I'm about to buy a commercial mattress...

[avendesora]

I'm about to buy a commercial mattress, and I'm wondering what I can do to contain or remove some of the flame-retardant off-gassing stuff. Any suggestions?

We've been given a 120 year old heirloom bed frame, and the mattress needed for it is 47x74 - not a standard size. I don't picture any of the organic mattress companies making one that size.

Aven

[alinajoy]

In my opinion, I would leave it in the garage unwrapped to offgass for a week or so before bringing it inside. Then you can put an encasement or mattress pad on top of it which will help somewhat.

Since the mattress is not standard you may have a really difficult time finding pads, sheets or anything really to fit it.

Good Luck!
Alina

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by avendesora

We've been given a 120 year old heirloom bed frame, and the mattress needed for it is 47x74 - not a standard size. I don't picture any of the organic mattress companies making one that size.

Why not? Any number of them will take custom orders, just like a conventional mattress company.

You may be able to get away with double sheets at that size. A double is 53x75.

[Drummer's Wife]

definitely let it air out for a while.

We recently bought a crib mattress to fit my son's new toddler bed and the fumes were awful.

probably even more so since it's wrapped in plastic for so long before being purchased.

I set it outside for several days, brought it inside and it still smelled really strong and bothered me. I opened his windows and closed his door (he slept with us) for a few more day and even then, I still worry about it.

I wish I had gotten an organic mattress, honestly. Regular mattresses maybe aren't as bad as crib ones, since they don't have the plastic coating, but I'd still plan to air it out at least a week.

[artemis33]

What a nice gift!

I think it would be very possible to get a custom sized latex mattress. They are often made to order (meaning as needed) anyway. We just bought one and opted for an in stock item, but they had lots of options that we'd have to wait a few weeks for it to be made....I'd definitely check into getting a custom size.

Otherwise, if you go conventional (due to cost issues, time line, whatever) let it air out in a garage or out in the sunshine if are lucky to have some.

We just bought this awesome latex, wool topped, organic cotton wrapped mattress and it didn't offgass AT ALL (of course) but our last mattress was a Tempurpedic, and besides the great comfort (yes, it felt nice!) it made us have headaches to even walk in the room with it for at least a week! It DID pass, though i am sure it continued to offgass, so if that is the route you need to go just avoid contact for a week or two if you can.

And really, at least explore the other options. We found a local company that was willing to price things very competitively and even do a delivery even though we just moved over an hour out of the city (with a ferry ride to boot!).

[cloudswinger]

www.foamorder.com makes natural latex mattresses, and if you do custom sizes, they don't have to put any fire retardant. They'll make organic covers with wool padding. There are so many options it's ridiculous!

[avendesora]

Thank you! I think I might be able to get a natural latex mattress from foamorder for about what I would have paid for conventional.

Aven

[mom0810]

Fwiw, we bought ds a commercial mattress and just opened the plastic bag outside and left it on the front porch open overnight. Then we brought it in and left it, unmade, in this room for a couple of nights with the window open, and then we closed the window and left the air cleaner on in there full blast. Now, it is just fine.

Latex allergic and horsehair allergic and wool allergic here, so organic is pretty much OUT for us.

[mek]

A friend of mine bought an irregular sized Savvy Rest natural latex mattress. She's very happy with it. She was very happy with their customer service, too. Many of the natural mattress companies (latex, wool, cotton) are small, and, I should think, would be happy to customize your mattress size.

[talia rose]

Latex mattresses can be quite easily made in custom sizes...

As a woman and a mother and a doula I can never suggest buying a conventional matttress. These chemicals end up in our unborn babies and our breastmilk.

[editornj]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

definitely let it air out for a while.

We recently bought a crib mattress to fit my son's new toddler bed and the fumes were awful.

probably even more so since it's wrapped in plastic for so long before being purchased.

I set it outside for several days, brought it inside and it still smelled really strong and bothered me. I opened his windows and closed his door (he slept with us) for a few more day and even then, I still worry about it.

I wish I had gotten an organic mattress, honestly. Regular mattresses maybe aren't as bad as crib ones, since they don't have the plastic coating, but I'd still plan to air it out at least a week.

: Same exact situation with us, except I got a futon mattress. I put a waterproof organic mattress pad over it, but it it still bugs me--I can still smell it. We aired it out outside for three days/nights straight.

Good luck.

Oh wait, isn't there a site where you can send them a doctor's note that you or your kid has allergies and they won't spray with the flame retardant?

[talia rose]

Originally Posted by editornj

:

Oh wait, isn't there a site where you can send them a doctor's note that you or your kid has allergies and they won't spray with the flame retardant?

This would be possible with a solid cotton or wool mattress but with a standard petrochemical foam mattress the flame retardents are built in to the foam.

[~Megan~]

ugh, why do they sell such poisonious things for us to sleep on?

Someday when I've got the cash I'm buying a king size organic mattress!

[His Own]

The following company sells the lowest-cost talalay latex mattresses I have been able to find. Shipping is free. They will do custom sizes too.

http://www.foambymail.com/LatexMattress.html

[flowers]

MIL let us pick out a bed for our wedding gift and I went with simple frame and a gQueen green cotton futon and a wool topper. It's heavenly, but why oh why didn't I get the king!

Little did I know about the real life adventures of co-sleeping!

[talia rose]

Originally Posted by His Own

The following company sells the lowest-cost talalay latex mattresses I have been able to find. Shipping is free. They will do custom sizes too.

http://www.foambymail.com/LatexMattress.html

Just be aware you have no idea what you are getting by ordering from these folks. Is the latex natural or synthetic? A company can call latex natural even if it is 85% synthetic. What is the flame retardant? Do you trust them?

[2cutiekitties]

The "official" way to gas out a mattress is to put it outside and let it air out all day and then stick in your garage overnight and haul it back outside and let it air out in the sun all day and repeat for SIX months!!!

When I say official, that is what I read in body and soul & my other organic magazine that folded that I cannot remember what it was called.

[talia rose]

Originally Posted by 2cutiekitties

The "official" way to gas out a mattress is to put it outside and let it air out all day and then stick in your garage overnight and haul it back outside and let it air out in the sun all day and repeat for SIX months!!!

When I say official, that is what I read in body and soul & my other organic magazine that folded that I cannot remember what it was called.

The problem with this is the sun begins to break down the foam inside. So although, yes, you are helping to speed the release of VOCs, you are actually speeding up the SVOCs - which get worse with age. This is when the petrochemical foams break down and bond with the dust particles in your home. You kick them up and breathe them in whenever you walk through your home. In a recent study they vacummed 75 homes across the US. Every home had alarmingly high levels of PBDEs in the dust. Another study found cats had really high levels in their bodies because they are so close to the ground and the exsposure to this chemical filled dust is so high. What about our crawling babies?

We found this out the hard way when we offgassed my daughters new carpet in the sun. It began to break down and create a white toxic dust from the glues in the backing. We then became afraid to let our daughter sleep in her room. She stayed in our bed until we replaced her carpet with Marmoleum 4 years later.