Do All Foam Mattresses Have Fiberglass

Do All Mattresses Have Fiberglass In Them

No, not all mattresses have fiberglass inside them, particularly as the drawbacks of fiberglass become more understood. However, the material is still used as an affordable way for mattresses in the U.S. to meet federal safety standards.

Fiberglass is relatively inexpensive and it is quite effective as a non-chemical flame retardant. So it remains, for now at least, a common ingredient in mattresses.

Get A Mattress Protector/topper

There is a chance that the mattress will wear out or develop a hole over time. In such a case, the fibreglass strands might escape or become exposed to your living surroundings, putting you at risk.

Remember that these are frequently low-cost mattresses thus, the cover material may be thinner or less durable than expensive brands. As a result, you should cover the mattress with a dependable and long-lasting mattress topper or protector right away.

How To Tell If Your Mattress Contains Fiberglass

In many cases the mattress tag will clearly state that it uses fiberglass for its fire barriers and that you shouldnt remove the cover. Other times the fiberglass isnt clearly mentioned, often hiding behind names like silica. Sometime the cover even includes a zipper for manufacturing purposes that you arent meant to open. Many people see the zipper and assume that it means that they can remove the cover to wash it. DO NOT TAKE THE COVER OFF YOUR MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Thats doubly true for all of the brands on the list at the bottom of this article or any other mattress that contains fiberglass.

In this article, well list the five best fiberglass-free brands in 2021. Most of these brands are eco-friendly and are some of the best mattresses available today. Many of them offer a sleep trial so you can test it out and get a full refund if its not meeting your needs. We also have a buyers guide at the bottom of the list to let you know about the risks of purchasing a mattress with fiberglass and how you can determine which brands contain fiberglass yourself.

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Do All Memory Foam Mattresses Have Fiberglass No

Mattresses need a fire barrier. Fiberglass is a cheap and effective material youll find in lots of memory foam mattresses. But do all memory foam mattresses have fiberglass?

Luckily, the answer is no. There are a ton of memory foam mattresses you can buy that have NO fiberglass at all. The ones that dont have fiberglass usually use silica, sometimes mixed with wool to create the fire barrier.

Ive spoken directly with mattress brands about exactly what they put in their mattresses and I want to assure you that you CAN buy a memory foam mattress without fiberglass!

Heres what well cover in this article:

• 4 Memory Foam Mattresses That DONT Have Fiberglass
• 5 Memory Foam Mattresses That DO Have Fiberglass
• How To Tell If Your Mattress Has Fiberglass
• Why Fiberglass Is Even Used In Mattresses Anyway

Does Every Mattress Have Fiberglass

While not all mattresses contain fiberglass, many do. In the United States, mattresses must contain some sort of flame retardant or barrier. This way, in the case of a fire, your mattress wont erupt into flames and you have leeway to safely escape the area.

Fiberglass use is so common in mattresses because its a cheap and chemical-free flame retardant. If there were ever a fire, the fiberglass would melt on itself and the mattress rather than spreading the flames.

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The Dangers Of Fiberglass In Mattresses

Manufacturers typically weave the fiberglass into the mattress, either directly underneath or right into the inner cover out of sight, and out of mind. However, mattresses with fiberglass can cause inflammatory responses in both children and adults.

If youve ever touched the cotton candy-like fiberglass insulation before, youll know how itchy it can be on your skin. If your mattress cover wears out or gets removed for whatever reason, it can cause tiny, microscopic cuts and irritation all over your skin, damage the eyes and airways, and worsen asthma symptoms if inhaled. Tiny fibers of the stuff can even reach the lower part of the lungs, increasing the chance of more serious, adverse health effects.

Worst of all, fiberglass is almost impossible to get rid of once it has escaped from your mattress. In fact, itll get everywhere inside your home the air, carpet, furniture, your clothes, you name it. Its like dust that settles all over the place except its made of tiny glass shards. This makes fiberglass an expensive and enormous pain to clean up. According to one fiberglass-cleaning professional, getting rid of fiberglass fibers from your home can cost anywhere from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the severity of the situation.

So even though fiberglass is an effective flame retardant for mattresses, it just isnt worth the health and financial risks especially when there are other, safer flame-proof materials out there.

Do You Need To Dispose The Mattress When It Contaminated With Fiberglass

throwing away the mattress can be disappointing for lots of people specially if you dont have budget to buy new mattress but all tricks I mentioned above there is no way you can remove 100% of Fiberglass from the mattress.

And if you get a new cover for your bed then you can find yourself in same situation after the cover starts to wear apart.

so for the best you can do use lint roller on the mattress cover and after the cover starts to wear then you can start repairing by using duct tape on the mattress cover.

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Avoiding Mattress With Fiberglass

One of the best ways to not have to deal with a mattress that has fiberglass is to do your research before buying one. Check reviews, buying guides that we feature on our website, and inform yourself about different materials used in the mattress.

Heres what you can do to avoid a mattress with fiberglass. This will also help you if you already purchased a new mattress recently, but you have your concerns about the fiberglass.

Editors notes: Some mattresses have fiberglass that is tucked away in the lower parts of the mattress for protection and your safety. Those are a better option and may not need to be thrown away immediately. However, encasing it is a good idea just in case, no pun intended. Eventually, holes in the mattress can bring the fiberglass up, and then youre in trouble.

Remove The Mattress If Damaged

If your fiberglass containing mattress has a hole in it then youre in danger.

Because if fiberglass particles have not yet started filling up your room then its likely only a matter of time before you start to see them shimmering with deceptive elegance in your bed and throughout your sleeping space.

And whilst you may be able to patch the mattress back up as a short term solution, the most effective solution here would be to carefully wrap the mattress in plastic sheeting to prevent any release and then remove the mattress from your home.

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Must Mattresses Be Flame Retardant

Consumer Product Safety Commission initiated new standards for mattress flammability in the entire U.S back in 2007. According to CPSC, all mattress makers in the country must ensure their mattresses undergo flammability tests before rolling them out on the market. Also, you should know that CPSC doesn’t consider chemicals to be the only kind of fire retardant.

Moreover, the body discourages using any kind of fire retardant technology. And also, they require all mattresses to pass all the testing protocols for compliance purposes. Mattresses that successfully pass these testing protocols must state on their tags that they meet all the federal flammability tests and standards.

Generally, all Zinus mattresses consist of fiberglass in their construction which is why they are much cheaper than other fiberglass-free mattresses. Chemicals such as benzene and antimony were the chemical fire retardants used on most mattresses before the fiberglass era. However, the CPSC deemed these chemicals unsafe for human health.

Fiberglass in mattresses forms a protective layer that prevents the mattresses from burning in case it catches fire. A fiberglass mattress has the fiberglass material woven into it, a common feature you’ll notice on, Nectar, Ashley, and Zinus mattresses. But the stretch-knit outer cover lacks fiberglass, making it safe to sleep on.

Which Mattresses Have Fiberglass June 2022

Looking for a new mattress but unsure which one to choose? If youre worried about fiberglass, dont be. Not all mattresses contain this harmful material. In this article, well discuss which mattresses have fiberglass and which ones dont. Well also provide some tips on how to avoid fiberglass if its a concern for you. So whether youre in the market for a new mattress or just want to learn more about the materials used in their construction, read on!

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Where Is The Fiberglass Inside The Mattress

The good news is that fiberglass isnt on the outside of mattresses where it can come into contact with your skin. Fiberglass is used to keep mattresses from catching fire its usually in an insulating layer underneath the outer shell.

The fiberglass layer acts as a kind of sheath around the inside of the mattress. So that if the outer shell does catch fire, the fiberglass will hopefully stop the flames before they reach any highly combustible material inside that mattress.

So although the idea of sleeping on a mattress that contains fiberglass might sound scary, its there to keep us safe. And because fire can do severe damage to memory foam, fiberglass is very common in these kinds of mattresses.

Cocoon Mattress Fiberglass By Sealy

There is no mention of how the Cocoon mattress meets fire resistance requirements, and our only hint is that there is a cover that is spot clean only. That could mean there is a fiberglass sock underneath, or it could mean nothing. Weve reached out to the company to find out, and well update this when we learn more.

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What Users Like About Zoma Hybrid Mattress:

• Affordability

Feeling a little stiff? In need of some serious R& R? Upgrade to the Saatva Classic Mattress. This innerspring mattress has a 3 Euro pillow top, three firmness levels, and dual-coil design made of recycled carbon steel for superior support. With Lumbar Zone® Technology, this mattress cradles your spine for optimal alignment and comfort, while the breathable organic cotton mattress cover helps keep you cool all night long.

Fiberglass Mattresses In The News

In recent years, several reports of families coping with the devastating damage the mattress cover in their mattress caused them.

One case, in particular, thats garnered national coverage occurred in St. Louis.

Just have a look at this video titled The danger lurking in your mattress.

Its a living nightmare, horrible and through the whole house Kitchen table, kitchen chairs, countertops, dishes Now the furnace, air conditioner, everything in the house is contaminated Everything is destroyed. You never would have thought by taking off a cover you would destroy thousands upon thousands of dollars and your whole life.

There are plenty of other cases across the country too.

The culprits seem to be low-cost memory foam mattresses from manufacturer Zinus.

Zinus mattresses are widely available and sold at Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Amazon.

However, some claim that other mattress companies also produce similarly dangerous products.

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All Zinus Mattresses And Some Ashley And Nectar Mattresses Contain 62% Or More Fiberglass

All mattresses manufactured in the United States are required under Federal Law to contain a fire retardant. However, fiberglass is a cheap and dangerous alternative, as numerous other effective and safe fire retardants could be used in mattresses.

In the past, chemicals such as antimony and benzene were included in mattresses as fire retardants, but since it’s been proven that they are not safe for human health, they were banned completely.

The purpose of glass fibers in a mattress is that the fire retardant will form a protective layer that will prevent the mattress from burning completely if the product catches fire. If you buy a mattress with fiberglass in it, you will find it woven into the internal cover layer, which is also the case with Zinus, Ashley, and Nectar mattresses. The inner layer of these mattresses is also known as “silica sock” and glass fibers are also referred to as “silicon fibers.”

It is worthy of note that glass fibers are only present inside the mattress and not on the product’s outer layer. Accordingly, there are no glass fibers in the outer stretch knit cover, so you can sleep directly on it. Nevertheless, when people take out the outer cover to wash itit has a zipper that indicates it is washableglass fibers will inevitably escape in the room, eventually contaminating your entire house.

Is It Safe For Mattresses To Have Fiberglass

If you wonder if its safe for mattresses to have fiberglass, well, thats a tricky question. Some forms of fiberglass can be damaging to health if released into a room. But if the mattress and mattress cover stay intact and in place, then any fiberglass inside the bed probably poses no danger to you.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports they are not aware of any health risks from the type of fiberglass used in textiles.

This is a larger diameter continuous fiber, said Nychelle Fleming with CPSC in an interview with KXAN News. The type of fiberglass used in household insulation, which has shorter narrower fibers, may cause skin irritation on contact, or throat irritation if inhaled.

Despite these assurances, there have been reports of fiberglass in mattresses causing health concerns if released from the bed. The important thing is that the mattress cover needs to stay in place and should never be removed. Another concern is if the cover wears out, which could expose the fiberglass from the mattress.

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Fiberglass In Mattresses 3 Real Dangers

Fiberglass is a type of fiber-reinforced plastic that is often used in homes as insulation and typically does not present any health issues when the material is left undisturbed.

However, when used inside mattresses, fiberglass is typically layered underneath or woven into the inner cover out of sight.

And rather than taking on the form of solid plastic sheeting found in items like surfboards or doors, the fiberglass found in mattresses often presents as a woven material with tiny shards of glass embedded into it.

The reason why fiberglass is contained in some mattresses is because the manufacturer has chosen to use it as part of the fire barrier to meet flammability standards.

The idea behind having fiberglass in the mattress is so that if it caught fire, the fiberglass would melt instead of burning to form a protective layer to stop the mattress becoming a blistering inferno.

As such, youre most likely to find fiberglass in cheap memory foam mattresses since memory foam is derived from poly-foam thats highly flammable because its made from petroleum.

Watch the video below to see how quickly a smouldering rag can ignite a raw memory foam mattress.

However, not all mattresses contain fiberglass.

Some manufacturers choose to use organic materials like wool or thistle which are much safer.

In other cases, a hole may appear in the mattress cover that exposes the fiberglass and allows it to be released into the atmosphere.

Whats Wrong With Fiberglass In A Mattress

Fiberglass is often used in mattresses because it is cheap and lightweight. However, there are several disadvantages to using fiberglass in a mattress.

First, fiberglass is a brittle material that can easily break or crumble. This can lead to sharp edges that can poke through the mattresss fabric and cause discomfort or even injury.

Additionally, fiberglass is not very breathable, meaning that it can trap heat and moisture against the body, leading to a sweaty and uncomfortable nights sleep.

Finally, fiberglass is known to be an irritant, causing itchiness, redness, and swelling if it comes into contact with the skin. For these reasons, many people prefer to avoid mattresses made with fiberglass.

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What I Found Regarding Mattresses Without Fiberglass

Most replies came in a day or two, some took up to 5 days. After multiple attempts, a few didnt bother to respond I removed those mattress manufacturers from the table completely. Blank rows/cells in the table below denote a mattress manufacturer that has yet to reply or didnt give a straight answer to my questions, but still has a chance.

• Table Color Key: Green = Good | Orange = Possible Concern | Red = BAD
• Manufacturer column contain affiliate links that open in a New Tab and may earn JSnowCreations a commission.

Fiberglass Free Mattress Table Notes:

Popular brands from Amazon, Walmart, and other retailers that were skipped due to not having a website or readily available method of contact are CoolSense, PrimaSleep, Ssecretland, Vesgantti, Vibe, and YiiYYaa.

Corsicana brands American Bedding, Early Bird, NightsBridge, RENUE, and SLEEPINC. were all removed from the table after multiple emails and chat messages never received a reply which sucks because I had high hope for them since theyre made in the USA.

Idle Sleep was removed because they dont seem to exist any longer, and a bunch of other brands are just using their mattress photos on listings. Yikes