How To Inflate Air Mattress With Built In Pump Without Electricity? Instructions

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
27 min read

Because you won’t have to worry about sleeping on the ground with an air mattress, tent camping becomes more fun. However, without electricity, how can you inflate an air mattress? Using an air mattress with a built-in air pump requires electricity, which isn’t always accessible at campgrounds.

It is possible to blow up an air mattress without using power in a few different methods. A car battery electric air pump, battery packs, or a battery-powered pump are all options. If you don’t have a pump for your air mattress, you can still use a foot pump to inflate it. Using any of these pumps, air mattresses can be inflated without the use of electricity.

Make sure to bring along an extension cord when camping on a road trip where electricity is available. As a result, if you want to camp in an area where electricity is available, you’ll need a way to plug in multiple devices simultaneously.

Car Battery Electric Air Pump

Tools required

  • Electric air pump powered by 12V DC
  • Cigarette lighter for the car

Method

There are air pumps that can be utilized in a car or in the wall, depending on your preference. You can use this option for more than just inflating your air mattress with this option. Despite the fact that you can use this pump with your car off, it is highly recommended that you leave your car running while using it.

110V AC Electric Pump and DC Power Inverter

Tools required

  • Pump that may be plugged into a standard outlet
  • a DC to AC inverter

Method

When you go camping, you can still use a conventional air mattress pump, or any other that you can get at a store, to easily pump air mattresses. To achieve this, you can simply plug your inverter into your car’s cigarette lighter.

You may then use the pump to fill your mattress by plugging it into the inverter. The DC inverter can also be used to charge other gadgets.

How to Inflate an Air Mattress While Camping: With or Without Power – Decide Outside – Making Adventure Happen

Battery Packs

Tools required

  • Pack of Batteries

Method

With a battery pack, you can use your air pumps even if there is no power nearby. With the help of this power pack, you’ll be able to fill up your mattress in no time.

Air mattresses may be inflated inside tents without the requirement of an extension cord. Even if you’re not going camping, a battery pack is a worthwhile purchase.

Battery Powered Pump

Tools required

  • A battery-powered air pump that may be recharged or replaced.

Method

A battery-powered air pump is an excellent alternative to a traditional electric pump. ” You won’t need any electricity or manual power to inflate the mattress using these pumps.

They came up with this pump to make it easier to inflate air mattresses swiftly and efficiently. You can select from a variety of battery pump alternatives from Intex.

Air Compressor

Tools required

  • Compressor for air

Method

Pumping air into your mattress is simple if you have a small portable air compressor at your disposal. Use it. An air compressor is the next best thing if you don’t have access to standard air mattress pumps.

Using an air compressor can produce a lot of noise, but it does the job quickly. This may disturb other campers, but since the air compressor pumps swiftly, you won’t have to wait long.

Bike Pump

Tools required

  • Pump for a bicycle

Method

A bike pump would be a fantastic choice for your air mattress’ manual pump. You don’t need to bother about plugging in a bike pump because it doesn’t use any electricity. You want to make sure that the air valve on your mattress is compatible with the bike pump.

Hair Dryer

Tools required

  • Hairdryer
  • Tape

Method

With the help of a hairdryer, you may fill an air mattress without a pump. If you’re not going camping and just want to fill your mattress at home, this is a great option for you.

There are a few things you need to do before using a hairdryer to deodorize your mattress. You can use a hairdryer to inflate the air mattress, then turn it off and shut it up.

Vacuum Cleaner

Tools Required

  • Vacuum cleaner for the hands
  • The source of energy.
  • Tape

Method

Without a pump, you can inflate an air mattress. A full-sized vacuum cleaner is certainly not something you want to bring camping, but a handheld vacuum cleaner is far more portable.

Vacuum cleaners should be entirely empty and have the ability to be reversed before you pack them up and take them camping. To properly fill the air mattress, you’ll want to use tape to form a seal between the vacuum and the air valve.

Leaf Blower

Tools required

  • A leaf blower
  • Tape

Method

Leaf blowers can be used to inflate an air mattress, but this approach is best suited for inflating an air mattress at home rather than camping.

The air mattress will not inflate if the leaf blower and the mattress’ air valve do not have a good seal before you start blowing.

Garbage Bag

Tools required

  • In a trash can

Method

You can use a garbage bag to fill an air mattress if you don’t have any other options but aren’t ready to breathe into your mattress for 30 minutes. The only thing you need to do is open the bag, swing it about for a minute, and then seal it.

Wrap the bag tightly around the plug before inserting it. Make sure the air mattress is filled to the brim before releasing it from the bag. Re-inflate your air mattress as necessary until it is at your desired level of comfort. Although it will take longer, this strategy is excellent in a crisis.

Hand Pumps

Tools required

  • Pump with your bare hands

Method

When you don’t have access to an electric air pump or a built-in air pump, you can use a manual pump to inflate your air mattress. But if you’re short on time and need something quick, this could be a good solution.

An air bed that’s larger than a standard size will take some time and effort to inflate by hand using a pump.

Foot Pumps

Tools required

  • A pump for the soles of your feet

Method

Using a foot pump to fill an air mattress is a cost-effective, manual pump. Using a standard foot pump, you may inflate your mattress to the right level of firmness by simply bouncing it on the plug.

Inflating your mattress inside your tent has never been easier with this method, which is a great idea if you’re going camping.

How to Inflate an Air Mattress While Camping: With or Without Power – Decide Outside – Making Adventure Happen

Your Breath

Tools required

  • None!

Method

You can’t go wrong with a few breaths if you don’t have access to any other methods of air mattress inflation.

You can use this method to inflate a twin-sized mattress, but a full-sized mattress will take a long time and many breaths to do so. The easier it is to breathe into a smaller mattress, the better.

Borrow a Pump

Tools required

  • None!

Method

It’s possible to borrow an air pump from a fellow camper who is nearby if you need to inflate your air mattress but don’t have one of your own.

To avoid any misunderstandings, be sure to ask gently and promptly return their pump. Many campers are happy to lend a helping hand, no matter how small the request.

How Do You Inflate An Air Mattress With A Hand Pump?

With your new hand pump mattress, it’s time to learn how to get the most out of it. However, in order to avoid problems, it is imperative that you check the instructions that came with your mattress. Then you can refer to this step-by-step instruction.

Make sure your mattress is flat on the floor before removing the valve’s cap. Fill your air bed to the recommended level by inserting the hose of your hand pump into the opening. Take rest breaks if your mattress is huge, as some manufacturers recommend an inflation level of up to 90%.

You can also ask a friend or family member to pump for you so that you don’t have to pump for long periods of time on your own. Pumping in the cooler months will help you stay more energized and avoid being overly fatigued. Lastly, put the cap back on and tighten it down.

Can You Use A Bike Pump To Inflate An Air Mattress?

What if you don’t have a built-in pump in your mattress? You may still manually inflate your mattress without using energy by using a bike pump as an option. However, make sure that it is compatible with your bed’s air intake hole in order to make the operation more convenient.

To keep the air from escaping, try a new nozzle or use duct tape to tighten the connection. Note that if your air bed is large, utilizing a bike pump may require more time to complete the inflation process. Other accoutrements can be found in the alternatives listed below.

How Do You Pump A Mattress With Air?

If you have no wall outlet

Car

If you don’t have access to a wall outlet, you can still power your air pump with a variety of other options. People who lack the energy or time to pump their own fluids could benefit from them; some built-in pumps may also be compatible. Try plugging your pump into your car’s cigarette lighter as an example.

Battery pack

As long as your inverter is working, you should be able to blow up your mattress. A battery pack can be used as a substitute for electricity if you don’t want to use your car. A foot pump is a more comfortable manual pump if you don’t have these options.

Foot pump

With this pump, you may simply bounce your foot instead of using your hands. Because they don’t require any additional equipment, foot pumps are more convenient for some people than hand pumps. But if you don’t have a pump, what can you use to inflate your air mattress?

If you have no pump

Air compressor or leaf blower

Filling an air bed is another use for an air compressor. Compressors might be noisy, but they can also be portable, so you can take them with you everywhere you go. Because it doesn’t draw in air, a leaf blower works in the same way.

Vacuum cleaner

When using a leaf blower or an air compressor to inflate a mattress, be sure the valves on both the mattress and the compressor are working properly. Alternatively, if your vacuum cleaner has the option to blow air rather than sucking it in, you can use that instead of a canister model. Duct tape can be used to reinforce the seal on your air bed so that it stays inflated.

Hair blower

You can use a hair blower or a garbage bag to inflate small air mattresses. If you don’t want to blow into your mattress, these are your final options. You may inflate the bed with the hair blower in the same manner you would the vacuum.

Garbage bag

In contrast, getting a waste bag needs a more complex procedure. You’ll swing the insect up and down to collect air, then clamp the bug shut and wrap it around the mattress. Re-insert the sucked-in air into the mattress and continue the process as necessary.

Why You Should Clean an Air Mattress

In order to properly clean an air mattress, we must first understand why it has to be cleaned.

As a result of their transient nature, owners of airbeds tend to store them as soon as they’ve been set up. To avoid odors, mold and stains, they are usually stored without proper care.

Air mattresses serve as a breeding ground for germs because to their frequent interaction with human skin, sweat, dust mites, and other sources of moisture. When an air mattress is put away for the year, it’s more likely to get moldy because it’s kept in a dark basement or storage facility.

If manufacturers don’t pay attention to details like these, many air beds will begin to smell after only a few months or years of regular use (depending on how often they are used).

Owners should wash their air mattresses at least once a season or after each usage to get the most use out of them and avoid buying a new one.

When it comes to cleaning an air mattress, there are a few things to keep in mind.

How to Wash an Air Mattress

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane polymers (PU), and a variety of rubber compounds are the most common materials used in the fabrication of air mattresses. Even on more expensive airbeds, antibacterial velour and velvet mattress tops can be found (see more on this down below).

As a result of the wide range of materials used in air mattresses, gentle or mild cleaning solutions should be used. This will assist keep surfaces in good condition and prevent the likelihood of holes and perforations in the future.

Step 1: Dirt and Dust

A tent or a floor is nearly always where you’ll find an air mattress when you buy one. Dirt and dust collection are necessary because of this. Vacuuming up loose dirt and dust before using water and cleaning solutions is a good idea.

Wrinkles and uneven surfaces can be smoothed out by inflating a mattress first.

If you don’t have access to a strong vacuum, a portable one will do the trick if you need to clear trapped debris. Soft or non-woven textile surfaces can become embedded with loose debris and dust when vacuum cleaners are not powerful enough to remove them.

Scrubbing dirt, unfortunately, pushes particles further into the material making it harder to remove stains and other messes.

Step 2: Odor Removal

Unfortunately, scrubbing dirt into the surface makes it more difficult to remove stains and other issues.

Do not attempt to remove odor until after drying if visible bacteria are seen.

Baking soda can be sprinkled on a mattress if no growth is discovered during an inspection. Baking soda might cause persistent odors even if you don’t entirely cover the airbed.

Before vacuuming up the baking soda, let it set for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3: Cleaning Solution

As previously stated, a non-damaging cleaning solution should be created. For the most part, common home things will suffice.

Warm water and mild soap are the most regularly used mixes, as is rubbing alcohol diluted in warm water (excellent for mildew), or a vinegar-to-water mixture of half-and-half (perfect for mold).

For airbed cleaning, you can also buy name-brand disinfectants; however, your user manual or the manufacturer can provide recommendations for appropriate treatments.

Once you’ve found the finest cleaning solution for your mattress, it’s ideal to finish the job in a warm, dry, and well-lit location. As a bonus, this will help prevent the growth of mold and mildew in the future.

Wipe off all smooth plastic and rubber surfaces with a clean cloth wet with your solution. Stains in these areas can be treated aggressively because air mattresses are engineered to resist more than the typical amount of wear and tear over time.

Nonetheless, velvet and velour surfaces must be treated with care. Use small circular strokes and work from the outside inward when dealing with stains when cleaning fabric surfaces.

Avoid drenching your linen in too much water. Before wiping down a surface, wring out as much liquid as possible. As a result, mold and other microbes are prevented from forming.

Step 4: Drying Your Mattress

Outside on a warm and bright day, drying your mattress is the best option. Even though prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays can harm materials, the cooler temperatures and better moisture dispersion you’ll find when you’re outside make up for that.

If leaving an air mattress outside isn’t an option (due to weather or living arrangements), the next best thing is to place it near a dehumidifier to dry. Before putting your mattress away, make sure it is dry as a bone and free of any odors.

Preventing Mold on Air Mattress

Once you’ve cleaned and dried your mattress, it’s time to start thinking about ways to keep it free of mold and mildew in the future.

Moisture and darkness are ideal settings for bacteria and fungi to flourish, so keeping your air mattress away of these conditions is essential if you want to keep it clean.

Dehumidifiers, for example, can be added to small storage facilities to assist circulate air. As a result, humidity will be reduced, and any cleaning moisture that remains will be removed.

Moisture in storage rooms can be prevented by using vapor barrier, charcoal, or desiccant. Carbon and desiccant materials absorb and trap odors and humidity in a room, while vapor barrier can be put to basement walls to prevent damp air from entering.

Store your air mattress in a linen closet if at all possible. Generally, the air is dry with little fluctuation in temperature or relative humidity. This is the greatest way to extend the life of your airbeds.

These ideas and strategies for cleaning an air mattress should have restored your bed to its original glory!

How Ultra-Fresh Can Help an Air Mattress Stay Cleaner

Using Ultra-Fresh antimicrobial treatments prevents the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew, which can cause odors, discoloration, and disintegration.

During the production process, Ultra-Fresh is infused into the products. Incorporating antimicrobial technology into air mattress materials such as PVC, PU, velour and the adhesives used to seal the seams reduces the food sources for mold and mildew.

There is no room for microbial growth, which results in unpleasant odors and ugly stains.

FAQs

Why is my air mattress deflating quickly after I use one of these methods?

There are a variety of reasons why an air mattress could deflate, and none of them have anything to do with how or what you used to fill it. You may deflate your air mattress due to a combination of factors, including the air mattress design, the temperature outside, and your own body pressure.

Can I prevent deflation?

It’s a good idea to pump up your air mattress a few hours before going to bed if you want to keep it from deflating. The air mattress will be able to adjust to the ambient temperature as a result.

Can any of these methods result in an over-inflated air mattress?

Your air mattresses will not be overfilled as long as you are careful with the pumps you are using. To avoid a sagging air mattress, you should not overinflate it. As you lay down, the air will travel to the sides, increasing the likelihood of rippling seams.

Does my car have to be on when I use an air pump to fill my air mattress?

When utilizing an electric pump to fill your air mattresses, you might not expect to have to leave your car running. The electric pump, on the other hand, necessitates that you keep your car running while you use it. With the engine running, this is less taxing on your battery than if you were to use an electric pump while the car was parked.

How to Inflate Air Mattress Without Pump - Instructables

How can I deflate my air mattress?

Deflating an air mattress without a pump can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help. An air mattress can be deflated using a vacuum cleaner that is connected to a power source. To remove the trapped air, first remove the plug and then attach the vacuum to the plug to begin sucking it out.

Can I buy an air mattress that doesn’t even need a pump?

Yes, you can answer this question. There are self-inflating mattresses on the market that don’t require a pump at all. When you go camping, you’ll have a portable and lightweight choice for your tent. They are often made of foam that absorbs natural air and expands to provide a comfortable mattress inside the tent.

Wrapping Up

If you want to inflate your air mattress without the need of a pump or electricity, you have a few options. Your mattress can be inflated to the correct level of fullness using these methods.

In the event that you’re in a pinch and don’t have access to electricity, don’t have a pump, or your pump broke during your journey, each of these options gives an easy way to inflate your air mattress.

You can always search for a campsite that provides power, but this isn’t a regular occurrence at campgrounds where only tents are allowed. It’s not impossible, but it can be a challenge.

If you’re a frequent camper, consider purchasing a few battery-operated air pumps for your air bed. This way, even if you’re camping someplace without electrical outlets, you’ll never run out of stuff to put in your mattress.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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