How Bad Are the Chemicals in Your Mattress?

Is your mattress toxic? That's a pretty alarming question. But considering all the mattress chemicals that come into play in a lot of modern manufacturing processes, it's a fair one.

You might have had the experience yourself, especially if you've purchased a mattress in the last few years. Looking forward to a great night's rest, you unbox or haul in your mattress only to be greeted by a specific smell.

"Why does my mattress smell like chemicals?" If you've asked that, you're not alone. 

The real question, though: Should you be worried? Let's explore the chemicals often used in mattress production, potential risks and how to avoid or mitigate them.

What's in your mattress? 

A lot of the mattresses on the market today use polyurethane foam (polyfoam for short) as the fill-in material. That's because polyfoam is cheap to make, widely produced and has been a leading mattress material since the 1960s. This foam gets made using petroleum, though, which means chemicals.

But wait, you might be thinking, I have a spring mattress. The foam fill around the springs is probably polyfoam.

The same goes for memory foam. Although it might feel different from a traditional mattress, odds are pretty high that your memory foam mattress is (you guessed it) polyfoam. 

Polyfoam isn't the only culprit for introducing mattress chemicals, unfortunately. Mattresses available today, especially crib mattresses, may incorporate vinyl to reduce fluid absorption. But vinyl is another petroleum-based product, which means chemicals are involved in its production. 

As an alternative to polyfoam, some manufacturers use latex. While natural latex is safe, synthetic latex means more mattress chemicals. 

Fortunately, things are slowly changing as people increasingly demand safer, more environmentally friendly options, mattress production is changing. Organic mattresses often use the natural latex we talked about, and there are other reliably safe materials like wool or cotton. But the vast majority of mattresses available in the American market today come with quite a few chemicals. 

What chemicals are used to make mattresses?

That depends on the type of mattress you choose. Look at what makes up your mattress to identify the chemicals that might be present. Then, refer to these common mattress materials and associated potentially toxic chemicals.

Polyfoam

These petroleum-based foams usually contain:

• Propylene oxide
  
• Toluene diisocyanate (TDI)
  
• Benzene
  
• Dimethylformamide (DMF)
  
• Polyols
  

All of these chemicals are used to create polyfoam. If you have a polyurethane foam mattress, do your research into how that foam was made. Polyols can come from vegetable oil, for example, making them less harmful. 

Flame retardants

A lot of mattress producers add flame retardant to the finished mattress. That can be a safety feature, but the retardant itself usually consists of:

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) 
• Halogenic flame retardants (HFRs)

Synthetic latex

Petroleum is back, this time bringing two chemicals into play in order to make that synthetic latex:

• Styrene
  
• Butadiene
  

Vinyl

Last up, crib mattresses and others that offer moisture resistance through vinyl usually contain:

• Phthalates
• Antimony and other heavy metals

Beyond all of that, mattresses might contain chemicals like:

• Perfluorocarbons
• Trichloroethane
• Formaldehyde
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Clearly, chemicals in mattress production abound. But does any of that matter? Yes, and it's because of something called off-gassing. 

Chemical off-gassing

Chemical off-gassing occurs when an item releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. You might have experienced off-gassing firsthand. If you've brought a new mattress home only to get hit with a chemical-like smell, your mattress was probably off-gassing. Polyfoam, flame retardants and other mattress chemicals all off-gas. To make matters worse, recent research suggests that when you lay on your mattress, the heat from your body triggers additional off-gassing. That means that when you're closest to your mattress, it's releasing more of its internal toxic chemicals than at any other time. 

Symptoms and potential risks

Let's circle back to our original question: Is your mattress toxic? It depends on the type of mattress you buy. You might be able to spot potential problems by looking for symptoms that mattress chemicals are bothering you.

Headache

You may inhale VOCs as your mattress off-gasses; the body often responds with head pain.

Pay special attention to your headaches if you think it could be due to a mattress. In most cases where people develop a headache after chemical exposure, the pain goes away shortly after they remove themselves from the chemical situation. If you notice that your headaches fade when you leave your bedroom and worsen when you're sleeping, it could be a sign that the levels of mattress chemicals are unsafe.

Nausea and dizziness

Like headaches, these unwelcome symptoms can indicate that the chemicals in your mattress are off-gassing at a potentially dangerous rate. Again, pay attention to how you feel while in your bedroom and after you leave. If you feel better the longer you're out of your room, your mattress could be the problem.  

Breathing problems

As the VOCs in a mattress off-gas and you breathe them, they can affect your airways. You might deal with respiratory problems, including asthma, allergies and nasal irritation. 

Don't ignore these symptoms. Talk to your doctor about what could be to blame. Look closely at your mattress and its production process before your appointment so you can determine if the mattress you're sleeping on could be the source of your symptoms. 

Long-term risks

While no one wants to feel ill in their bedroom, the risks of a mattress's toxic chemicals extend well beyond short-term effects. In fact, a lot of the VOCs that mattresses off-gas are known carcinogens, which means they heighten your risk for cancer. Beyond that, the VOCs off-gassed by many mattress materials have been linked to:

• Fertility problems
• Neurological issues
• Problems with kidneys, liver, thyroid, lungs or heart

While most mattresses won't off-gas enough VOCs to give you a health-hazardous dose, you may want to explore alternatives to protect your and your family's health.

Non-toxic, natural and organic mattresses

If you want to avoid mattress chemicals, you have an increasing number of options. 

First, when you're shopping for mattresses, carefully research the production process. Then, if you do choose a traditional mattress, let it off-gas in a well-ventilated area for at least a few days. 

To skip the chemicals in mattress production altogether, choose an organic mattress. These options use safe, chemical-free materials like:

• Cotton
• Wool
• Steel coils
• Natural latex (essentially whipped rubber tree sap)

Note that a lot of organic mattresses fall on the firm side because natural latex, while springy, doesn't have a ton of give. Fortunately, you can often find a safe mattress topper (e.g., an organic cotton one) to add some plushness if you like a softer sleeping surface. 

Our top pick for an organic mattress is the Avocado Green mattress, but we have recommended several options.