How to confirm that the summer mat contains formaldehyde?

The weather is hot in summer. If you sleep directly on the bed without a cool mat, you will not only feel hot but also feel sticky between your body and the bed. Therefore, most people will use a cool mat when they sleep in summer. Generally speaking, most people will not do any processing on the newly bought cool mat and just spread it on the bed and go to sleep. In fact, this is unscientific. The newly bought cool mat may contain bacteria or formaldehyde, which are harmful to the human body.

First, deburring

A newly bought mat will have some burrs. If the burrs are obviously larger, you can just remove them with tweezers or scissors. Remember to cut them cleanly to avoid exposing the burrs on the surface and causing harm to people.

If the burrs are relatively small, you can use fine sandpaper to rub the surface of the mat to remove the burrs, or you can use a lighter to burn it quickly, the tiny burrs will be burned off, and then wipe it clean with a wet towel.

Second, drying

When you buy a new mat, don't lay it out directly. Some mats will have some peculiar smell, and it will be very pungent. It is very likely the smell of formaldehyde. If you want to completely release the formaldehyde, you can remove it by drying it in the sun.

Drying the mat in the sun can effectively remove formaldehyde odor, but do not expose it to excessive sunlight. If the bamboo mat is exposed to excessive sunlight, it will become very brittle and affect its use.

By drying in the sun, formaldehyde is removed. But what if there are still bacteria and mites on the new mat? This requires a sterilization process. The mat cannot be soaked directly in water, which will greatly affect its later use. The best way is to scrub it with a neutral and mild laundry detergent, clean it with a brush, and then wipe it clean with a clean cloth. Place it in a sunny and ventilated place and let it dry naturally to achieve the effect of decontamination and sterilization.

In the process of making mats with natural materials, it is necessary to prevent insect infestation and disinfect and sterilize them. Substances containing formaldehyde enter the bamboo mats during this process. Some bamboo mats have a base cloth and require a gluing process, which requires the use of adhesives. In addition, preservatives, mildew inhibitors and other substances are added, all of which contain formaldehyde. Direct skin contact with formaldehyde may cause allergic dermatitis, pigmentation, necrosis, nail keratinization and brittleness, and pain at the nail bed and fingertips. In summer, people sweat a lot and formaldehyde is easily absorbed by the human body. Sleeping on a "problematic mat" for a long time may cause chronic poisoning and even potential cancer risks. Moreover, formaldehyde will also be emitted into the air, causing indoor air pollution.

The Nanhu District Consumer Protection Committee reminds consumers: When purchasing a mat, you should "smell first, look second, and touch third": first, smell the odor. If the smell is pungent, it may contain harmful substances; second, look at the color. Choose a mat with a natural color. If it is too "bright" it is likely that industrial raw materials such as paint were added during the production; finally, touch the mat surface to feel the smoothness of the bamboo mat. In addition, when purchasing, try to choose a mat with complete ingredient labels on the mat or in the instructions, preferably a well-known brand.

Consumers can soak the newly bought mat in hot water for a short time, preferably no more than four or five hours, and then dry it in the hot sun. Generally speaking, three or four hours is enough. Doing so can not only reduce the formaldehyde content of the mat, but also check whether there is obvious fading to preliminarily test the color fastness.