How to Fold an Air Mattress: Deflate, Fold, Roll and Store

The short answer

Deflate the mattress completely with its pump’s deflate setting or its valve, make sure it is clean and dry, then fold it loosely: fold it lengthwise, and again, until the strip fits its bag, and roll from the end opposite the pump toward the pump. Avoid sharp creases, and store it somewhere dry, away from extreme heat or cold.

Makers draw their folding steps as small figures, and the steps are not identical. Intex has you close the valve before you roll, while Coleman says to leave it open. This guide puts the shared steps in order and flags the places where your own manual should win.

What you need

The mattress, with its pump or valve cap in reach.
A power outlet for a built-in electric pump, or a manual, foot or battery pump for a valve-only model.
A clear, clean, flat floor, a little longer than the mattress.
The storage bag it came in, if you kept it, or a larger bag or box (see the mistakes below).
A strap or length of cord to hold the roll closed. Coleman’s QuickBed has a flap that ties; owners use string or shoelaces on others.
Your manual. Intex prints its folding steps in numbered figures, so a model-specific drawing is better than any written summary.

How to fold an air mattress, step by step

Unplug it, then get it clean and dry

If the bed has a built-in electric pump, unplug it before you wipe it down: Intex’s manual says “Always unplug this furnishing from the electrical outlet before cleaning”, and SoundAsleep’s says “WARNING: Unplug from outlet first before cleaning.” Intex’s storage instructions say “Make sure the airbed is clean and dry.” If it got wet or dirty, let it dry fully before you fold it, because the CDC notes that “Mold will grow where there is moisture”. Plug it back in only for step 2.

Deflate it fully with the pump or valve

On Intex built-in pump models, turn the dial fully counterclockwise until it stops; SoundAsleep’s dial also has a Deflate position “for complete deflation”. Coleman says to open the external stopper and pull it out so air escapes. Keep within the pump’s run limit: Intex’s manual says “Do not operate air pump for more than 5 minutes at a time. Let pump cool at least 15 minutes between use.”, Bestway’s says “Motor run time should not exceed 5 minutes. Operator should allow motor to cool for 5 minutes between uses.”, and SoundAsleep’s manual says not to “exceed 5 minutes of continuous inflation/deflation time”. Coleman’s leaflet adds “Adult supervision required for inflation and deflation.” Within that limit, let the pump do the work rather than pressing on the bed: Outafun, an inflatable manufacturer, says to “Allow the mattress to collapse naturally rather than manually pressing it immediately.”

Open any second valve and press out the last air

Some beds have a second valve. Outafun says some designs include auxiliary valves and that “Opening them reduces internal air pockets”. Then smooth the bed from the head end to the foot with flat hands. Outafun also says to avoid “stepping aggressively on the mattress, especially near the built-in pump housing”.

Close the valve, or leave it open, as your maker says

This is where makers differ. After deflating, Intex’s manual turns the dial back to the center position, “closing the valve”, before it starts rolling. Coleman says that leaving its valve open while rolling “will help remove any remaining air for more compact storage”. Follow the one for your brand. Then switch the pump off and unplug it, and coil the cord into its compartment: Intex’s manual says to “coil the power cord and place it inside the cord compartment, then close the cover”, with the cord “free of twists, kinks or knots”.

Lay it flat and fold it lengthwise

Place it top side up with the pump at one end. Fold it in half lengthwise, then in half again, so it becomes a long, narrow strip, and fold again if it is still wider than the bag. Intex’s folding figures show two lengthwise folds and Bestway’s figures 6.1-6.3 show three, and Outafun’s guide says “Folding lengthwise first”. Answering the owner of a California king on r/questions, a commenter says to fold it “lengthwise a few times” until it is “long skinny and only 12-18 inches wide” (forum advice, not a maker figure). Intex says “Fold the airbed loosely and avoid sharp bends, corners and creases which can damage the airbed.” Keep every fold soft, and do not crease it hard near the pump.

Roll from the far end toward the pump

Intex’s pump manuals say to begin rolling “from the end opposite of the pump towards the end where the pump is located”. Keep the roll snug, not forced, and keep the bend at the pump end gentle: Outafun advises “Avoiding sharp creases near the pump compartment”.

Secure it and bag it

Tie the roll or use the strap, then slide it into its bag. Intex’s safety instructions add that “The storage bag is not a toy. When not in use, fold the bag and put it away out of the reach of children.”

Three views from above: a flat deflated air mattress with the pump at the left end, folded lengthwise into a narrow strip, then rolled from the far end toward the pump. — The fold-and-roll order: flat, lengthwise folds (two are drawn; more if needed), then roll toward the pump end.

What Intex, Coleman, Bestway and SoundAsleep each say

Maker	Deflating	Folding and storing
Intex (Quickfill Plus pump)	Dial fully counterclockwise until it stops; close the valve when all air is out; pump limit 5 minutes at a time	Roll from the end opposite the pump; fold loosely, clean and dry
Coleman (QuickBed)	Open the stopper and pull it out, or use the pump’s deflate side	Fold, roll toward the storage flap, tie; valve open while rolling
Bestway (built-in pump)	Rotate the knob to the deflation position (newer, no separate safety valve)	Figures 6.1-6.3 fold it lengthwise three times, 6.4-6.5 fold it end over end, 6.6 puts it in the bag; “Product must be stored in a dry location”; check your sheet for the rest
SoundAsleep (Dream Series)	Control dial counter-clockwise to Deflate; pump limit 5 minutes continuous	Avoid unfolding or inflating below freezing

These are what the maker documents say for the models named. Older and newer models in the same range can differ, and Coleman’s QuickBed leaflet used here is dated 2009, so check the sheet that came with yours. SoundAsleep’s own folding video was not readable for this guide.

Fold or roll: which is better?

Both, in that order: fold lengthwise, then roll. Intex’s manual has you roll the deflated bed from the end opposite the pump, and its storage steps then point to folding figures with “Fold the airbed loosely”. Coleman’s steps are fold first, then roll toward the storage flap. The point both share is gentle shapes: Intex warns that sharp bends and creases “can damage the airbed”.

Etenwolf, which sells a cordless air mattress pump, makes the same point in its storage guidance: “Avoid folding the mattress in tight creases”, and it says to roll it up gently from one end. If a large bed will not go back in its bag, owners on r/questions suggest a roomier bag, such as a carry-on roller or large storage bag, over forcing the original.

Queen and other large beds, and built-in pumps

A queen needs the same steps with a narrower strip, not a fatter roll. Intex’s figures show two lengthwise folds and Bestway’s three, and a commenter on r/questions told the owner of a California king to keep folding “lengthwise a few times” until the strip is “only 12-18 inches wide” before rolling. The owner said the bags were still too small and weak, and other replies suggested a roomier bag instead. No cited manual gives a separate queen procedure or a double-high one, so check your model’s sheet.

The pump is the stiff part. Outafun says to fold lengthwise first and avoid sharp creases near the pump compartment, so the lengthwise folds come before the roll, and the pump sits at the end the roll finishes on. Intex agrees on the direction: roll toward the pump end.

On Bestway models without a separate safety valve (it says this version dates from 2017), the FAQ says to “Rotate the knob in deflation position” and the air flows out of the central hole of the knob.

Storing it once it is folded

Dry. Bestway’s pump manual says “Product must be stored in a dry location.” Mold needs moisture to grow, per the CDC.
Not in extreme heat or cold. Intex and Coleman both say not to expose the airbed to extreme temperatures, hot or cold. SoundAsleep’s manual adds “never unfold or inflate the air mattress in temperatures below freezing”. A garage or car trunk in winter is the case to watch.
Loose, not squashed. Intex’s storage instructions say to fold the airbed loosely.
Out of reach of children. See the bag line in step 7.

If you are weighing storing a bed against not owning one, the trade is covered in our sleeping pad vs air mattress comparison. If it goes flat after storage, see why an air mattress keeps deflating.

Mistakes that make it hard to fold, or hurt it in storage

Running the pump past its limit. Intex, Bestway and SoundAsleep all give a 5-minute limit; see step 2.
Folding with air still inside. Outafun says “Do not force-fold while residual pressure remains” and that incomplete deflation weakens seam welds over time. Reopen the valve and let it finish.
Folding with a sharp crease. Intex says creases can damage the airbed. Fold in soft, wide curves.
Folding it damp. Intex asks for clean and dry. Moisture is what mold uses.
Stepping or pressing hard on the pump housing. Outafun warns against it.
Treating the bag as a hard limit. If it will not fit, use a larger bag rather than tearing the original or pressing harder.
Leaving it in a hot or freezing space. See the storage list above.

Ready to buy?

If yours is past saving, see our camping air mattress roundup.

Folding foam mattress or air mattress?

If you are comparing the two for guests, a folding mattress here means a foam one (a tri-fold, or a rollaway bed with a frame). The Strategist, a New York Magazine publication, reviewed several air-mattress alternatives. Of a tri-fold foam mattress it says folding “is also considerably easier than rolling and compressing” the roll-up foam ones, but that “compared to an air mattress, it definitely requires more space to store.” Of a rollaway it says “Enter the foldaway bed: An actual bed frame and mattress that can be folded up for storage.”

	Air mattress	Folding foam or rollaway
Setup	Inflate with a pump; deflate and fold to put away	Unfold and use
Stored size	Small once deflated	Bulkier
Leaks	Possible	None, per Flextail

Flextail, which sells its own competing mattress, says a foam folding mattress has “no risk of punctures, leaks, or deflation”, and that an air mattress is “compact and highly portable when deflated”. Choose the air mattress if storage space is the limit, and the folding foam one if you would rather not manage a pump or a slow leak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I fold up my air mattress?

Make sure it is clean and dry (unplug it before cleaning), deflate it completely within the pump’s 5-minute limit, fold it lengthwise twice, or more until it fits the bag, then roll loosely from the end opposite the pump toward the pump.

Q. Is it better to roll or fold an air mattress?

Most maker steps use both: fold lengthwise, then roll. Intex rolls from the end opposite the pump and says to fold loosely and avoid sharp creases.

Q. Can you fold up a mattress that came in a box?

That is a foam mattress, not an inflatable, so follow its maker’s care page. For a foam camping mattress, the Strategist reports that the brand says storing it rolled is fine, with an unroll every few months.

Q. How do I fold an air mattress with a built-in pump?

Deflate it with the pump’s deflate setting, then fold and roll toward the pump without creasing hard over it. Intex’s manual says to roll from the end opposite the pump.

Q. How do I fold an Intex or Bestway air mattress?

Intex: fully counterclockwise on the dial, then roll from the far end toward the pump; its manual illustrates the fold in numbered figures. Bestway’s FAQ says to rotate the knob to the deflation position on models without a separate safety valve.

Q. How should I store an air mattress when not in use?

Dry, clean and loosely folded, away from extreme heat or cold. Bestway’s manual says it must be stored in a dry location.

Sources (11)

Outgearly Team

Written and reviewed by the Outgearly Team. See the About page for how we work.