Here’s a story that may make people rethink something as ordinary as their own bedroom. A viral TikTok video has exposed a hidden risk inside one of the most popular household items.

The warning came from a woman named Kezi, who appeared on camera covered in full personal protective equipment.

Her concern was not about mold, dust or pests, but rather something more unexpected: fiberglass leaking from her mattress.


Fiberglass is commonly used in memory foam mattresses as a flame retardant, chosen because it is lightweight, affordable and free from added chemicals.

Manufacturers embed the fibers beneath the mattress cover to act as a barrier in case of fire. But when Kezi unzipped her mattress to spot clean it, she said the material released into her room.

“I saw these particles in the air and went, oh s–t, that’s fiberglass,” she explained. Kezi documented the aftermath, describing how she had to throw away her entire mattress, pillows, duvet and anything with insulation.

“I have had to toss out my entire mattress, all of my pillows, anything that had insulation in it, my duvet, all of that, and now I’m having to spend my entire week like this because I unzipped it,” she said.


To cope with the exposure, she wore head-to-toe gear and later upgraded to a respiratory mask. She also asked viewers for advice on salvaging clothes that had fiberglass fragments embedded in them.

The health effects of fiberglass can be immediate and long-lasting. Short-term exposure can cause skin rashes, eye irritation, stomach problems and breathing difficulties.

Over time, inhaled fiberglass has been linked to lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, hormonal disruptions and even cancer.

Experts stress that its microscopic size allows it to spread easily into air ducts, carpets, furniture and clothing, making cleanup extremely difficult.


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Kezi said she used lint rollers and vinegar washes to remove shards from clothing and blocked off parts of her house with tarps.

“As far as the clothes, a lot of stuff had to be tossed out, and it’s very disheartening,” she said. “So I did what you guys said.”

“I got a pet lint roller, and I lint-rolled all of them using my phone flashlight to kind of see where the shards are.”

She vacuumed and swiffered surfaces repeatedly, calling the process “extremely tedious and very exhausting.”



Memory foam mattresses are more likely to contain fiberglass, and not all manufacturers clearly label it.

Some use terms like “glass wool” or “glass fibers,” leaving consumers unaware of what they are sleeping on.

In California, fiberglass has been banned from mattresses, covers and upholstered furniture since 2023.

Experts often recommend organic or latex mattresses, which typically avoid fiberglass and other harsh chemicals.


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“Memory foam mattresses should not have fiberglass in them,” Kezi warned in one of her videos. “If you have a memory foam mattress, do not try to unzip it, spot clean it or throw the thing in the washing machine. Throw the s–t away, to be completely honest.”

Sleep experts agree that although fiberglass is effective when contained, the risks once it escapes can outweigh the savings of a budget mattress.

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Would you consider paying more for an organic or fiberglass-free mattress to protect your home and health, or do you believe these risks are being exaggerated? Share your thoughts below and tell us whether mattress safety has ever been something you worried about.