Latex odor

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

I just received my blended latex mattress yesterday from SleepEZ. Love the feel but last night I woke up HOT after 3 hours and my sinuses were swollen shut and I had to move to another bed.

I understand that it might take airing out for days to weeks (so out comes the blow up mattress . . . ). A couple of questions:

  1. Would the all natural latex be any less smelly?

  2. Would a mattress like Pure Bliss have the same initial odor problem?

I tried a Pure Bliss in a local store but their return policy is such that you have to purchase another mattress and there are no refunds. I didn’t want to get stuck in that loop if latex was not going to be an option for me.

As a child my first mattress was latex back in the late 50s and I have fond memories of that. Granted, there’s more mileage on this old chasse and I have been chemically sensitive, but I want so much to make this one work!

As to the heat issue (I can hear my MIL’s words ringing in my ears now), I am hypothyroid so freezing most of the time and I thought the heat issue to be a benefit. Not. I had my old all cotton mattress pad on but I can see that it is going to take something more substantial to deal with that issue.

Thanks, and I appreciate this site!

2

Hi Ms Natural,

First, let me extend my sympathies for your rough night and swollen sinuses :frowning:

I can’t answer your question about PLB, but I can say that my new 100% natural dunlop barely smells at all. I am, however, experiencing similar rhinitis symptoms (swollen, itchy nose, burning eyes, postnasal drip). My husband says that all he smells is comfort :cheer:
(I am also chemically sensitive, hypothyroid, and I sleep hot.)

Perhaps you’ve seen our lengthy thread called “latex allergies”? If not, you can find it by going to the SEARCH FORUM tab and typing it in the box. I have posted my experience in depth. And I’m currently waiting for the results of a latex allergy panel (blood test).

Good Luck! Phoenix & others on this site are so knowledgeable & compassionate. I’m sure you’ll hear more feedback soon!

3

Hi Ms. Natural,

Generally the 100% natural and the blended talalay from both Radium and Latex International have a very similar “sweet” smell and there isn’t much difference between them.

On occasion there can be a batch that has a stronger smell than the norm (100% natural would vary more than the blend because of the normal variation in natural latex) but in a couple of weeks or less it’s usually diminished to a point where most people can’t smell it any more.

The PLB mattresses are made from the same material so they would be the same (depending on how long it’s been since they were made). All Talalay latex (100% natural and blended) is OekoTex tested and certified for harmful substances and offgassing so you can at least have confidence that the smell isn’t harmful.

Your experience of sleeping HOT is also very unusual (especially if you have the wool cover) so between that and your swollen sinuses there may be something else happening as well (such as a cold or the flu) but of course time will tell if your symptoms diminish.

I would also try removing the cotton mattress pad so that you are closer to the wool (assuming again you have the wool quilted cover) and remove any other variables that can affect how your mattress sleeps. Sometimes a mattress pad or the type of protector or sheets you use can make a difference in sleeping temperature.

Phoenix

4

So sorry both of you are having these problems.

In Sept. I bought an all Dunlop mattress, and the very mild smell from it was completely gone in about 2-3 days.
What is said here about the blended Talalay smell makes me very cautious about
trying one of their blended toppers, which I’d been considering. I’ve got the chemical sensitivity issue, too, and another problem is the last thing I need!

In spite of having bought the softest Dunlop that I think is made, my bed has turned out to be too firm for me, and I’m currently sleeping with an old featherbed on it, while I drive myself crazy trying to figure out whether to try an all natural soft Talalay topper, or get a new featherbed - either option is likely to set me back about another $500.

The store where I bought my mattress has no return policy - I’m stuck. Never again would I buy a mattress from anywhere that doesn’t have a 60-90 day return policy. I was looking for a soft mattress (and like Ms. Natural had slept on one in the way-back, and loved it). I found the softest Dunlop, and didn’t have a clue just how important that “no return” would turn out to be for me.

Given my 'druthers (and unlimited funds), I’d go buy a PLB Beautiful tomorrow - I tried out one just last weekend, because I’d gone to a store that carried the brand to check out their toppers - which I thought was too soft and wouldn’t be of benefit as I sank straight thru the 2" topper. But - I’d only buy a PLB if I knew there was another mattress I could exchange it for if that mattress didn’t work, and depending on how long the store would give me to do an exchange.

I didn’t try one before I bought the mattress I did because I knew how much more expensive it would be, and knew nothing less than the Beautiful would be soft enough for me - and since I’d slept on Dunlop latex before, I wasn’t worried (as I obviously should have been) that it would be a good match for me. Being in my 60s with chronic pain problems apparently means it’s not a good fit for me, even though it was specifically advertised as being the perfect mattress for people with the problems I have.

Sometimes you can’t tell within the first week or even month if a mattress is suitable.
In my case, it took a month or better for me to begin to feel hip pain, and another week or two before I realized it had to be a result of the mattress. Within two days of putting the featherbed on top of the latex mattress, the hip pain vanished - that makes me absolutely certain it’s the mattress. It had gotten so bad I could hardly walk.

Ms. Natural, I find it interesting that you slept hot on the blended Talalay - the other problem I have with my Dunlop mattress is that I was freezing cold all night while sleeping on it, despite the bamboo/cotton zip cover on it and a thick organic cotton mattress cover on top of that, beneath a jersey sheet. At this point, I’m unable to determine if it is just the firmness of the mattress causing the pain, or if being so cold at night was contributing to the pain - I just know it went away when I distanced myself from the mattress that I initially was so in love with having.

I know it’s still a good mattress, but I also know it’s not what I wish I’d spent nearly $2000 to have for the rest of my life.

I hope you can both find solutions for your issues!

5

Clawdia, I’m curious. Why all Dunlop? School me here, if you would.

And to add clarity to the issue of waking up hot, that may have been more attributable to me experiencing an acute stress response with a subsequent elevation in cortisol and increase in body temp. The elevation in cortisol causes a drop in blood sugar and I had to eat again before I could go back to sleep.

6

We chose 100% natural Dunlop because I had a reaction to natural Talalay. And we have experienced multiple chemical sensitivities.

The Dunlop samples seemed fine.

7

@Ms. Natural,

The choice of Dunlop vs talalay tends to be a personal preference based on feel. They are both excellent materials, but do feel and behave somewhat differently.

One other note, however, is that Dunlop latex mattresses can be made with a higher percentage of natural rubber in the final product. For those that find the increased natural content important, Dunlop can be made with a higher degree of natural materials than talalay.

I.e. As I understand it, 100% natural latex talalay has a lower percentage of natural rubber in it than 100% natural latex Dunlop when comparing the finished product.

8

Ms. Natural - don’t know that I’m much good at "schooling’ anyone in anything, but that being said, my father had one of the old Dunlop mattresses from Sears that he bought in the early 1960s. I always thought it was the best feeling mattress in the world I think that experience made me convinced that I’d like Dunlop, and when I tried a very soft one I really did like it, got a good price from a local shop, free delivery, quality Dunlop latex. For a month, I was in love with it. Then my hips began to hurt. I guess right now you could call it a love/hate relationship. I don’t think there’s anything “wrong” with the mattress - but in the long run, I also don’t think it’s proven to be the best choice I could have made.

Cost played a part, too. I knew I could afford to spend $1800 much more easily than $3000+. I want “natural” in whatever I have, so if I decide to try a Talalay topper, I’ll want it to be 100% natural Talalay, which of course costs more than the blend.

That cortisol elevation factor and the temperature problem makes perfect sense. I was very surprised to find myself cold in the latex bed, since I’ve been sleeping far too hot for years.

9

I wanted to provide an update. I aired all 3 segments out separately for 3 days and slept on it for the first time last night. I had zero reactions, so happy to report!

When I am sleeping well (which has been a rarity) I wake up on my back = relaxation. I wake up several times during the night and each time I was on my back. So that’s a good thing.

Even though I prefer the feel of an innerspring mattress, I would rather not be breathing flame retardants all night long!

10

Hi Ms. Natural,

Thanks good to hear … thanks for the update.

Phoenix

11

I tried a natural Dunlop latex pillow and it smelled very sweet vanilla-ish. What does natural talalay smell like?

12

Hey Ari:

I tend to notice a bit more of the “semi-sweet” smell with the 100% NR latex, both Talalay and Dunlop, but it varies by batch and company. I have some new 100% NR Dunlop from Coco Latex and 100% NR Talalay from Radium. The both have a slightly “semi-sweet” smell when new, with maybe a bit more noticeable with the Dunlop. This “semi-sweet” smell tends to dissipate quite quickly, and after that I don’t notice an odor unless I hold a piece of the foam up to my nose and inhale deeply, and then with both products I can discern a bit of a “rubber” smell, much like a less pungent smell from a rubber band. I know this can vary by manufacturer and blend as well. I tend to smell more “rubbery” smell with the 100% NR latex, either type, but only when deeply inhaling with the foam close to my face.

I hope that helps.

Jeff Scheuer
Mattress To Go

13

Thanks Jeff!
I am sending the Dunlop back, even at low loft it’s too thick. I was surprised at how vanilla it smelled. It wasn’t a bad smell but I wouldn’t want it to stick around long.

14

Hey Ari,

I’ve found the smell dissipates quite quickly once the foam is out of the plastic and allowed to breathe. In the meantime, maybe you’d have a lot of dreams about ice cream! :lol:

Jeff

15

I’m hoping if I decide to try shredded or noodle latex it will smell like that lol

16

Ari,

While anecdotal, I’ve found that the shredded products tend to have less of the “sweetish” smell. Perhaps this is because the latex used for these products is often the trimmings from cores and by shredding it the surface area that is exposed to air is increased to help further dissipate that odor.

Jeff Scheuer
Mattress To Go

17

Jeff,
That would be better! I am trying to see if I like latex and am not allergic before I invest in a complicated mattress I might need to return for whatever reason. I thought a pillow might be a good test. The Dunlop smell didn’t bother me though very noticeable. I do think it made me want a piece of cake though lol

18

Hey Ari,

You may have seen it already here on the forum, but a true latex allergy is quite rare, and what is more common (but still uncommon overall) is a latex sensitivity which is most often the result of contact (and mostly from the dipped latex products and adhesives). I get this question/concern often in my store. There’s a thread here on the site that I reference often, and one post that actually copies information from the American Latex Allergy Association here, just in case you haven’t already seen it.

Jeff Scheuer
Mattress To Go

19

Hi Jeff
I read it thoroughly. But I’m one of those one in a million girls lol

20

So I bought a natural Dunlop pillow. It smelled of very strong vanilla (nice smell) but I started getting some minor symptoms similiar to when I come across cat dander(which I’m highly allergic to) within minutes of laying on it. should I forget latex all together?