Draining your waterbed Mattress

Although the following sounds like a major task, it can be easier to move a waterbed than an adjustable bed or ordinary divan bed.

Should the need arise to move your waterbed, you will need to empty the mattress enough that it can be lifted by an individual. First unplug the heater. Because all modern waterbed mattresses contain layers of fibre to reduce the motion of the water, a pump is recommended. Warning!!! The layers of fibre can slide if you lift the mattress while it still contains water. Always leave the mattress flat whilst emptying. If you must lift the head end, then grab the waterbed mattress and ensure you also have a strong grip of the fibre to ensure it will not slide. If the fibre does slide the waterbed mattress will be ruined. Using a pump will vacuum the waterbed mattress enough that the fibre can not slide even when lifted. There are several types of pump that will do the job. Your local waterbed retailer should be able to rent a pump or offer a drain down service. I have never personally used one, but several customers have told me about a pump that attaches to an electric drill with a hose into the waterbed mattress and a hose into the bath or out the window. Some have told me it is ok but slow, others that it would not suck the water from the fibre leaving it too heavy to lift. And other said the drill burnt out before the waterbed mattress was empty. You can always siphon the waterbed but heed the previous warning or you will need to buy a new waterbed mattress. The following has been written from personal experience. Siphoning the waterbed mattress is a last resort if you can not get a pump. If siphoning does not work, don’t blame us! Siphoning is only possible if you have a garden hose and the waterbed is high enough to drain downstairs, so flats and bungalows would be a problem.  First, with the plug still in the waterbed mattress, put your fists either side of the valve and push down and up the bed. Do this several times to create a well around the valve of water and no fibre. Lift the valve and remove the cap and plug. Slip the hose under the fibre so that gravity will pull the water down to it. Wrap tape around the connection between the valve and hose to make an airtight seal. Connect the other end of the hose to a tap and start filling the waterbed mattress, this will remove the air from the hose just the same as sucking on it. Just like when you used to steal the neighbours petrol! When the waterbed is filling, disconnect the tap and drop it to allow the water to run back and keep going. So long as air can not enter the waterbed mattress it will empty really well. Replace the plug quickly to prevent the fibre opening up.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 12th, 2010 at 2:38 pm and is filed under waterbed Tips, Waterbeds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.