Locate a Leak in an Air Mattress

Air mattresses are a convenient, easy to store, and flexible item to have when company shows up to spend the night. Even a tiny leak will leave the sleeper flat on the floor by morning, though, and finding leaks can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Steps

 * 1)  Remove sheets and bedding from your air mattress.
 * 2)  Move it to a place where it can be flipped, turned, and rotated to search all the way around it.
 * 3)  Fill it as much as you can with air, without risking the mattress bursting.  These are not designed for high pressure, so use your breath, or an inflater designed for air mattresses, not an air compressor.
 * 4)  Visually inspect the mattress.  With the mattress very full of air, even a pin hole can become visible.
 * 5) Add a little liquid dish soap to a spray bottle of warm water and begin systematically spraying the mattress.  The leak will reveal itself with soap bubbles. (by far the easiest and best way to find an air leak).  A soapy wet rag wiped on the mattress will work also.
 * 6)  If possible, put the mattress into a pool with water (a bathtub will also do  the job) submerge parts or the whole mattress until you see bubbles rising regularly from the mattress. This will indicate leaks.
 * 7)  Move the palm of your hand slowly along the surface of the mattress.  Often, you may feel the escaping air "brush" against your skin.
 * 8)  Move your head along the surface with your ear near the mattress.  You may hear escaping air, and the ear is especially sensitive to feel the "draft" from the leak.
 * 9)  Pay close attention to all seams. Vinyl air mattresses will usually have seams at the top and bottom edges, and running along the length forming valleys.  These are common places for weak points to occur which can develop into leaks.
 * 10)  Move the mattress to an outdoor table, if you didn't do so to begin your search for the leak. If the table is wooden, cover it with a blanket and/or newspapers.
 * 11)  Turn water on to a garden hose, and begin to "flood" the surface of the mattress with a small stream of water, concentrating on looking for bubbles where the water runs along the mattress surface.  Move slowly, a tiny leak may only make a bubble every few seconds.
 * 12)  Check the air filler nozzle or valve the same way, and be sure it is tightly secured.

Alternate Method

 * 1) Pour a cup of water into the bed.
 * 2) Inflate it the rest of the way with air. Full pressure is not necessary, but inflate it far enough to give it it's shape.
 * 3) Shake the bed around and turn it over a few times. The wet spots will appear immediately and will reveal the leaks.

Tips

 * Using soapy water makes more noticeable bubbles when the fluid covers the cause of the leak.
 * Rinse the soap from the mattress when you are finished, and allow to dry before proceeding with any patchwork.
 * Consult with the manufacturer for information on how to best repair the leak. Some manufacturers send out free repair kits or make appropriate recommendations.
 * When filling the mattress, light an incense stick and allow the smoke to also fill into the mattress. When the air escapes from the pinhole, the smoke will also escape.
 * You might be better off buying a new mattress. Weigh in the time you'll take to identify the leak.

Warnings

 * Do not overinflate the air mattress, it may burst.
 * Do not set the mattress on a pointed object while viewing.

Things You'll Need

 * Soapy water solution.
 * Spray bottle.
 * Garden hose with water.
 * Outdoor table or surface to work on.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Repair a Sagging or Deflated Aero Air Bed
 * How to Buy a Memory Foam Mattress
 * How to Remove Urine Stains from Mattress
 * How to Sleep With Lots of Noise
 * How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night
 * How to Sleep Through a Thunderstorm
 * How to Adopt a Polyphasic Sleep Schedule