Before answering the question “How to make a memory foam mattress expand faster?”, it is needed to learn a little bit about this prevailing type of mattress.
The viscoelastic material has been known as the component that configures a memory foam mattress. These elements make the mattress transform its shape depending on your lying position. When you leave it, it can retain its original shape owing to its viscoelasticity.
The memory foam bed is only comfortable and convenient for transportability, making it the right mattress for you.
Compression technology collapses the memory foam, while other engines fold it and pack it with a box. It is the reason why the memory foam has another name called a bed-in-a-box.
Regular manual instructions show that it takes from 24 to 72 hours for a new memory foam mattress to expand fully. So it is recommended not to sleep on the mattress in the first 24 hours after unpacking it.
Many factors affect the length of time of expansion. So we recommend using the following ways if your memory foam mattress is not expanding:
- Unbox and unfold the mattress and lay it flat;
- Massage it by rolling your body on it;
- Make sure the room is warm;
- Provide the mattress air circulation and ventilation.
How to Make a Memory Foam Mattress Expand Faster
Following the steps below will help your mattress expand faster. But inspecting the warranty and return policy is the premier step to make sure if it qualifies for success when following these tips.
1. Unfold The Mattress and Lay It Straight as Soon as Possible
Unbox your memory foam mattress as soon as you receive it to avoid the long wait before you can use it. Leaving it in the box for a long time could result in extended recovery time. We encourage you to open it within 72 hours of receipt.
It is not wise to unpack the mattress by using scissors or knives. Because sharp objects risk damaging the mattress, you will want to keep it safe by unboxing it with your hands.
Then you will unfold it and lay it straight onto an empty and flat area to start the expansion process. This action will increase the surface area exposed to the air and ensure a fast and even expansion.
2. Set Up The Heat At Least 68°F
Memory foam is sensitive to heat. Cooler temperatures potentially cause contraction, while the warmth encourages expansion. So if your new memory foam mattress is not fully expanded, the key step is warming up the area where you place it.
Warmer temperatures increase the fluidities and reduce the viscosities. The heat also softens the air pockets over time and makes them more flexible. The memory foam thus becomes more malleable and expands faster.
If you enjoy a cooler home or live in a colder climate, you can ensure your room is warm by switching on a space heater. The thermal impact allows mattress molecules to move more positively and expand surrounding constructions.
The warmer temperature is, the faster expansion is. Experts recommend setting for at least 68°F. Too high heat, however, can damage your mattress.
So it is not advised to place your heater near the mattress. Since different products react to heat in different ways, you will want to follow your manufacturer’s instructions to learn what temperatures the product can be safely exposed to.
3. Get Moving On The Mattress
Your mattress has been packed by vacuum technology before delivered to you. So gentle movement in the first 30 mins after unpacking will stimulate tiny air pockets to open up and speed the expansion up.
If you massage your mattress by rolling around on it for 10-30 minutes, you can make it softer. As being said, body heat can encourage the expansion process.
Swapping divergent sleeping positions on your bed can help loosen memory foam up, allowing the mattress to expand maximally.
This engineering alone helps fix the corners or middle of the memory foam mattress that is deflated. But we advise you to avoid standing on the mattress because this type of convergent pressure may leave some deep recesses or notches.
4. Increase Air Circulation
Increasing airflow through the memory foam is another method that reduces the time of expansion.
You can keep it in a well-ventilated room by opening the windows of said room. If the weather does not allow natural airflow, creating artificial air circulation will help.
One of the best ways to get artificial airflow in your room is by turning on a fan. Active air movement and ventilation will expand your mattress faster. Fan heaters are an ideal combination.
But if you prefer this combo, check the directions on the label product to ensure that this method does not harm the product you have bought. In most cases, it is recommended to set the heat at 68ºF and put the fan heater a long way from the mattress.
The steamer also works, especially in helping corners and edges expand. This appliance not only warms up a certain area but also creates extra airflow that increases air circulation.
Our test reports plenty of positive results when using a steamer to encourage the mattress to complete its expanse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Bed-in-a-Box”?
The memory foam mattress is widely known for its nature of easy shipping and extra comfort. Before buying one of this beds-in-a-box, the summarized information below will be of great help.
Pros Of a Mattress-In-A-Box
1. Variety
Mattress-in-a-box available on the market offers plenty of types and functions to suit different needs and preferences.
Some mattresses have cooling gel layers or own copper-infused toppers to help regulate body temperature. Other options form their layers of foam in various ways to provide a higher level of support and comfort.
2. Cost Savings
Most mattress-in-a-box companies only sell their products on the Internet. That saves a lot of the cost of renting a store and showroom, salaries, and other expenses.
Besides, compressing the mattresses into smaller boxes helps reduce shipping costs.
3. Convenient Delivery Options
Bed-in-a-box retailers offer free shipping for most orders of a memory foam mattress. The manufacturers use vacuum compression to reduce the mattress’s size without quality loss. That makes it easy to move right past your door.
4. Risk-Free Trials
Most retailers offer generous sleep trials ranging from up to 101 nights. If at any moment during the trial you decide the mattress is not suitable for you, you can return it for a full refund.
Cons of a Mattress-in-a-Box
1. You Can Not Try Before You Buy
Beds-in-a-box dominates the online mattresses market because of the free delivery policy. That means you never have a chance to try your product before you buy.
But almost all the sellers offer a 100-day free trial for their new memory foam mattress. At the time of this sleep trial, you can request a refund for an unsuitable or defective mattress.
2. Requiring A Characteristic Assistance
Memory foam mattresses require a supportive platform. When you purchase a mattress-in-a-box, it is needed to check if your current bed frame suits the product you plan to buy.
Otherwise, the inconsonant base sinks or develops unnecessary indentations and damages your mattress. A box spring is an alternative method that ensures enough support for the mattress.
3. Bed-In-A-Box Generate More Heat
Memory foam naturally generates heat and impedes air circulation. That means your sleep might be interrupted due to the hot mattress under your back.
Plenty of mattress manufacturers recognize this issue and have upgraded the new versions. They make the covers from cooling fabrics and redesign foam layers to improve circulation.
4. Unpleasant Off-Gassing
The unpleasant smell of new bed-in-a-box mattresses is one of their issues. It can take a few days for a bed-in-a-box to release unpleasant odors after unboxing. For a person with a keen nose, the smell radiated from a memory foam mattress may disturb their sleep.
Watch this clip for more details.
How Long Does a Memory Foam Mattress Take To Expand?
Memory foam requires more time to expand compared with a regular mattress. The factor that affects this speed of expansion is the increasing density.
The memory foam contains more particles. This increase in density offers more assistance and comfort to the body.
Some factors that can affect the expansion time of the memory foam beds. They are temperature, density, and thickness.
The warm temperature will expand the memory foam faster. Heat minimizes the viscosity and increases the fluidity, encouraging the mattress to inflate.
A memory foam with denser density will spend more time expanding because it is stiffer. The firmness makes it hard to transform its shape and delivers less softness to your sleep.
The thickness of the foam is also a factor that affects the expansion time. The thicker the foam is, the longer it expands.
In most cases, your bed-in-a-box takes 24-72 hours to fully expand. If 72 hours have passed with no result, you may want to contact the seller for a return or replacement.
Can I Sleep On My Memory Foam Mattress Right After Unboxing?
Sleeping on your new memory foam mattress directly after opening the packaging does not damage it. But you should not lie on the new memory foam bed in the first 24 hours for the following reasons.
The expansion primarily occurs in the initial 4-6 hours after the unboxing. In this process, an event called off-gassing occurs – as the name implies, it is not the most pleasant to witness, not to mention, lay on.
Off-gassing is a reactivity that releases a chemical substance in the form of gas. It does not cause any dangerous effect on healthy people.
But it smells unpleasant and annoys people that are sensitive to scent. The most dangerous factor is that it can aggravate symptoms of asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.
If you decide to lie on your bed before its full expansion, you will not get maximum support of its fully inflated shape.
That is why almost all online sellers provide lengthy sleep trial periods. A free test gives you the most honest feel of its performance prior to deciding if it suits you.
The 24-hour rule is a standard for a maximum expansion of memory foam mattresses. The reason for this instruction is to cover the responsibility of the manufacturer.
If the manufacturer states that you should not sleep on your new mattress within a certain period, we advise you to follow the rules.
That means you will not risk damaging and prevent voiding the warranty. This 24-hour recommendation is to ensure your satisfaction and warranty rights.
Conclusion
Lots of manufacturers on the market offer you a 100-night sleep trial and a good warranty policy. But if your memory foam mattress is not inflating completely or you’re having expansion issues, applying the four steps above will result in satisfaction.
If our tips do not work, you need to seek a way to require a refund or a replacement.
Besides, please feel free to leave a comment to let us know if you have your secret method of getting your mattress inflated faster.
