Do Ikea Mattresses Have Fiberglass? (All You Need To Know)
When shopping for mattresses, size, comfortability, durability, and affordability are key factors that first come to mind.
However, the long-term hazardous effects are just as important as these general factors.
So if you’re wondering if Ikea mattresses contain fiberglass, you are not alone.
Ikea Mattresses do not contain fiberglass. Instead, they are produced with equally protective but less harmful alternatives. These alternatives include nylon, rayon, polyester, etc. To fully grasp why fiberglass is dangerous and what alternatives the Ikea mattress utilizes, you should read this article in-depth.
What Are Ikea Mattresses Made of?
Ikea mattresses contain synthetic latex, memory foam, and polyurethane foam.
Generally, all mattresses have at least three layers, including the cover, the comfort layer, and the supporting layer.
And just underneath the cover is a fire-retarding layer that serves as a thermal barrier and temperature insulator for safety purposes.
How does this flame retarding layer work? It slows down burning, so the mattress melts instead under the heat.
In case of a fire accident, the fire-retarding layer would protect the highly combustible interiors from immediately following suit.
Examples of materials the fire-retarding layer is made of include nylon, rayon, polyester & fiberglass.
Fiberglass is a structural material made from glass, plastic & synthetic fibers. It is durable, flexible, and cheap.
Hence most producers utilize it to meet the compulsory mattress flammability standards while still keeping the cost of production low.
Experts are now discouraging using fiberglass in mattresses because of its many risks.
Instead, manufacturers implement other safer alternatives to meet the industry regulations.
Later in this article, I’ll outline the risks of having fiberglass in your mattress.
How Do You Know If a Mattress Is Fiberglass?
Generally, all manufacturers must declare what materials they use in manufacturing their mattresses.
But you would still need to be informed on how to check if any mattress has fiberglass or not. Meanwhile, shopping or inspecting old mattresses at home.
First, fiberglass is a component that cannot be identified by merely looking at a new mattress.
To tell if it’s present or not, there are a couple of methods you could employ in identifying them.
#1. Check the Label
Manufacturers always highlight the materials they utilize in production on the mattress label.
Including those used inside and outside and the percentage of each material the mattress contains.
Terms like “glass fiber,” ” fiberglass, “silica,” or “glass wool” indicate the presence of fiberglass in a mattress.
#2. Check the Manufacturer’s Warning Instructions
Specific instructions like “Do not take off this mattress cover” always indicate that there are fiberglass materials.
And it must not be exposed or allowed to escape, even if the mattress has a zip on its cover.
#3. Check For Other Clues
Some ways include checking the company’s website FAQ pages, product descriptions, and product reviews.
#4. Other Red Flags
What if the mattress is an old foam and the label or warning instructions aren’t present? You can still predict by taking note of these general notions.
Most mattresses without removable covers have fiberglass underneath. Most cheap polyform-based memory foams contain fiberglass.
Authentic memory foam is usually expensive, but the cheaper alternative in the form of polyform based contains other cheaper materials like fiberglass.
Most cheap new mattresses that cost $500 or less might contain fiberglass.
Low cost is probably the easiest red flag to identify that can help tell if the mattress contains low-quality materials.
Mattresses manufactured in China are likely fiberglass as they are cheaper, so they use cheaper materials in production.
What Foam Do Ikea Mattresses Use?
Ikea offers a wide variety of mattresses to suit your individual needs, sleeping positions, and pockets.
Their Mattresses contain polyurethane and memory foam. In addition, you can also choose between a spring mattress, a natural or latex mattress, and a memory foam.
You might be wondering if there is a difference between memory foam and polyurethane foams.
Against the general misconception, memory foam is just a type of polyurethane foam- the foam in traditional mattresses.
However, memory foams are not as resilient and help relieve pain and pressure by curving snugly at the hip, waist, and shoulder.
Memory foam is also popularly described as giving the feeling of being ‘in the mattress,’ not just on the mattress.
| Compared Parameters | Polyurethane Foam | Memory Foam |
|---|---|---|
| Other names | Also known as polyfoam | Also known as Tempur-pedic foam |
| Material density and resilience | Less dense and more resilient | Denser and less resilient |
| Ache support | It does not support back aches | It relieves backache, and it’s best for orthopedic patients. |
Some mattresses also blend memory and polyurethane foam to balance the stiffness and resilience as much as possible.
Ikea mattresses provide the ultimate sleeping experience to suit any budget.
You should try out this brand if you:
- Want to try out memory and polyurethane foams without breaking the bank?
- We are looking for a relatively cheap mattress.
- Want a safe, eco-friendly mattress?
- Want a mattress that gives a medium to firm feel?
- If you don’t want your foam to sag because you share your bed.
- You want a mattress that would distribute your weight evenly.
Can Fibreglass In a Mattress Hurt You?
Fiberglass can hurt you. Although most manufacturers cover it up to prevent it from escaping.
It still can, especially if it’s an old mattress with a cover slowly wearing off. The fiberglass insulation typically appears like cotton candy.
But if you’ve ever touched it, you’ll know how scratchy and itchy it is on the skin. Or if you have very curious children.
Once it escapes, it can be very difficult to control while also causing various nuisances and health conditions. So let’s get to the various risks associated with fiberglass mattresses.
The Dangers of Fiberglass Mattresses
It is highly difficult to contain once it has escaped your mattress.
It spreads everywhere quickly, from furniture to carpet to your air conditioner, heater, or ventilator, where it further spreads.
It clings easily to the skin, hair, and even your clothes, causing skin irritation from the microscopic cuts from the glass shards.
If these shards get stuck in your skin, surgery might be necessary. It is very burdensome and expensive to clean up because it takes a lot of effort and techniques.
And depending on how severely it has spread, the cost you incur could range from thousands to a whooping ten of thousands!
You would likely be unable to clean it on your own, so you must hire an expert to clean it up.
Fiberglass can also cause adverse health effects when inhaled. These effects include eye irritation, allergies, asthma, and upper respiratory tract irritation.
It is safe to conclude that even though fiberglass is an excellent fire retardant, it is not worth using.
The financial and health risks outweigh its low cost in the long run. Ikea instead uses less hazardous materials that are safe and environmentally friendly.
Conclusion
Fiberglass is a harmful material that manufacturers shouldn’t use in producing mattresses.
Although it’s an effective flame retardant, its health and financial costs make it far too risky to use when safer materials are available.
On the other hand, Ikea mattresses are consumer and environmentally friendly. Thus, they are safe, durable, and worth every penny in the long run.
