It is possible to blow up an air mattress without a pump. There are several methods you can use to do this if you have forgotten your pump or you are camping somewhere without a power source. We will discuss in detail How To Blow Up An Air Mattress Without a Pump.
These are our top tips for inflating an air mattress without a pump:
- Use household appliances – leaf blower or snow blower, for example.
- Set your hairdryer to the cool setting and blow air into your mattress
- Use a vacuum cleaner switched to the exhaust setting
- Fill a plastic bag with air and exchange the air from the bag into the air bed
How To Blow Up An Air Mattress Without a Pump?
An air mattress is useless if you can’t blow it up.
Many air mattress models will either have a handheld pump included or will have a built-in electric pump.
If you leave your pump at home or are camping with no power outlet, you may need to find a different way to blow up an air mattress.
We share our best tips on how to inflate an air mattress without an electric pump.
Left your pump at home? No electricity?
Don’t panic! It is completely possible to blow up an airbed without a pump.
Why Blow Up An Air Mattresses Without A Pump?
You hear the word inflatable and you think pump, right?
Using a pump is definitely the quickest and easiest way to blow up a mattress.
However, there are certain situations where you may need to blow up an air bed without a pump.
The pump is broken
If your pump is broken you will not have much success in getting your air mattress to inflate.
The built-in pump or your foot pump may be broken and you will need to find an alternative way to inflate your mattress.
There is no power
It is possible to inflate an air mattress with no electricity.
However, if you are relying on your built-in pump to do the job for you, you will need to have a rethink if there are no power outlets nearby.
This shouldn’t be an issue if you are using your airbed inside, but this is something to keep in mind if you are camping.
You didn’t pack the pump
You have arrived at your camping spot, pitched the tent but you have forgotten to pack an electric pump.
If you have no pump with you, you are going to need to know how to inflate an air bed without one.
Essentials Needed to Blow Up An Air Mattress Without a Pump
Inflating an air mattress without a pump is possible, but can be a time-consuming process.
Whether you want to know how to blow up an Intex air mattress or how to blow up a Coleman air mattress or any other airbed model, you will first need some appliances to help you get the job done.
Here is a list of essentials needed to blow up without an electric pump:
- Hairdryer
- Leaf blower
- Snowblower
- Vacuum and Vacuum Hose
- Plastic bag
How To Blow Up An Air Mattress Without a Pump – Best Tips
No air pump? No problem!
If you are using your air bed at home, there are several home appliances you can use to easily inflate your airbed.
Pumps push air into your mattress to inflate it, this means any appliance that delivers a direct airstream will successfully blow up your bed.
Pumping up when you are camping can be a little more challenging, but we will cover more of that later.
Firstly here are our best tips on how to inflate an air mattress using household appliances.
1. Use a hairdryer
You can inflate with a hairy dryer.
You might not have a air pump at home but you are sure to have a hairdryer somewhere.
Here are our top tips on how to inflate an air mattress with a hairdryer:
- Open mattress valve on side of the mattress.
- If your hairdryer is too wide, put a long thin vacuum nozzle into the mattress valve and blow the airstream in through that.
- Set your hairdryer to the cool air setting. If you use hot air it can damage the PVC of your mattress and weaken the seams.
- Turn your hairdryer on and continue to blow air into your air mattress until it is fully inflated.
- Switch the hairdryer off, remove it from the bed and quickly close the mattress valve.
2. Use a vacuum cleaner
If you don’t have a pump, you can inflate an air mattress with a vacuum cleaner.
You will need to use the thin nozzle to get the airstream directly into your mattress.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to inflate an airbed with a vacuum cleaner:
- Clean your vacuum, you don’t want it to be blowing dust and dirt particles into your mattress.
- Use the thin nozzle or just the hose. Insert it into the air valve on the side of the bed, and make sure it fits snugly to prevent air from escaping.
- Switch your vacuum to the exhaust setting and fill the mattress with air until it is your desired firmness. If your vacuum has multiple speed settings, set it to the lowest setting first to avoid putting intense pressure on the seams.
- If your car vacuum cleaner has a reverse function, you could also use that to inflate your airbed.
3. Use a leaf blower or snow blower
All you need is a direct airstream to successfully inflate your air mattress.
A leaf blower or snow blower can easily get the job done.
Here are our top tips for using a snow or leaf blower to inflate
- Make sure the appliance fits into the air valve with a tight seal. You can use a vacuum hose if your leaf blower or snow blower is too wide.
- Start with the lowest setting on your leaf blower to avoid putting stress on the seams.
If you put too much air in too quickly, the seams can weaken and your mattress can more easily rip or puncture.
4. Use a bag
Yes, you can inflate an air mattress with a bag!
The methods we have covered so far all require a power source but what should you do if you are camping with no electricity?
You will not be able to use a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner to inflate your airbed if you have no power.
However, don’t give up hope, you can blow up your air bed with a plastic bag.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to inflate an air bed with a plastic bag:
Place your air mattress on a flat surface, be sure there are no sharp objects on the ground. Open the air valve ready.
- Take a plastic bag and swing it around to collect the air.
- Once the bag is full, tightly close the top of the bag to keep the air inside.
- Place the plastic bag over the air valve. Use an elastic band to keep the bag in place over the air valve.
- Gently press the plastic bag, pushing the air from the bag into your airbed. Slowly press on the bag otherwise the bag may rip and the air will escape.
- This method is not going to get you a fully inflated air mattress fast, but it will get the job done.
Keep filling the bag with air and repeating the steps above, make sure you remember to close the air valve while you are filling up the plastic bag.
How To Blow Up An Air Mattress With No Electricity
If you find yourself with no electricity but you do have other pumps at hand, you can easily inflate your air mattress.
A manual foot pump, a battery-powered handheld air pump, a bike pump, or a car pump can all be used to blow up your airbed.
If you have no electricity you can still blow up your air mattress that usually uses an electric pump.
The method needed to inflate your mattress with a hand air mattress pump or foot pump is similar to those listed above, just insert it into the air valve and pump until the bed’s fully inflated.
The bag method is your best option if you find yourself in a situation where you have no power and no other air pump options are available.
Air Mattress Buying Guide
Air mattresses are a convenient sleeping solution for camping trips, when guests come to stay, or for sleeping under the stars in the great outdoors.
There are many different types of air mattresses available on the market today.
Before buying an air mattress you will need to consider a few key factors.
An air mattress with an electric pump built-in may suit campers looking to save time when it comes to inflating and deflating their bed.
However, for hikers looking for something lightweight and portable, a self-inflating airbed may be the best option.
If you are looking for the best air mattress to suit your needs, here are a few points to think about before you make a purchase:
Where will you be using it?
Air mattresses can be used inside and outside, they are versatile beds that can be used almost anywhere.
However, you want to make sure your mattress will fit comfortably in your tent or guest room.
Check the inflated size dimensions on the product description to be certain you will have enough room for your air mattress in your desired sleeping space.
Do you need extra support?
Like standard mattresses, the support offered by different air mattresses will vary.
Basic model air mattresses are known for not being very comfortable; it’s not uncommon to wake in the morning with a sore back after a night on a low-budget airbed.
However, there are many air beds that are affordable and use air-filled coils or multi-air chamber technology to offer exceptional support and evenly distribute your body weight.
Do you want to spend time inflating and deflating an air mattress?
Pumping an air mattress up using a manual hand or foot air pump can take a long time, especially if you have a king-size air mattress!
If you want to save time, there are many air mattress models that come with a built-in pump that will inflate your bed in just a few minutes.
Deflating a mattress has never been quicker, just switch the built-in pump to deflate and watch as your bed quickly deflates.
Does your air mattress need to be portable?
If you are planning to make your air mattress a permanent feature in your spare bedroom, you won’t need to worry too much about it being lightweight and easy to store.
However, if your airbed will only be used occasionally or you plan on taking it on a hiking trip in the wilderness, you will want to choose a model that is lightweight and folds away small and compact.
There are many travel-friendly mattresses available on the market and many models come with a convenient storage bag.
Before purchasing an air mattress you will also need to consider how soft you would like the top layer – different models offer different levels of flocking – and whether there will be a power source where you are camping.
Splashing out on an air mattress with a built-in pump is pointless if you are camping at the top of a mountain with no power outlets for miles!
Conclusion
An air mattress is no good to anyone if it isn’t inflated, but what can you do if you don’t have an air pump?
It is totally possible to inflate a mattress without a pump, in fact, many appliances you have at home can easily get the job done.
We have shared the best methods to pump up an air mattress without a pump in this article.
We hope the tips we have shared help you to blow up your mattress if you ever find yourself without a pump or a power source.
FAQ
Can You Use a Hairdryer to Blow up a Mattress?
You can use a hairdryer to blow up an air mattress.
Make sure your hairdryer is set to the cold air setting as hot air could damage the inside of your airbed.
Follow the step-by-step guide in this article to help you successfully inflate a mattress with a hairdryer.
Can You Blow up an Air Mattress With Your Mouth?
It is possible to inflate a mattress with your mouth but it will depend on the size of the air valve.
To successfully inflate an airbed there needs to be a tight seal around the valve.
If your air mattress valve is too wide, you will not be able to get your mouth snuggly around the opening.
Blowing up a mattress with your mouth will take a long time and it is much easier to use one of the methods listed in this article.
How To Inflate an Air Mattress With a Built-in Pump?
Blowing up an air mattress with a built-in pump is easy.
Models vary but in most cases, all you need to do is turn the switch to ‘inflate’ and sit back while your mattress inflates itself.
A built-in pump will not inflate your mattress quietly but it will get the job done in just a minute or two.
Can You Fill an Air Mattress With Water?
No, you can’t fill a mattress with water.
Air mattresses are only designed to be filled with air, water does not compress and could rip the seams of your air mattress.
Deflating a mattress full of water will also be problematic, the mattress will be heavy and the water will need to be emptied out somewhere it can safely drain away.
Can You Blow up an Air Mattress With an Air Compressor?
Yes, you can just insert the hose of the compressor into the mattress, flip the switch and wait for the mattress to fully inflate.
How Do You Pump up an Aerobed?
Just plugging the cord into an outlet and holding down the power button will begin the inflating of the Aerobed mattress.
