I tried a latex mattress that was really comfortable and that I frankly loved. However, after testing it out in the showroom I had a burning sensation in my throat that was irritating. If I knew for a fact that the smell would go away I would buy that mattress. But I donāt know so dropping 3 grand on a mattress that might smell permanently could be a massive blunder.
There is more about the smell of latex in post #2 here but in most cases it is reduced to levels below what people will notice in a few days to a few weeks but this can also depend on how acute your sense of smell is and on how sensitive you are to a particular smell. There can also be some differences between different batches of Talalay. There is also more about the odor of new materials in post #3 here that may be helpful.
Itās very unusual though that someone would experience a burning sensation in their throat with any kind of latex (this is a more common symptom with memory foam) so this may be an indication of an unusual sensitivity or even a possible latex allergy (which would be rare but is the case for a very few people). There is more about latex allergies in post #2 here.
It may be worth asking for a sample and carrying it around with you for a day or two to see how it affects you. Of course itās also possible that you were reacting to something else or a different material in the showroom so it may involve some detective work to identify whether it was the latex and it may also be worthwhile testing a latex mattress elsewhere to see if the same thing happens.
As you know I think highly of David and Sara and Custom Sleep Systems and you are looking at a great quality mattress but if I was in your shoes I would want to be comfortable that I wasnāt sensitive to latex as rare as that may be.
Iām grateful for the quick response. I am sensitive to smells in general. Perfumes, cigarette smoke, etc. They really do a job on me.
If I knew the latex smell would disappear completely in days/weeks I wouldnāt hesitate to buy the mattress. I know for a fact I am not allergic to latex. I wear latex gloves and have used latex products in the past with no allergic reactions.
Itās difficult to predict something that can vary with each person except to say that for the vast majority of people any smell of latex would be below their sensitivity threshold after a few days to a few weeks although if you put your nose right into the bare material you may still notice a slight smell.
Iām glad that you donāt have a latex allergy (which can completely disrupt someoneās life because latex is everywhere in our society not to mention the need to carry an epipen) but I donāt know why you were experiencing a burning throat because this would be a very uncommon symptom with latex and is more common with memory foam or in some cases even polyfoam. It may be worthwhile to go to a different showroom that also has latex mattresses just to see if your experience is repeated and it may also be worthwhile seeing if you can find a latex mattress either at Custom Sleep Systems or elsewhere that has been on the floor for a longer time to see how you feel about the smell close up after it has been in use for a longer period of time. There would be nothing different about their Talalay latex compared to the same material that would be used by dozens of other manufacturers.
It may even be something that has nothing to do with the latex itself but I donāt know what that could be and it may take some detective work or a process of elimination to find out for sure.
To throw in a personal experience: I had a customer who specifically asked for organic natural latex. So I ordered two pieces, one for her and one for my stock. When I unwrapped my piece, it had a very strong processing smell to it, much more so than my regular natural latex. What could I do but let it sit. After a week or two, the smell could only be noticed when I put my nose to it. After three or four weeks, I couldnāt even smell which piece it was and had to refer to its label.
I built my own using the LI talatech slabs you mentioned (at a much lower price I might add) and neither my wife nor I have any problem with smells. In fact, there never was any even when I unboxed and unwrapped the individual slabs from their shrink wrap. Hereās me and a friend filling the encasement with the 3 slabs. A detailed description of what I used is on page 3. https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/mattress-cover
I would think that the pure ānaturalā latex would off gas compared to the blend. Youāre much better off going with the synthetic/natural blend latex aka ātalatechā for many reasons - durability, no smell, lower price. LI makes a very high quality, consistent, quality controlled product.
I have some issues with perfumes and other chemical odors also. I have 100% natural talalay and I do get a reaction in my nose, feels like burning, and sometimes a headache when I am switching layers around. I then vacuum the entire room and wash my hands well, and open windows after I am finished. Particles get into the air from the all natural. Bought this latex in November and I still have a slight reaction from it. I have a mostly synthetic dunlop layer from Spindle that does not smell and I do not believe it affects me. I think that if you buy latex and leave it intact in the mattress encasement, you probably wonāt smell it after a month or so or have the reactions that I have when touching and switching layers. That being said, if you want latex, I would advise you to make a careful selection from a local store, as Phoenix suggests, so you wonāt have to deal with opening up the mattress and exposing yourself to the latex. This is just my personal experienceā¦ but I am not that chemically sensitive, mostly to perfumes. ( my natural talalay is from Latex International)
Your best resource is to go straight to the Latex International manufacturer with your questions - KTT Enterprises. Talk to Dick or Maureen Coffey. They make/sell this stuff and will not hesitate to steer you away from the so called ānaturalā to the talatech blend.
Mark in Texas. Exactly where did you buy the LI talatech 3 inch slabs? The company in Connecticut doesnāt seem to sell mattresses directly. Just latex pillows.
Post #4 here includes some of the better sources for latex layers Iām aware of.
Mark in Texas bought his from KTT Enterprises who sells latex layers at good prices so they are a good source for those who have the confidence to build a DIY mattress and know the type, thickness, and firmness of the latex layers and the cover that will work best for them.
Hi Phoenix! Technically you may be right if you want to get into the executive thingie, but Bill Coffey, Dickās father/chemist, started the company, so I consider them (Dick, Nancy, and Maureen Coffey) Latex International. Dick and his wife are co-owners and Dick sits on the board.
Dick is often in the plant checking on this and that, so itās obvious to me that heās an insider. Doesnāt really matter, KTT has the best prices on their LI latex. Hereās their card which does say they are a manufacturer and supplier, factory showroom, etc. http://www.latexfoam.com/about/
KTT Enterprises. Shipping to Texas wasnāt cheap but the quality and service was excellent. Iāve got more money than sense so Iāll soon be adding a 2" 14 ILD topper to the mattress. It will go under a very stretchy, thin cotton knit mattress cover and fitted sheet. If that doesnāt get me that in-cloud-feeling, nothing will. Iāll report back in a few days.
I got samples of 14 ILD, 19, and 24 from them too. Placing a hand on top of a sample is nothing like sleeping on it but itās kinda like Play Doh, itās fun to play with.
We LOVE this mattress. Best sleep Iāve ever had and itās so easy to put together, even a cave man can do it.
Just wanted to chime in. We have never experienced any issues regarding smell with our talalay latex materials. If someone did have an issue or is hesitant, we are more than happy to provide someone with a raw sample prior to purchase.
Thatās good to hear. I tried several mattresses out there about two and a half weeks ago. Been doing some research about the smell. Just found this web site the other day. Helpful.
Just wanted to chime in. We have never experienced any issues regarding smell with our talalay latex materials. If someone did have an issue or is hesitant, we are more than happy to provide someone with a raw sample prior to purchase.
Best,
Sara
Comfort Sleep Systems
Branford, CT[/quote]
Curious, whose latex do you sell?
I collect latex, must have a dozen samples of both Dunlop and talalay.
Iām not Sara but I do know that they use Talalay from Latex International.
Phoenix[/quote]
I see the Phoenix has risen early this morning. Top of the morninā to ya.
Well, that makes 2 of us who donāt smell anything regarding LIās talalay. By golly, we might be generating a consensus around this here place. Without being accused of promoting any one or any thing, another quality control I like about LI is the lab/plant analysis they do on their talalay. Iām looking at a tab that was stuck to one of the slabs, the 19ILD, density=3.2, test results, etc. Pretty cool.
Can I promote my Lexus as being one of the best made, most reliable and best value cars on the road? How about avocados? I luvvvvvvvv avocados! Hereās the cheapest and best quality Iāve found. http://www.morrocreekranch.com/item.php?item_id=219
Ah oh, feel a spanking coming on fer going off topic, hah!
The smell of any material including latex can vary to some degree from batch to batch and will also vary by the type of latex and its age not to mention that some people will be more sensitive to different smells and perceive them much more strongly.
