Repair and maintenance

Inflate the mattress, rub it with soapy water, or submerge it in sections and watch for bubbles; out in the field, holding it to your ear and listening also helps. Dry the area, degrease it, and apply a patch from the kit included with most mattresses. Leaks also often occur at the valve, where cleaning or replacing the seal helps, rather than gluing. Store the mattress unrolled with the valve open so residual moisture can air out and the seams do not chafe.