A high-quality bean bag is designed to be almost indestructible, and, if cared for properly, can last you a lifetime. It’s filling, however, is not. After a while of prolonged use, your bean bag may begin to look flat and feel less comfortable, and this may you leave you wondering, “How do I stop my bean bag from going flat?”.
To stop your bean bag from going flat, you should be following a simple method known as “fluffing” your bean bag. If you perform this procedure to your bean bag on a regular basis, even while it’s still in perfect condition, you may be able to prevent it from going flat.
If you’ve left it a little too late, and your bean bag is already feeling and looking flat, you can try the fluffing method to see if you can revive the filling in your bean bag – if you’re lucky, this may just work. However, at times, it may be a little too late and you may instead need to fix your bean bag by replacing the filling.
In today’s article I will teach you all about how and when to fluff your bean bag, how to know if this procedure has revitalised your bean bag, and how to know when it’s time to replace your filling instead.
So, are you ready to learn all about how to take good care of your bean bag by fluffing, refilling and fixing? If so, read on.
Why Do Bean Bags Go Flat?
I must first give you some insight as to just exactly the reason behind the question, “Why do bean bags go flat?”. You see, the filling of bean bags tends to be made from what is known as expanded polystyrene (EPS) beans, which is a material that is very closely related to Styrofoam.
EPS beans are 98% air. This means these beans have multiple pockets of air inside them, as this makes them more comfortable to sit on. However it also means that they will greatly reduce in size after many uses as the air squishes out of them.
Issues begin to arise after you have sat on them for extensive periods of time as the air pockets get emptied, which reduces the size of the beans and they become compressed. This problem with compression not only gives your bean bag a flat appearance, but also leads to issues with its comfort and ergonomics (that is, its assistance with your productivity).
4 Steps to Stop Bean Bags From Going Flat
If you have a bean bag chair that has gone flat on you, the first thing you can do is attempt to rejuvenate it by “fluffing” it. It’s quite a simple process – just follow the below 4 Simple Steps on How to “Fluff” Your Bean Bag
1. Unzip your bean bag – Open the childproof cover of your beanbag to expose its inner core. Please do this in a safe environment, away from pets or animals – if the bean filling is exposed to kids or animals, they can be injured or suffocated from ingesting or inhaling the filling.
Your bean bag may have a secondary lining, known as your inner liner. If so, you can simply remove this as all your EPS beans will be contained inside the inner liner. However, if the filling is loose, empty it out carefully into a bin bag, trying not to let any of it escape as you do.
(A little tip – whilst you have the beans out, this would also be a good time to do a little maintenance on your bean bag cover by cleaning it as per your covers instructions).
2. Fluff your bean bag – Once you have your bean bag open, hold it so the opening is facing upwards. If you have removed the filling and put it into a bin bag, place it back into the bean bag. Otherwise, simply shake the bean bag for 2 – 5 minutes.
This activation will refill the air pockets in the beans and allow them to regain their original shape.
3. Check for fluffiness – Close the bean bag chair and evaluate its appearance to see if it still looks flat. Also, try sitting in it to see if it provides you with the satisfactory support you require. If not, reopen it and try fluffing it (Step #2) again.
Please note – if your bean bag does not regain its original shape after a second fluffing, unfortunately the filling is beyond the point of rejuvenation and it is time to refill your bean bag – another procedure which I’ll elaborate on further below (just see the section “How Do I Refill a Flat Bean Bag Chair”).
4. Replace the cover – Put the filling back in the shell of the bean bag just like your found it (that is, either in the inner liner or loose). Zip your bean bag back up, sit down and relax – your job here is done!
This method should be something you do on a regular basis, such as every 2-3 months, even if your bean bag is still looking good.
By fluffing your bean bag every time you give it a clean, you can prevent it from going flat and keep it looking like new.
However, if it’s too late and you bean bag has already gone flat, follow the fluffing method to try and repair the damage that has been done. Under many circ*mstances, the stimulation may revive the air pockets in your filler and make your bean bag look and feel brand new again.
Unfortunately, bean bag filling is only designed to last so long (generally less than 5 years for the standard EPS beans) so fluffing your bean bag will not always work. If this is the case, it means your bean bag requires new refilling.
How Do I Refill a Flat Bean Bag Chair?
Unfortunately, there comes a time when the only way you can completely fix your bean bag after it goes flat is by doing a complete refill. Refilling a bean bag means replacing the filling in your bean bag with new filling – generally the expanded polystyrene (EPS) beans.
As mentioned, EPS is typically the chosen filling for most bean bag chairs as their main benefits are that:
• They are lightweight, so your bean bag remains versatile.
• They are rigid enough to keep their shape for roughly 5 years.
• They are unaffected by both moisture and heat.
Although EPS beans are not biodegradable, they can be reused and recycled in several ways, including being sold, donated to regional recycling centres, used for craft projects or as a soil filler in the base of pot plants. When you need to refill your bean bag, I recommended that you use virgin (that is, brand new) beads rather than recycled beads, as recycled beads may have a shorter lifetime.
Refilling a bean bag is thought by many to be a messy, time-consuming and complicated process. However, if you follow our 7 Simple Steps for Filling a Bean Bag, it can be quite easy, straightforward, and even fun.
For all the information you need on how to refill your bean bag, please see our article “How to Fill a Bean Bag – 7 Simple Steps to Follow”.
For information on my recommendations on where to purchase your bean bag filling, either instore or online, please see our article “Where to Buy Bean Bag Filling”.
For ideas on what you can fill your bean bag with other than expanded polystyrene (EPS) beans, and the benefits these fillings have, please see our article “Alternative Bean Bag Filling”.
Conclusion
If you purchase a high-quality bean bag, such as the one at Bliss Bean Bags, it may come with a Lifetime Warranty which covers everything from our workmanship to our zippers and our thread. That is because high-quality bean bags such as ours are extremely durable and designed to last. However, one thing that warranty for a bean bag will not cover is the filling inside them.
The filling of bean bags tends to be made from what is known as expanded polystyrene (EPS) beans. These have multiple pockets of air inside them, making them more comfortable to sit on. However, after time, the air pockets get emptied, leading to compression problems and giving your bean bag both a flat appearance and feeling.
To prevent your bean bag from going flat, you should perform the “fluffing” procedure on your bean bag on a regular basis, even while it’s still in perfect condition. This involves unzipping your bean bag and shaking it to reactivate the air pockets in the beans.
This method can also be performed on a bean bag that has already gone flat in an attempt to revitalise it, and if you’re lucky, it just may work.
However, there does comes a time when the only way you can repair a flat bean bag is by completely replacing all the beans with new ones. If you follow our recommendations in this article, you’ll know how to refill a bean bag, where to buy your bean bag filling, and alternative, DIY options for bean bag filling as well.
So if you are ready to take good care of a bean bag, fluff it regularly and not have any issues with refilling it, start designing yours at Bliss Bean Bags today!
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