Sleep is inevitable and essential to one’s health, so whether we like it, we’ll need to get some sleep before the day ends. Meanwhile, in this modern era, we don’t need to lie down on hard floors and sustain backaches in the name of getting some rest.
Mattresses have always got our back and therefore there’s hardly a home where you won’t find one or more mattresses.
However, is mattress flammable, as some researchers claim? And by the way, are we entirely safe while lying on a mattress? In this guide, we will shed some light on mattress flammability and other important facts.
What You Should Know About Mattress: Let’s Talk Memory Foam
A memory foam mattress is made of two main parts, namely a polyurethane foam core layer and a polyurethane memory foam layer. These two memory foam layers are covered with some special fabrics.
Besides, certain flame-retardant materials that meet the federal safety criteria are added to the foam layers before they can be considered a mattress. Some mattresses usually contain extra puffy items such as polyester, cotton or wool padding, latex foam, gel-infused foam, and many more.
Unlike most mattresses, memory foam mattresses are compressible and easy to roll up in a box. This is more reason they are popularly referred to as “mattresses in a box.”
The memory foam mattress was developed in 1966 by Charles Yoff and ever since then, it became one of the most widely used mattress brands. Memory foam is a soft bed that relaxes all the body’s pressure points.
So if you plan to have a long, happy rest at the end of each stressful day, consider memory foam. But here is the big question, is mattress flammable and are you making the right choice by going for memory foam? Let’s find out.
Is Mattress Flammable?
Yes, a mattress is flammable but not in all conditions. Even though some brands of mattresses are labeled as being fire resistant, they can still catch fire in the right conditions.
Mattresses can catch flames when brought near an ignition source. Mattresses can exasperate and spread a burning fire quickly, just the same way a burning bamboo would.
However, most times, mattresses become flammable on account of the material they are made of. We will talk about the materials that make up most mattresses soon. But here’s a tip…
Mattresses that are void of flame-retardant materials usually turn out to be flammable while those wrapped in flame-retardant fabrics are non-flammable. Now, let’s take a deeper look at the content of a mattress. Shall we? Good!
What Is A Mattress (Memory Foam) Made Of?
Here, we are using memory foam as our case study. So typically, memory foam comprises:
- Blowing agents: They include Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), water, or HFC used for creating foams.
- Polyols: A petrochemical product that reacts with isocyanates to form polyurethane foam.
- Diisocyanates: These chemicals are used for creating flexible foams, adhesives, rigid foams, sealants, etc.
Other ingredients in mattresses include acetone, methylene chloride, benzene, formaldehyde, and many more.
Is Memory Foam Mattress Flammable?
Yes, memory foam mattresses can catch flames. Memory foam contains a flame-retardant substance, however, this substance can break down when the foam is subjected to extreme temperatures.
Therefore, a memory foam rid of flame retardant substances burns to release a harmful chemical. This harmful chemical is known as Hydrogen Cyanide or HCN (a very poisonous gas).
Are All Mattresses Flammable?
No, not all mattresses are flammable, especially those mattresses manufactured in a regulated country. The flame-retardant substances used in these kinds of mattresses and some spring foams are way potent.
Owing to this, they repel ignition to the very end. These special flame-retardant materials usually work by suppressing the rate at which a foam attracts fire, preventing the release of toxic gases.
Is It Safe To Burn A Mattress?
Technically speaking, it is not safe to set a mattress on fire, so we don’t advise you to do such. This is because any kind of mattress, when ignited, burns to release toxic fumes.
If you inhale these toxic fumes, you’re likely to asphyxiate or suffer from serious health conditions. The environment becomes polluted and filled with these harmful fumes.
Thus, it is quite unsafe to burn a mattress as a burning mattress is disadvantageous to both man and the environment.
How To Tell If A Mattress Is Flammable
Some countries have a set of laid down rules that guide the selling of mattresses. These rules aim to ensure the citizens’ safety by making sure citizens don’t buy a flammable mattress brand because of ignorance.
Thus, any mattress brand that does not meet up with the federal safety rules will be banned. Countries that operate this way end up selling non-flammable foams to their citizens.
So, make sure you study the label of your mattress well before making a purchase. Once you see your country’s patent, just be rest assured you are not making the wrong move.
For other countries’ mattress brands, you may have to go further in your research. However, buying from other brands is not a big deal too, as mattresses won’t catch fire unless prompted by a fire source.
Safety Tips Every Mattress Owner Should Observe
Oftentimes, homeowners are also mattress owners. But in case you’re getting a mattress for the first time, we’ve compiled a list of safety tips for you.
Moreso, everyone needs to see this to be sure they are not turning their beloved bedrooms into a potential fire scene. Anyway, the tips are right here:
- Make sure you don’t store flammable aerosols like perfume anywhere around your mattress.
- Keep all combustible materials away from your mattress.
- If possible, ensure your mattress meets up with your country’s safety standards.
- Keep your mattress away from all sources of ignition such as burning candles, lighters, or matches. More importantly, don’t smoke while in bed.
- Lastly, consider installing a smoke or fire alarm system in your bedroom.
Final Recommendations.
Mattresses are indeed flammable materials, although not all of them. However, in the right conditions, mattresses can ignite and spread fire quickly.
This guide explains everything you should know about mattresses, memory foam mattresses, what they are made of, their flammability, and many more. We also believe you’ve found answers to all the questions you have concerning mattress flammability.
You can visit here to read more about the mattresses we have. Thanks for your time!
