Mattress Ratings >> Mattress Type Comparison > Mattress Odor / Smell
Mattress Off Gassing / Initial Odor → Based on Data From Over 15,000 Actual Owners
Page last updated: October 10, 2010
"Initial
odor" or "off gassing" refers to the invisible gas
a mattress may initially give off due to its chemical composition. This gas often has a noticeable smell. Some mattress types tend to off gas more than others.
The chart below shows how mattress types compare on this issue based on owner / user experiences. Keep in mind that this represents what is often, but not always, the case; a particular brand, model or individual mattress may go against these findings.
| Mattress Off Gassing / Initial Odor |
| Water |
| Futon |
| Air |
| Innerspring |
| Latex |
| Memory Foam |
| Less | More |
Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses have the greatest problem with initial odor. See memory foam off gassing for detailed information.
Latex
About 4% of owners report an initial odor of some kind.
Innerspring
Those models with memory foam and or latex are most likely to have a problem.
Air
Those models with memory foam and or latex are most likely to have a problem.
Futons
There are few reports of off gassing problems with futons.
Water
Waterbeds do not have an initial odor problem to speak of.