How to Blow Up an Air Mattress with a Hair Dryer?

Do you have an air mattress but don’t have a working pump?

Well, you don’t really need one. You can just use a hair dryer and make it work.

You must be wondering now – how to blow up an air mattress with a hair dryer?

It is certainly possible for you to blow up an air mattress with a hair dryer. And you don’t have to spend the night scratching your head with an air mattress and no pump. The hair dryer can act as a quick, DIY pump to help you inflate your air mattress for the night.

Don’t forget to take the short quiz at the end of this post to find out if you are ready to blow up your air mattress with a hair dryer.

Just be sure to use the safety features of your device, and be aware of the possible consequences. 

Things You Need Before Blowing Up An Air Mattress With A Hair Dryer

An air mattress is a convenient way to sleep on the go. But it may become a headache to inflate an air mattress if you don’t have its pump.

However, you may be able to use some out-of-the-box ways of inflating your air mattress such as with a hair dryer.

Here are the things you will need to achieve this.

A high-powered hair dryer

Most high-powered hair dryers are small and lightweight, so they’re easy to take with you wherever you go. They also come with a variety of attachments, including diffusers and concentrators.

The hair dryer must have a cool setting

The cool setting on a hair dryer is the key. We do not want to blow up an air mattress with hot hair as that might damage it.

An electricity connection

Obviously, an electricity connection is a must to power the hair dryer. If you’re at home, that shouldn’t be an issue. But if you are out camping, you may need to find a way to turn on the hair dryer.

A way to seal the connection

Many times the concentrators that come with the hair dryer will not be able to fit in the narrow valve of the air mattress. You may need to find an alternate way to focus the air flow directly into the air mattress.

You can do this by taking a paper and rolling it into a shape of a cone. You will insert the narrow side of the cone into the valve of the air mattress and then use the wide end of the cone to pump the air into the air mattress using the hair dryer.

ALSO READ: Can Automatic Tire Pumps Be Used On An Air Mattress?

ALSO READ: Can You Bring An Air Mattress To A Hotel?

Steps to Blow Up an Air Mattress with a Hair Dryer

These 5 steps are crucial to successfully doing this.

Step 1: Plug in your hair dryer and switch to the cool setting

Once the hair dryer is plugged in, turn it to test if everything is working. Make sure that it is throwing out cool air after being switched to the cool setting. 

Step 2: Make sure your air mattress is correctly placed

Once the air mattress is inflated, it may be a bit difficult to move it. So make sure that you have placed it where you want it before you begin inflating it. It will just save you from the hassle of moving a fully inflated air mattress.

Step 3: Check the air valve

Now, you need to see if any of the concentrator nozzles of your hair dryer would fit into the valve of the air mattress. It will be unlikely as valves are pretty narrow. This is where your cone-shaped paper nozzle will come into play. 

Step 4: Blow up the air mattress

Push the cone-shaped paper nozzle into the valve of the air mattress. Place the hair dryer on the other side of the paper nozzle. Turn on the hair dryer at full speed. It will take a few minutes for the air mattress to inflate. 

Step 5: Close the valve

Once you have inflated the air mattress to your liking, you will need to turn off the hair dryer. But remember, you will have to quickly close the valve before letting the air escape from the air mattress causing it to deflate.

ALSO READ: Why Do Air Mattresses Lose Air?

Potential Dangers of Using a Hair Dryer to Blow Up an Air Mattress

Let’s get this straight. The air mattress manufacturers didn’t intend for you to fill in the air using hair dryers. So, there definitely are some dangers to doing it that you should know before proceeding.

Can explode an air mattress if inflated with hot air

Using a hair dryer with the hot setting accidentally to inflate an air mattress can overheat the mattress, causing it to burst. The high heat from the hair dryer can also melt the plastic casing on the mattress, releasing harmful chemicals into the air.

Can be difficult to maintain desired air volume

When you are using a hair dryer to blow up an air mattress, you are not exactly following the recommended instructions. As mentioned above, once you have filled the air mattress with air, you will need to quickly close the valve.

The air mattress can lose some air by the time you close it. This can end you up with an air mattress with less than desired air volume because some of it has been escaped while you were closing the valve. 

Can get noisy

Be prepared for a lot of noise. The sound of a hair dryer blowing up an air mattress is quite loud, so you may want to do this outdoors or in a room where you can close the door to muffle the noise to not disturb the people around you. 

May be damaging long-term

Blowing up an air mattress with a hair dryer isn’t how the manufacturer intended it to be. It also isn’t the most ideal way of inflating the air mattress. It may cause damage to the air mattress if done over a longer period of time. 

ALSO READ: Can A Cat Puncture An Air Mattress?

Conclusion

In conclusion, using a hair dryer to blow up an air mattress is an easy and efficient way to do so. It is important to follow the proper steps, as outlined in this article, to avoid any accidents.

By following these simple steps, anyone can successfully blow up an air mattress in a matter of minutes. But since this is not the official way of inflating an air mattress, it must not be done regularly.

It is always best to use the recommended pumps to blow up an air mattress. 

TAKE THE QUIZ: Can You Blow Up an Air Mattress with a Hair Dryer?

Take this short and fun quiz to find out if you are ready. It takes less than 30 seconds to finish.