So your memory foam smells bad. My condolences. I was a memory foam pillow virgin when I first bought mine and had never heard of the words “off-gassing”. I nearly went out of my mind when my odorous new pillow wouldn’t become odorless!
I’ve learned from my mistakes since then and I’m here to give you some tips on how to deal with smelly memory foam.
But first…
Why does memory foam smell so bad?
Memory foam was created by NASA’s research center as far back as 1966. It was initially developed to improve airplane cushions. It’s made from polyurethane plus other chemicals. Some products are also treated with flame retardants to comply with safety standards.
As a result, these compounds escape from the foam or “off gas”. The smell has been compared to a newly painted room and dissipates with time.
Depending on the item and brand, off-gassing may take a few days to a few weeks. There are, however, some tactics you can employ to make the smell disappear faster.
Tips to Remove Smell from New Memory Foam
Air your memory foam
The smell will be strongest when you first take it out of its plastic and packaging. I aired mine out in an enclosed room. Stupid right? Instead of just having an odorous pillow, I ended up having an entire room smelling of chemicals and paint.
At the least, let your memory foam air in a well-ventilated room. Open doors and windows to let the air in. You can lean your memory foam against a window and then change the sides facing it periodically.
Sunlight helps
Weather-permitting, leave it out on your porch on a dry day. Remember though that memory foam doesn’t take well to extreme heat so put it under shade if the sun is hellish. If you’re not sure if it will rain later in the day, be sure to have a roof over it.
Sprinkle baking soda
I am such a fan of baking soda. It works for an odorous memory foam pillow, topper, or mattress too. Simply sprinkle a bit directly onto your memory foam and let stand for a day or two.
Then, give it a shake and vacuum off the remaining fine powder with the upholstery brush attachment. This should help minimize the smell.
Cheat with fabric spray
If you’ve Febreze or some similar fabric deodorizer at home, spray it on lightly to your memory foam.
Or use an organic citrus cleaner spray
Philip calls me a hipster because everything at our house has to be organic. I make my own cleaner slash deodorizing spray and it should work great with memory pillows as well as the commercial brands.
Try an air purifier with a washable filter
What you should never do to your memory foam
Memory foam has two natural enemies — liquid and heat. Here are some things you should never subject your memory foam to:
- Never put it in the dryer
- Never put your memory foam in the washer
- Never use hot water to attempt to clean it
- Never scrub with an abrasive sponge or surface
Author: Mary Lou
In the Before Times, Maru spent vacations traveling and making stops at showrooms to test the latest massage chair models. Nowadays, she’s hunkered down in her small sunlit home dotted with her ever-growing collection of fiddle fig trees, indoor plants, and Himalayan salt lamps. Find her at LinkedIn.