How Often Should I Refill My Bean Bag?


Like anything, bean bag fillers also have a specific period. After that period, old bean fillers get flattened and lose their super comfort properties. Thus, refilling bean bags is an inevitable fact.  

However, how often you should refill bean bags is subjective, and it will depend on several things. These are; 

  • Bean beads type
  • Quality of bean beads
  • Bean bag shape
  • Amount of beanballs used for bean bag
  • How often do you sit on a bean bag
  • User weight
  • Environment factors

So, let’s see how often you should refill the bean bag.

when to refill bean bag

Table of Contents

How to Identify Bean Bags Need Refilling?

  • Appearance and volume of bean bag
  • By the comfy feel of bean bag
  • The smell of bean bag fillers
  • When your sense irritating or allergy
  • When bugs and insects associated with beans
  • When bean bag fillers decay and breakdown into small particles
  • When bean bag fillers dirt with something

When to Refill Expanded Polystyrene Balls(EPS)?

EPS balls have a good lifespan. Thus, you won’t have to replace your filling as often. But, this may depend on the usage. Some people jump on the bean bag, some lay and relax on the bean bags.

Also, kids love to play with bean bags. Moreover, some users sit there regularly, and some sit once a week or after a long period. Other than these, a heavy-weight person puts much more pressure on a bean bag than a lightweight person.

Due to these reasons, the bean bag refilling period is very subjective. However, as a general, if anyone uses bean bags regularly, he needs to replace EPS beads just after the 2, 3 years.

You can identify the exact refiling time by observing the bean bag. If it has a loose appearance, it is a sign of flattened beanballs. So, that kind of bean bag needs to refill.

However, you can practice bean bag refilling in several ways. You can pick one from below, according to your desire and budget.

Choice 1: Refill whole bean bag after two years

If you choose this, you have to spend a lot of money at once. But after that, you can use it for another two years without any worry.

Choice 2: Refill half of the bean bags with new beans after one year, then practice the same process in the second year

If your bean bag needs some refill, but you do not have enough budget, go for this method. Then you have to spend half of the cost per year.

Choice 3: Refill the bean bag until it becomes a comfortable shape and give the tight feel

Generally, fill your bean bag with 2/3 of its volume from beans. But the effect of flattened bean volume will reduce. Thus, you can refill the lost volume with new beans. Also, you do not need to spend many dollars on this.

Moreover, I cannot say the exact time to do this method. However, if you feel your bean bag needs some beans after six months, you can practice this.

When to Refill Foam Fillers?

Generally, quality memory foam has good durability. Thus, you can use it for 3 to 10 years without refilling. However, according to your usage, shredded memory foam may lose its unique properties before it.

However, in general, it is enough to fill foams just after three years.

When to Refill Packing Peanuts?

Packing peanuts are made for packing purposes. It protects and prevents accessories from being damaged during transport. Thus, when you use them as a bean bag filler, it can not do that responsibility 100% as other fillers,

A Bean bag is a furniture that is prepared to tolerate around 100 – 120 kilograms. But packing peanuts is not ready to handle the weights.

Also, the starch-based packing peanuts may dissolve when they contact with water. Hence, the bean bag refilling period depends on your usage. However, if you use it in proper care, you can use it for up to 6 months to 1.5 years. Then go for a refill. 

Moreover, polystyrene packing peanuts should refill just after 1.5 to 2 years. However, this period is highly dependent on packing peanuts’ type, shape, and size.

When packing peanuts are used regularly, their structures can break and flatten. Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable sitting on a bean bag chair, it is the correct time to refill your bean bag.

When to Refill Bean Bag with Rice?

Rice is a seed, and it covers with outer cover. Thus, you can use rice fillers for bean bags just for 6 to 8 months. After that period, you should remove and refill the rice. 

Moreover, this may depend on your bean bag type and environment. If your living environment is humid, rice may tend to spoil quickly. 

Or else, if you do not maintain it properly, dust and bugs may destroy your bean bag fillers. Thus, you should keep these bean bags away from water and kids to have good durability. 

When to Refill Bean Bag with Hay?

The well-maintained hay can use 1 to 2 years as a bean bag filler. But the period also varies with hay type, external environment, insect and bug influences. 

In here, you do not have a filler flattened effect. If hay flattened over time, you can simply fluff and fix it.

But you can not stop the decaying of natural fillers. Therefore usually, the well-maintained hay filler can replace just after six months to 1.5 years.

When to Refill Bean Bag with Sand?

Do you have any idea about the sand expiry date? Or date that sand lost its properties? I’m sure now you get confused. Yes, it does not have any expiry date and can remain decades without losing its properties.

However, sand gets dirt with your waste over time, like foot dust, sweat, drinks, liqueurs, and small food waste particles. Thus, getting some refresh to your bean bag, changing or refilling with new sand is necessary. 

Hence, refilling sand after 1 to 1.5 years may give a better look for your bean bag. Otherwise, you can clean them using the proper method and reuse the same sand to refill them. If you need to know how to wash sand filters, click here. 

When to Refill Pebbles?

Pebbles are another name for small well-shaped stones. Like sand, pebbles also do not have an exact refilling period because these eco-friendly fillers do not expire and lose their properties over time. 

However, they also can dirt with toddlers pee, dust, and other tiny particles. Thus, you can clean and reuse them. Or else you can refill the bean bag with new pebble fillers after 1, 2 years. 

When to Refill Bean Bag with Old clothes?

Can we wear the same cloth for years without cleaning? This theory is also applicable to cloth filters. Due to the massive cloth amount, it may accumulate a large portion of dust over time. 

In addition, as an old nature, cloth getting decay over time. Because of that, it is recommended to refill this type of bean bag after one year. 

Final Words

People are searching for how often I should change bean bag fillers. But, anyone cannot say the exact period because the bean bag refilling time is highly subjective to filler type, user, and way of usage. 

Moreover, outer environment status such as humidity, temperature, sunlight level also affects eco-friendly fillers. This article was prepared with hundreds of bean bag consumers’ experiences. But, do not forget, your bean bag filling period depends on your usage. Thus, first, identify if it really needs to refill soon. 

Sarah Williams

I’m Sarah Williams. A true fan of Bean Bag Chairs. The story of Bean Bags Expert goes to beginning of 2016. At the mid of 2016, I have planned the web site and bought this domain. Slowly this grew up like a little kid.

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