How to Find Hole in Air Mattress (Easiest Way)

If your air mattress is leaking, it is necessary to find the hole and patch it to enjoy using it once again.

I have conducted my own research and found that about 90% of air mattress owners report that puncture is their biggest problem with their air mattresses.

Some punctures are so huge that you notice them right away but others are too tiny that you could spend hours trying to find but end up with nothing.

So, allow me a few minutes so that I can show you how to find a lead in your air when you want to patch it properly.

Let’s get into the quick tip!

Trial and Error Methods People Use to Find Leaks in Air Mattresses

People recommend a lot of trial and error, but that shouldn’t be the case.

  • Some say that you should set the air mattress on the side.
  • Other people fill the mattress with water, sit on it and look for where the water squirts out.
  • Others say that you should put your ear real close to it, and go back and forth over every surface to identify the pressure coming out.
  • People also recommend putting your lips all over the sides until you find cold air blowing onto your lips.

But after trying out a lot of different tactics, I found out what works best. And I will show you how the method works.

It could save that air bed from going into the bin.

The technique we will discuss here is using soapy water to find a leak in the air mattress.

How to Find Hole in Air Mattress

I know people do have things on their floors or carpets. If there is anything on the floor, then it is going to puncture the bottom of the air mattress before the top.

Therefore, I recommend that you try this method on the bottom before checking the top of the air mattress.

1 .Fill up a water bottle to halfway with water.

how can I find a leak in air mattress

2. Add about 3 little squirts of hand soap. Just enough drops to make the water soapy.

Usually, air mattresses lock items on these seams (the small dipping sections across the surface) and that makes those spots vulnerable.

More than 80% of holes in air mattresses are found in those seams.

3. Spray the seams with soapy water

using soap water to find hole in air mattress

Begin to spray all the seams with your soapy water, going in at multiple angles.

Make sure that every bid is covered with soapy water.

You will notice small soap bubbles, but those are not what you’re looking for.

While spraying your soapy water, you can sit on the air mattress to put pressure on it. This will further make that puncture produce huge bubbles.

Oftentimes, it will even generate a squeaking sound.

4. Look for huge bubbles

The actual puncture will be so apparent and you will notice a huge bubble.

Usually, the puncture bubble will be so obvious that you won’t miss it.

If you’re sure the puncture is not at the bottom, then use the same technique for the top side.

Once you are done finding the hole:

  • Mark it with ink or tape.
  • Get your tools ready to patch it

READ MORE: How to Fix a Hole in Air Mattress Using Nail Polish

How to Know if Your Air Mattress has a Puncture/Leak

Let me walk you through a couple of ideas that will help you identify if your mattress has a hole leaking air or it is perfectly fine.

You need to know this…

Whenever there is a temperature change, all inflatable products will lose air. At night, the air inside the air mattress gets colder and you cannot prevent this.

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So, here are what to look out for:

Sinking down

If you’re sinking down this much, there is a good chance it has a puncture and you will need to find it.

signs of a leaking air mattress

Audible hissing

Another clear indication that your air mattress is punctured is a perceptible hissing sound.

When you can hear the hiss anytime you fill the mattress, it’s definitely time to find materials for patching.