Will my new mattress have mold issues?

Annaleigh · 01-21-2022, 07:46 PM

Hi all, I am finally converting my old 88 E150 high top conversion into a camper van. Because I also need to haul passengers sometimes, I decided to leave the fold out bed in the back. The bed/seat is 6" foam placed on top of a wire rack metal frame and then cloth upholstery over top of that with the bottom open so you can see the foam. It is okay but not the most comfortable due to the line where it folds. I tried a foam topper and a couple of bed comfortable on top but that didn't help much.

So what I am going to try now is a hospital bed mattress that I came across. It is a 6" foam mattress with a padding around the foam and the outside cover is waterproof or water resistant being made of vinyl or a pvc material. It is one of those that goes on a home type hospital bed where you can raise and lower the ends, so it is flexible The original bed/seat is 43" wide and the hospital bed mattress is 42" wide.

For now I have used a king size comforter to wrap around and tuck under the mattress and a fitted sheet over that and it all seems to stay in place quite well..

I have read and seen several videos about mold issues under the mattress so my question is do you all think I will have mold issues with this set up?

I am thinking that there should be no issue between the original seat/bed and the mattress because there is plenty of circulation under it as it is open and you can see the foam under there... I am thinking that if there is any mold issues it would be in what ever material I use for a topper like the comforter that is on top now or say a quilted slip cover to go over the mattress.

Also being that the mattress is covered with a vinyl or pvc material, it is designed to be sanitized so maybe just changing the bedding regularly and wiping down the top of the mattress will be fine... ?

Thanks
Annaleigh

marret · 01-22-2022, 03:46 AM

Sounds like you should be ok. Air and circulation is still there. Cover of the mattress should be cleanable as mentioned.

For the time periods you are not using the van, you might remove the bedding to air out the mattress.

86Scotty · 01-22-2022, 06:41 AM

I've had many vans and campers and live in the humid South. I have never had a problem with mold under a mattress. If your van stays closed up and unused for months on end perhaps this could be a problem but if you drive it even weekly and air it out with the vans climate control system or fresh air I think you'll be fine.

BCam · 01-22-2022, 10:20 AM

Under mattress ventilation pads are available:

https://www.google.com/search?q=unde...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Annaleigh · 01-23-2022, 01:58 AM

Thanks for the replies!
That's what I am thinking as to the air circulation. Since the mattress cover is a pvc or vinyl, the foam inside is pretty much sealed from moisture entering inside to the foam.

Prior to adding the mattress, I had just been leaving the seat/bed mad up as a bed unless i had to haul some people in the van. It is my daily driver so it is not closed up for long periods of time. I too live in the humid south..

It is a Mark III high top conversion van and was poorly insulated from the factory with house type insulation and a insulation board stuffed up under the ceiling panel. I plan to leave the factory interior in tact as much as possible. So it is not sealed up tightly inside.

As to mattress ventilation pads, I have seen a couple of different types but not sure how it would apply to this type of mattress. I understand how when you sleep, you sweat and that sweat works its way down through the mattress and onto the plywood base underneath. But in this case the top mattress can not absorb sweat, only the padding added on top of the mattress.

I am not sure how comfortable this will be and its in the lower 20's outside at night right now! I will be installing a power plug tomorrow so I can use a small electric heater and if all goes well I will be able to test out the new mattress for a few days as well as see how much condensation i get in the van using electric heat and staying in the van...

BCam · 01-23-2022, 09:49 AM

Even though I live in a relatively dry climate, the underside of the mattress pads in my sailboat would get moldy over time, especially in the winter, unless I tipped them up. They had vinyl bottoms and they'd get moldy even if we weren't using them so the sweat thing isn't the whole story. There's not a perfect seal between your mattress and the plywood so moisture/condensation due to humidity is also an issue.

Keeping both the bottom of your mattress and your plywood scrupulously clean with an anti-mold cleaner will also help.

Annaleigh · 01-23-2022, 05:22 PM

Thanks BCam for sharing a bit more of your experience. Its not often that I have to haul passengers but when I do I will need to remove the mattress. I am thinking about storing it up in the top of the raised roof area perhaps with a netting. The majority of the time I plan on it being down.

The reason for buying the hospital mattress was that I went around to a couple of furniture shops and was asking if they had any foam mattresses in stock. One guy mentioned that he had Semi truck mattress in the back. After looking at it it turned out to be a new hospital bed mattress. The tag dated it at a 2018 and I offered him $50.. So that's how I ended up with it..

Dont have nay pics of the new mattress but Below are some poor pics of the bed/seat just to give you an idea as well as let me test out how to post pics.

https://imgur.com/sNHdX9F

https://imgur.com/RbLnQq7

https://imgur.com/3NNjQaU

https://i.imgur.com/jXVzekG.jpg

BCam · 01-23-2022, 05:45 PM

Nice, simple set up. I like it.

I was thinking a traditional plywood base but with your situation, you might be OK without a pad since your underlying surface is so irregular. The downside is, if it doesn't work, you'll have mold in the upholstery.

Something else that would work would be a few sticks between the mattress and seat bed to allow ventilation. Just make sure they're well sealed with polyurethane or something. You'd remove them for sleeping but you might not feel them. Cheap and easy.

You got a good deal on the mattress.

Twoxentrix · 01-23-2022, 06:08 PM

As BCam mentions preventative maintenance is the best approach, I used 303 on my boat - sprayed about twice a year (and doesn't contain bleach). Canvas, Carpet, seats, under the seat cushions, storage cubbies, walls, around engine bay and pretty much any area that may potentially have mold develop. It cleans, but also leaves a residue that prevents growth...never had an issue develop anywhere I treated.
https://www.amazon.com/303-Mold-Mild...ps%2C56&sr=8-5

Annaleigh · 01-23-2022, 06:16 PM

Thanks BCam. It's a long way from being finished but my plan is to keep it simple. I have since removed the extra middle seat and pedestal. I replaced it with an old WWII steamer trunk that is bolted down through the old seat holes. It works for storage as well as a night stand, table for coking, ect. I can unbolt it and replace the seat if need be. I am building it out as I go.
Over the holidays I went to visit my daughter 450 miles away, I made it down there in one long drive but took me 3 days to get back! I liked the freedom of being mobile and not having to rent a motel or worry about getting back home by a certain time.

But during that short time staying in the van I decided to make some changes from what I originally planned.

Here is a pic of the outside before I had the windows tinted dark. They have a factory tint but now you cant see inside during the day.
https://imgur.com/gifRXqR