Are Electric Blankets Safe on All Mattresses?

Specialty Mattresses

Throw Blanket

Specialty mattresses such as memory foam, Sleep Number and Tempur-Pedic warn against using electric blankets with their mattresses. Memory-foam and Tempur-Pedic mattresses can become damaged after time when using an electric blanket. You can use an electric blanket with regular Sleep Number beds, but not with the Flex-Fit adjustable beds.

Water Beds

Water and electricity do not mix. Water beds can spring leaks. Sunbeam, among other manufacturers, warns against using an electric blanket with a water bed. This includes both hard-side water-bed mattresses, which are uncased in a wood frame, and soft-side water-bed mattresses that look like traditional mattresses, but have water tubes inside.

Standard Mattresses

You can use electric blankets with standard bed mattresses as long as the mattress does not have any adjustable features. However, Sunbeam does not recommended its electric blankets for bunk beds for safety reasons. Electric blankets can be used with pillow-top mattresses.

Cautions

Never use electric blankets on small-children’s or infant's beds. Children have no way of communicating that they are too hot, or they may lay on top of the blanket, which can result in a burn and malfunctioning of the blanket. Anyone who is sensitive to heat or is unable to move should not use an electric blanket. Do not lie on top of the electric blanket or allow pets to lie on the blanket. If the controls are not working properly, do not use the blanket.