AeroBeds are a brand of high end air mattresses with a reputation for utmost quality, sturdiness and most importantly, supreme comfort. While many other inflatable mattresses are used as temporary bedding for guests, AeroBeds find a role in many homes as the primary mattress in use every night. But, because of this popularity and subsequent constant use, even the most durable air mattress may develop small holes and being losing air at an unacceptable rate. Thus, there may come a time when you must find a way to patch or repair your own AeroBed rather than pay the price for an all new mattress.

If you have an Aero bed that you love, but it’s begun to leak, here’s an easy solution.

Go to the local hardware store and purchase at least two cans of Krylon H20 or Acrylic spray paint. Use at least three cans for a queen sized bed. Select a color to match the color of the bed itself. The Krylon H20 paint can be used indoors while the Acrylic should be used outdoors or in a well ventilated area (garage, patio, backyard…).

If using the Acrylic spray paint, deflate your Aero Air bed and move it into an area where you won’t breath the fumes.

Once the bed is in a ‘paintable area’, inflate it to near full or full capacity.

Spray the entire bed, especially the seams and the bottom of the bed. Let it dry at least two hours.
Spray it a second time and let it dry at least six hours or overnight if you can go without the bed that long.
Deflate and return it to your bedroom and inflate back to your desired firmness. Make the bed as you normally would. Your bed should now last you another 9 to 12 months under normal use.

If you find yourself having difficulty locating where the air is leaking from, especially in instances of multiple small leaks, being certain of where to direct your repair efforts is the first priority. To that end, purchase a common plastic spray bottle, found at most common merchandise and discount stores.

After ensuring the inside of the bottle is clean, fill it most of the way with tap water and mix in several drops of liquid dish detergent or hand soap. Using this mixture, spray your fully inflated AeroBed, starting with the seams, which are the most likely culprits for leaks due to regular wear and tear.

When the soapy water mixture covers a hole leaking air, the result will be small bubble produced by the soap trapping the air, making the location of the leaks plain to see.

Tips No special tips other than the recommendation of the Acrylic paint because it works very well at filling up minute holes (cat claws) and leaking seams. If you have full puncture holes you should use a bike repair kit or the plastic patch kits sold for beach balls and beach air mattresses. Aero does include a small package of patch material and glue so don’t lose it!

Spray paint your Aero bed at least once a year. Try the paint method first before chucking your Aero Bed and purchasing a new one. $10 worth of paint is a lot cheaper than forking over another $200 for a raised queen sized Aero bed.