home. Repeat several times to get the best outcome.
• Pay attention to dusty places such as ledges, window sills, and corners
• To avoid the spread of fiberglass particles, wash floors, walls, ceilings, counters, and other hard surfaces using soap or household cleaners.
• Don’t forget to clean the curtains, blinds, rugs, and bedding in your washing machine. After finishing, vacuum your washing machine.
• Run an air purifier in the affected room for not less than 12 hours.  

What material can be used instead of fiberglass?

If you want to stay away from the dangers of mattresses that contain fiberglass material, consider getting a bed that comes with silica blended with wool or fire-retardant sprays. These materials are healthier and don’t pose a high risk, like fiberglass.

Do all mattresses that feature fiberglass pose the same risk?

No, some mattresses with fiberglass pose a greater risk than others. For instance, beds that feature fiberglass in their inner core pose less risk than those that have fiberglass layered loose below the cover. However, when fiberglass is released in both mattresses, they pose the same dangers.