Fiberglass Mattress Saga on Tiktok: 7 Things you need to know about the dangers

If you're not on the Chinese-owned social media platform Tiktok, the home furnishing and mattress industry is currently being whistle-blown by many users for their use of fiberglass in cushions, baby and child pillows, mattresses, and toys, and bedroom mattresses.

Multiple users have taken to Tiktok to show the extent of fiberglass infestation in their homes, the pricey professional cleaning they've had to do, and all the "infested" furniture they've had to dispose.

One Tiktok user in particular, showed footage of her children in the hospital's emergency department.

This Tiktok fiberglass mattress saga seeks to raise awareness of the immense danger that fiberglass poses to all kind of animal and human health, and is asking users to swop out their often cheap fiberglass mattresses for safer alternatives.

Content

1. Tiktok Fiberglass Mattress Saga
2. Bloody nose & mouth from inhaling fiberglass
3. Room surfaces coated with glittery fiberglass
4. Why is there fiberglass in mattresses?
5. Fiberglass danger to health
6. Check your mattress for fiberglass
7. I have a fiberglass mattress, what to do?

Here, a detailed run through of the fiberglass mattress saga that's unfolding on Tiktok:

How did the Tiktok Fiberglass Mattress begin?

The entire fiberglass mattress topic blew up on Tiktok exactly a week ago when user @allwillynillytoots posted a video explaining how her daughter and son's unexplained cough, rash, and vomiting landed them in the hospital.

What caused it? The mother explained that it may have been caused by the fiberglass mattress that they purchased from biglots.

The video has since gained 8.5million views, 559.4k likes, 6,179 comments, 38.8k saves, and over 24.6k shares.

Within the comments section, many sympathised with the family's situation while others who've had first-hand experience with fiberglass contamination chimed in and shared their experiences. Some recommendations in the comments section include:

• Google master list of beds without fiberglass
• IKEA beds are affordable without fiberglass
• If possible, purchase mattresses from reputable brands such as Serta
• There's a lady on Youtube who had it worse and even went on to sue the fiberglass mattress brands, and moved out of her house

Bloody nose and mouth from inhaling fiberglass

In the days after, more users came out with their own fiberglass health hazard stories on TikTok.

User Shelly Makaveli, for example, shared that she had year-long allergy symptoms, was throwing up, and had bloodied nose and mouth for a month. Then, it dawned on her that these unexplained symptoms could be caused by her inhaling fiberglass shards.

Unfortunately, as you can see from the above screengrab of her video, Shelly has already opened up the zip to expose all the fiberglass in her cushion.

Room surfaces all coated with fiberglass

Fellow Tiktok user, Cody, shared a comedic desperate plea for a new non-fiberglass mattress on his Tiktok channel.

User Cody Jacob mentioned that he assumed he had sensitive skin since he kept getting rash on his skin. As he tuned into the fiberglass mattress saga that unfolded on Tiktok, he realised that the culprit was his fiberglass mattress.

The mattress that he's "been sleep on every night for years and years and years is made almost entirely out of fiberglass," he said. "I'm being cut open by fiberglass."

Jacob went on to show that his entire room's walls and surfaces have been coated by glittery fiberglass shards.

However, Cody Jacob wasn't the only person who had such glittery contamination in his home.

The original poster, @allwillynillytoots, went on to show everything from clothes, shoes, surfaces, and floors that's been completely coated with shiny and fine fiberglass.

She also had the entire family's possessions and belongings discarded for a thorough cleansing.

Why is there fiberglass in mattresses?

Some users took the chance to explain from their own knowledge why fiberglass is commonly found in mattresses.

User Tony Vara, for example, explained that fiberglass is more commonly found in cheaper mattresses. That's because fiberglass is, first and foremost, a cheap material to fill up the thickness and density of mattresses. Secondly, it's a fire retardant so it will help mattresses with not catching fires.

To play it safe, Tony Vara mentioned in his comments that reputable and expensive mattresses are pretty much safe.

Yet, not everyone can afford a $1,800 and upwards mattress. For those who already own a fiberglass mattress or are planning to buy one, Tony Vara recommends that you buy the ones without zips so you will never "accidentally" unzip the mattress and release all that harmful fiberglass into your living space.

Of course, if you have cats, dogs, or other pets at home, be sure that the mattress is out of reach and that they will never scratch or bite a hole through the mattress, unleashing all the fiberglass into the environment.

Is fiberglass dangerous and harmful to health?

Yes and no. While there is no adverse long-term health effect from touching fiberglass physically save for the skin irritation, there may be soreness, asthma, bronchitis, coughing, wheezing when fiberglass is inhaled.

When you inhale lots of fiberglass over a long period of time, these fiberglass strands have nowhere to go but be embedded in your airways. That's a condition called silicosis, and it's considered a form inflammation and of lung disease.

Symptoms of fiberglass silicosis include:

• increasing shortness of breath
• chest pain
• persistent dry cough
• phlegm
• wheezing
• breathing difficulty
• weight loss
• lethargy
• there may be no symptoms in earlier stages

How to check if your mattress contains fiberglass?

You've got to look around the mattress for a care tag that lists the materials used, and it may look like this. Fiberglass could be listed as glass, glass fiber, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), GFK, fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), or the scientific name, silica, SiO2.

I have a fiberglass mattress, what to do now?

If your fiberglass mattress comes with a cover, do not ever in your life remove that zipped cover. That will release all the airborne fiberglass. In fact, go to Hooga or IKEA and buy a waterproof cover. Put it tightly over your current mattress and do not ever remove that extra protection layer. If need be, put a washable topper over this waterproof layer.

If you suspect your house is contaminated with fiberglass, move everyone and all your pets out immediately. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any professional fiberglass removal companies in Singapore.

To DIY, do not use a vacuum or broom since that will rouse and stir up all the fiberglass instead. Use a wet mop, wet cloth, and lots of water to flush and wipe the fiberglass away. Finally, use a HEPA filter in the room to remove airborne fiberglass. Stay safe, guys!