How to Inflate an Air Mattress Without a Pump

Inflate air mattress — Forgot the pump? You can inflate most air mattresses with a hairdryer, garbage bag, vacuum cleaner, or even a leaf blower. Our team’s methods, ranked by speed.

Priya on our team has tested four of these methods at least once. Here they are in order of how well they work.

Method 1: Hairdryer (cool setting only) (Inflate air mattress)

Set the dryer to cool air, the lowest fan speed, and hold the nozzle to the valve. Most air mattresses inflate in 6–10 minutes. Heat will warp the PVC, so cool air only.

Method 2: Vacuum cleaner (reverse the airflow)

Most household vacuums have a port on the back where exhaust air comes out. Connect the hose to that port instead of the suction port, then to the mattress valve. Inflates in 3–5 minutes. Won’t work on cyclonic vacuums (Dyson, etc.) without a clear blower port.

Method 3: Garbage bag (slow but free)

1. Open a kitchen garbage bag fully.
2. Sweep it through the air to capture air, twist the opening closed.
3. Press the bag opening against the valve and squeeze the air through.
4. Repeat 8–15 times depending on mattress size.

Slow but works. The most reliable bag-based method we tested.

Method 4: Leaf blower (fastest)

If you have a leaf blower, the gentlest setting will inflate a queen air bed in 60 seconds. Loud, but unbeatable for speed.

Method 5: Mouth (last resort)

For small camping pads only — a queen will take 30+ minutes and leave you light-headed. Don’t.

Method 6: Bicycle pump

If you have a presta or schrader bike pump, an adapter ($5 from a service station) connects it to most air-mattress valves. Slow but functional.

Match the method to the size

For everyone planning ahead — a $25 12V pump from Anaconda or Bunnings inflates a queen in 90 seconds and lives in the boot. Cheapest insurance against the moment you forget the pump on a camping trip.

For independent guidance on sleep and wellbeing, the Sleep Health Foundation is a good starting point.