Different Ways How to Blow Up an Airbed or Air Mattress

If you know the different ways of how to blow up an airbed or air mattress, then you can take your airbed anywhere, electric supply or not. An airbed or air mattress is handy when you have visitors staying overnight and all the available beds are being used. Air mattresses make a great emergency or guest beds, and they are generally comfortable. Other than that, they are better than a sofa or even the floor. Air mattresses and airbeds (much the same things to be honest) are also useful for camping or taking with you to a sleepover.

While they are extremely convenient, airbeds have just one problem. They have to be inflated. Most modern airbeds have built in pumps. All you do is plug it in and it inflates! But what is there is no convenient source of electricity? There may not always be an electric socket nearby. What about if you are camping? In fact, what if your airbed or air mattress has no built-in pump! What then? Here are some alternative ways of how to blow up an airbed or air mattress that has no built-in pump.

1. Use an External Pump: Electric, Foot or Hand Pumps

If your airbed has no internal pump then the best solution is to use an external pump. There are various types of air pumps available: electric pumps and foot or hand operated pumps are all available and fairly inexpensive to buy. All you do is to push the nozzle of the pump into the airbed and start pumping. If the valve inlet is larger than the nozzle, then you can seal the connection using Scotch tape, duct tape or any other similar material. If the nozzle is too large, then you can seal off the connection in the same way.

You should then be able to inflate the mattress or airbed until it is hard enough to hold your weight. Then remove the nozzle and quickly seal the valve or close the valve cap. It may take a small amount of work to get the nozzle of the pump to fit to the air inlet, but it’s usually not too difficult a task. That’s the usual way of inflating an airbed without an internal pump. However, what if you have no pump at all?

2. Inflating an Airbed with a Hair Dryer

Inflating an Airbed with a Hair Dryer? Are you kidding! Nope – it is perfectly possible to inflate an airbed or air mattress with a hairdryer. And if that doesn’t work, just wait till you read what comes next! But first, let’s try the hairdryer. Think about it! What is a hairdryer if set to cold air? It’s no more than a cold air blower – it takes in air at the back and blows it back out at the front.

If you can seal the outlet nozzle of the hairdryer to the air inlet on the airbed, then switch the dryer on it will blow air into the airbed. Make sure it is not hot air, or you may melt the plastic of the airbed! It may take some time, but if you can seal the connection properly the bed will eventually get inflated.

3. Using Other Home Appliances to Inflate a Mattress or Airbed

There are a number of home appliances that blow air out – if it blows out cold air then it can blow up an airbed. A vacuum cleaner can do it. So can snow and leaf blowers. Using a vacuum cleaner to blow up an airbed, first take off the dirtbag. If you can find a pipe to connect the airbed inlet to the hole above the motor that connects to the dirtbag, then you’re in business. You may need a lot of duct tape to seal both connections, but it works. Simply turn on the vacuum cleaner and run till the mattress is inflated.

The same is true of leaf or snow blowers. You need to redirect the blowing air to the airbed. Figure out the best place to fit a pipe (e.g. a vacuum cleaner hose) to the air outlet of the blower, then fit the other end to the airbed inlet valve. It won’t take long, so run the blower at its lowest speed first, then slowly ramp it up.

4. How to Blow Up an Airbed Using a Garbage Bag

Now you must be joking! But no, it is possible to inflate an airbed with a garbage bag. It may take a bit of time, but it can be done. Make sure you have heavy duty garbage bags then swing them round with your hands to enable them to catch air. Then fit the top of the bag over the inlet valve on the airbed, hold it tight around the opening then lean against the bag with your body.

This will force the air out of the bag and into the airbed. Immediately seal the valve then repeat many times until the airbed has been inflated. It might sound Heath Robinson and it may take a long time, but it works. It’s better than lying on a hard floor!

5. Blow Air Into the Mattress

This is the old and original way of blowing up an air mattress. Take a big deep breath and blow into the air inlet. Make sure the inlet is clean first! Put your mouth against it and blow. Keep blowing until the mattress or airbed is inflated as you want it.

This is more difficult if your airbed does not have a one-way valve. You will then have to keep your mouth round the inlet and take the air in through your nose before blowing it out through your mouth into the airbed. It will take some time, and you may feel a bit lightheaded when you are finished, but it works.

How to Blow Up an Airbed or Air Mattress: Conclusion

Fundamentally, the way how to blow up an airbed or air mattress is simply to blow air into the inlet of the airbed. If you achieve that then the airbed or air mattress will inflate. Each of the methods explained above work, some taking longer than others. Make sure you are using cold air, or your airbed could melt!

While the above methods are feasible, and each of them has been used to blow up an airbed, they can take a lot of time. Nothing is as good as an electric pump. It would likely pay to spend a few dollars on a foot pump and carry that with you along with your airbed. Maybe keep the pump in your trunk so you always have it handy – just in case. That’s the best way how to blow up an airbed without an internal pump.

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