How To Repair Mattress Fabric

Mattresses are a big investment, and simply replacing a mattress that's been damaged is not always financially possible. If your mattress has suffered a tear, either from normal use or from coming into contact with something sharp or jagged, you don't need to throw out the whole mattress. Thankfully, it's quite easy to repair mattresses yourself. Here's how to repair mattress fabric.

If you know how to sew in other contexts, you can easily repair tears or holes in a mattress. First check whether any stuffing is coming out. If so, push it back in or cut off any loose ends. Thread a mattress repair needle with a thick, nylon upholstery thread and secure it with a knot at one end. These needles are thick and often curved at one end, and they're much better than regular needles for repairing the sturdy fabric of a mattress.

Pinch the two sides of the tear together to keep it closed; use a pin to keep it closed while you work if necessary. Insert the needle and thread at one end of the tear. Pull the needle and thread in and out of the mattress along the tear until the two sides of the tear are secured. Knot the thread securely and cut off the end. You can use your mattress again right away.

If the rip in your mattress fabric isn't an even, straight line that can be easily sewed or if stuffing or even a spring is starting to poke through, you might prefer to patch the damage. For this, you'll need a patch of thick fabric that's similar in texture to the fabric of your mattress, and you'll need some fabric glue. Cut out a patch that's a bit bigger than the area you want to patch. Cover the underside of the patch with fabric glue. Smooth the patch over the rip, making sure there are no wrinkles or bubbles that could prevent the patch from sticking smoothly. Different fabric glues have different drying times, but avoid putting any weight on the mattress for at least two hours.

Memory foam mattresses require different treatment than regular mattresses. First, check whether the foam beneath the cover is damaged. If the tear is just to the cover, you can fix that easily with a needle and thread. If the foam itself is torn, it's best to fix this with glue. Not just any old glue will do; look for a spray adhesive that can be used on open-cell foams, as memory foam is. Some glues will just dissolve the foam, so if you're in doubt, ask at a hardware store.

Follow the application instructions on the bottle or can. Press the torn or ripped sides together so the glue can work. Use tape to hold the sides together if it's a large rip. Let the glue dry thoroughly before using your bed again according to the drying time noted on the glue's packaging.