Yes, you can! If you’re stuck without a pump, a hair dryer is a surprisingly effective substitute. Here’s how:
What you need:
- Your air mattress
- A hair dryer with a cool air setting
Steps:
- Lay it out: Spread your air mattress out completely flat.
- Locate the valve: Find the air intake valve, usually a larger opening on the mattress.
- Switch to cool: Make absolutely sure your hair dryer is set to cool air. Hot air can damage the air mattress.
- Get a good seal: Hold the hair dryer nozzle as close to the valve as possible, creating the best seal you can.
- Start the air: Turn on the hair dryer and watch your mattress inflate!
Tips:
- Patience is key: This takes longer than a pump, so be patient.
- Vacuum attachment: If you have a vacuum cleaner hose attachment that fits over your dryer, it can give you a better seal with the valve.
- Only cool air: Repeat this enough times – hot air will ruin your air mattress.
Why does this work?
Hair dryers push out a decent volume of air. Even though not all the air makes it into the mattress, it’s enough to inflate it over time.
Other pump-less options
If you don’t have a hair dryer, try these:
- Leaf blower: Works on the same principle but is faster.
- Vacuum cleaner (reverse setting): Some vacuums can blow air out.
- Trash bag: Capture air in a bag, then squeeze it into the mattress (check out YouTube videos for how).
