Mouldy Mattress Advice

Hi Kieran,

I take it you are talking about under the mattress? I have never had that issue with mine but I only do 1 or 2 nights in mine and then it's back into the garage. I never pack it away if it's damp and if I have to I always open it up at home till it's dry.

Hi Kieran,

There are some ideas in this thread here. You may find other solutions by typing 'wet mattress" into the search box up in the top RH corner of the main forum page.

From our experience, how damp a mattress will get depends largely on how much each user sweats at night. One of us sweats a fair bit and their side gets damp whereas the other side stays OK. Our solution (only partial though) has been to drill a few holes in the bed base - but in our case the base is inside the vehicle and no dust can come in. You may not have that option.

Another option may be to simply turn the mattress over every few days so the damp side can dry out - do it in the morning so it has a day to dry.

A damp mattress is a PITA as not only does it get mouldy but its very hard to warm up.

Cheers,

Val

There is a product on the market for this, it looks like a scouring pad but very loose weave. Called Hypervent, google it and it will come up.
used a lot in C/Ts caravans and roof top tents.

I have found that high density foam mattresses don't get damp underneath. The cheap low density ones do.

Use Hypervent - it will fix your problem.

There is also something called EMP underlay - sounds like the Hypervent that others are talking about. We use it under the mattress in our campertrailer, and have never had a problem.
Leanne

The condensation under the matress can be major and if we are staying the next day after using it it night before, we simply pull up one side of the matress at 45 deg and rest one side against the inside of the tent to air it. We have found that if we pack up in the morning and drive all day, at the destination when we erect the roof tent again, the underside of the mattress is surprisingly dry!! Michael

Hi Kieran.
Had the same problem with our camper with a solid fibreglass bed base, particularly on cold nights in the desert. Google "Air Circulation Mesh ACS10" and you will see what fixed the problem. There are only a couple of companies that sell it. We ended up getting it from Trayon - www.trayon.com for contact details - in Qld. They shipped it direct overnight. Not cheap but works a treat!!

Cheers,

Mike

G'day Kieran

We travelled central Oz in 2 cars with rooftop tents and they both suffered from moisture under the mattress. My non-scientific opinion is that on cool nights the temp of the floor panel drops below dew point and the moisture in the air inside the tent condenses and wets the mattress. Exactly the same way dew forms on the outside of the car.

I solved the problem by lining the floor panel under the mattress with the plastic bubble wrap type vapour barrier used in roofs and for lining tin sheds etc. It only adds 6mm to the panel thickness and doesn't impede folding the tent. I just gaffa taped it in place.

Cheers

Waz

Hi Kieran

Clark Rubber stores stock a mesh underlay which may well be Hypervent. I purchased some as we have a foam mattress in our caravan and have never had a problem with condensation.

Hi Kieran,

We had same problem, mattress on aluminium base, solved it by putting those foam flooring/camping mats used in annexes etc, they fit together are light and work.

regards,

Mike.

I dont doubt the commercial products work, but so does doubled shadecloth....
at a fraction of the cost..fasten to ply with drawing pins....oldbaz.