My Mattress Stinks

[mn dave]

We bought a new mattress for our bed and it has an odd odor. This is the same brand that our parents bought and they've had two stinky mattresses in a row now. The salesman says he's never heard of these mattresses smelling before--of course he WOULD say that. This isn't a cheap mattress either.

I've read some things online about chemicals in the foam, maybe. The customer service area said it might be bedbug spray. They said to give it a week to air out and if it still smells, they'll exchange it. I told them they'd be wasting their time if they're just going to bring me another smelly mattress.

I don't know what to think.  Has this ever happened to you?

Why is everything so much trouble? 

[Harry]

Well they don't stink in Europe, no bedbug spray is used, because we have no bugs.......
Bought many mattresses, never had that, and life is 50% trouble, and 50% effort, to keep it within limits......

Thanks again for my fine avatar, hope that was not too much trouble.....

[Don]

I've never had the smelly problem with a new mattress.  Return it immediately!  A new mattress should smell new, nothing more.

As it happens, my wife and I just bought a new king-sized bed -smells great after two weeks even though our dog regularly sleeps on it.

[mn dave]

...because we have no bugs...

Pull the other one, Harry.

[mn dave]

I've never had the smelly problem with a new mattress.  Return it immediately!  A new mattress should smell new, nothing more.

As it happens, my wife and I just bought a new king-sized bed -smells great after two weeks even though our dog regularly sleeps on it.

Yeah, it seems pretty strange that I've never heard of this before.

[Don]

Well they don't stink in Europe, no bedbug spray is used, because we have no bugs.......
Bought many mattresses, never had that, and life is 50% trouble, and 50% effort, to keep it within limits......

Thanks again for my fine avatar, hope that was not too much trouble.....

I saw plenty of bugs when I visited Europe last summer.

[Harry]

Pull the other one, Harry.

Well not in my sleeping utensils then......

[scarpia]

because we have no bugs.......

Yes, I suppose you're all eating Soylent Green by now.

[mn dave]

Well not in my sleeping utensils then......

You are welcome for the new avatar. No trouble at all and I'd be happy to obtain one for you any old time. 

[Harry]

I saw plenty of bugs when I visited Europe last summer.

Yes Europe, uhuh, but I am talking about this clean little country, the country the Romans could never conquer, because as small as we are we defended our selfs with nice smelling mattresses. The Netherlands, the cleanest country in Europe!

[Harry]

Yes, I suppose you're all eating Soylent Green by now.

Nasty film that!

[mn dave]

What brand mattress do you have, Don?

We bought one from the Hotel collection at Macy's.

[Lethevich]

They said to give it a week to air out and if it still smells, they'll exchange it. I told them they'd be wasting their time if they're just going to bring me another smelly mattress.

That is totally the wimp's way out - you need to buy tons of that de-odoriser stuff, spray it all over the thing, and every day drag the mattress into the garden and jump on it to get the smell gets pummeled out out (like beating a cusion). Although I guess with this solution it is smell vs. destroyed springs...

[Don]

What brand mattress do you have, Don?

We bought one from the Hotel collection at Macy's.

Our brand is Serta.  Never heard of a Hotel collection.

[mn dave]

That is totally the wimp's way out - you need to buy tons of that de-odoriser stuff, spray it all over the thing, and every day drag the mattress into the garden and jump on it to get the smell gets pummeled out out (like beating a cusion). Although I guess with this solution it is smell vs. destroyed springs...

Wow! Mattresses must be real stinky in the UK.

[Don]

Yes Europe, uhuh, but I am talking about this clean little country, the country the Romans could never conquer, because as small as we are we defended our selfs with nice smelling mattresses. The Netherlands, the cleanest country in Europe!

Not to worry.  Once we humans roast each other, even the Netherlands will be run by bugs.

[mn dave]

Our brand is Serta.  Never heard of a Hotel collection.

Yeah, high buck mattresses.  They must store them in a men's locker room where they allow smoking. 

[Lethevich]

Wow! Mattresses must be real stinky in the UK.

It's a strange coincidence, as I bought a new mattress a few months ago - my old one had a spring poking through after years of loyal service. I've never encountered bad smells, though - that bug chemical thing sounds positively creepy It reminds me of this story in the UK news a few months back...

[mn dave]

It's a strange coincidence, as I bought a new mattress a few months ago - my old one had a spring poking through after years of loyal service. I've never encountered bad smells, though - that bug chemical thing sounds positively creepy It reminds me of this story in the UK news a few months back...

Yeah, or I guess it could be a damp foam or flame-retardant smell. Whatever it is, I'm going out tonight to get a new clean-smelling mattress. (I HOPE!)

[Hollywood]

Now I know that if you have a very old mattress that it can be stinky but I have never heard of buying a new one that stinks. I hope the new replacement mattress doesn't stink.

If you ever have another stinky mattress you might want to try out this tip I saw on a TV show the other day. They suggested that you spread baking soda all over the mattress, leave it there for about 20 minutes and then Hoover it off. Supposedly the baking soda absorbs the oders from the mattress and leaves it fresh smelling. It should work like the Arm and Hammer Carpet and room deodorizer does for your rugs and carpets.