I have had this mattress Hyllestad - medium firm for about 2 weeks now and am still bothered by the smell. I got the medium firm as it has a layer of latex rather than memory foam . I don’t find memory foam comfortable.
The smell permeates the bedclothes and my night wear . It is not very strong but my concern is what is causing it. Ikea have suggested fire retardants and the thought that fire retardants are somehow seeping through the cover is very concerning.To be fair to them, Ikea are being helpful and are going to investigate so I am not complaining about customer service.
I would like to know if anyone else has had this experience with this type of mattress and whether the problem resolved. Also does anyone know what type of latex is used in the Hyllestad medium firm and is it chemically treated .
Hi Meg120,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
I’m sorry that the smell of our new mattress is bothering you. Some people are more sensitive than others to the “new” smell of polyfoams and the fabrics used in new mattresses. This smell does tend to dissipate over time, but for some people (especially those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) the odor can be enough that they are forced to find alternatives besides products using polyfoam or memory foams.
The Ikea web site doesn’t list the Hjellestad Medium-Firm mattress as containing any latex. It’s a pocketed spring mattress, using a 3.1 lb layer of memory foam, a 1.7 lb layer of polyfoam and another 1.5 lb layer of polyfoam. The thicknesses of each layer are not listed on their web site. I would tell you to look at your law label and there it will give you a percentage of components and you can see there if “latex” is listed, as I am not seeing that being consistent with what Ikea currently has on their web site.
Ikea doesn’t list the actual certifications for any of the foams that they use on their web sites, so I can’t comment about whether their foams have been tested for harmful substances or VOCs and what exact standards they may have passed (although in articles elsewhere I see that they state their products are tested but I’ve been unable to find specifics). Not all odors are harmful VOCs, and not all VOCs have detectable odors, so the only reliable way to determine the “safety” of the materials used in this mattress would be through independent third-party certification.
I would be surprised that this would be the source of your odors, and I would be curious as to what information someone at Ikea had that allowed them to share this suggestion with you. While they don’t specifically list what they are using for their flame retardant barrier, they do list a polyester/viscose (rayon) fiber wadding being contained in this mattress, and this most likely would be a form of a non-chemical, inherent fire retardant fabric that is most commonly used to meet federal flammability guidelines. That would be my best guess, but I of course am not 100% certain of this.
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I don’t believe the mattress you mentioned contains latex (unless this is a new model not listed on the Ikea web site), and even if it did it would be very odd for it to be manufactured with any sort of FR chemical sprayed onto the product, as this is not the common practice that mattress manufacturers use to meet federal flammability guidelines.
I’ll be interested in learning what your law tag states. If I had to guess, and if the information on the Ikea web site is correct, the culprit for your odor would most likely be the memory foam and the polyfoam within your mattress, as those are the items people most commonly complain about being sensitive to, especially in a new mattress.
Phoenix
Thank you for the information.
I had not realised that Ikea do different mattresses in UK and US.
My mattress ( I am in UK )
HYLLESTAD
Medium firm/white pocket sprung
£250
Standard Double
Article no: 302.587.53
The price reflects selected options
View more product information
A layer of latex conforms to your body, relieves pressure and helps you to relax.
I have looked under the mattress cover and it does seem to have a layer of latex rather than memory foam. It is grey with holes in it.
Ikea said it might be that my mattress had had too much fire retardant sprayed on. I find that alarming. However if the smell comes just from the latex layer that is ok.
They say they use use saltwater based flame retardants that use organic phosphorous or nitrogen containing compounds and claim that these are considered the safest choice when a flame retardant has to be used.
I don’t know which part of the mattress this chemical would be applied to. I would not expect it to permeate the bedclothes.
They are going to inspect it in about 3 weeks time but I am not sure if it is safe to sleep on in the meantime. Are mattresses sometimes overloaded with fire retardant ? The label said made in Poland.
Hi Meg120,
[quote]I had not realised that Ikea do different mattresses in UK and US.
My mattress ( I am in UK ) HYLLESTAD[/quote]
Thank you for that information. Yes, Ikea produces different products all over the world, and the flammability guidelines in the UK are different from those in the USA. As this site focuses primarily upon the USA and Canada, I’m not familiar with the specifics of the UK furniture flammability regulations, which are considered amongst the most stringent in Europe.
Only the filling materials (foam or non-foam) contained within a mattress are required to meet the UK regulations. This is most commonly done through mixing materials into the foams during the foaming process, although there are spray-on applications (the British Furniture Confederation and the Furniture Industry Research Association don’t recommend spray-on applications in their Guide to the UK Regulations.
Without knowing the specifics (which Ikea doesn’t provide) of how all of their materials pass the UK flame retardant regulations, what is used, and how it is applied, I wouldn’t be able to speak much upon the matter. However, you may be interested in reading some information about common flame retardants used in this article by the European Flame Retardants Association here. The Society of Fire Protection Engineers talks a bit about flame retardants here. John Ryan also gives a good synopsis of fire retardant methods and compliance here. The Furniture Industry Research Association also has a wealth of detailed information here (you have to register but it is free).
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Without any real detailed information from Ikea, I wouldn’t be able to comment further, and your more specific questions would best be addressed to them. It seems that they are willing to work with you.
I should also note that your mattress does have polyurethane foam in it (quilted to the ticking), which often has a stronger initial odor and this may be the source of what you’re smelling. It is good to see that Ikea does seem to be willing to work with you on this.
Phoenix