How to Fluff a Bean Bag?


Is your bean bag flattened? Or else is it not give a comfortable feel as previous? Then you may think to throw them out or refill the bean bag with new filler balls. Be patient and do not waste your money. We will guide you on how to fluff your bean bag within a short time. 

Generally, most bean bags are filled with expanded polystyrene (EPS) balls, which may get flattened over time. But the best thing is the bean bag isn’t hard furniture. Therefore you can rejuvenate your bean bag simply.

You can follow three different methods to fluff a bean bag.

  1. Fluff the bean bag by shaking
  2. Loosen the compact portion of the fillers
  3. Using a Hairdryer or electric inflator pump

Now let’s see how to do each method to fluff your bean bag.

How to fluff a bean bag

Table of Contents

Fluff the Bean Bag by Shaking

First, you should check the type of ball that is used to fill the bean bag. Moreover, this method can apply to bean bags filled with EPS, rigid foam balls, rice, sand, pebbles, hay, and old clothes. 

Step 1: First, Open your Bean Bag Zipper

Generally, most of the bean bags come with a lining layer and beans included in them. Thus, if your bean bag has a lining layer, open that bean bag zipper too.

If your bean bag does not have any zipper, then do not try to tear up your bean bag. Skip this step and go for the next step. 

Step 2: Then, Hold the Bean Bag Opening Upwards

The bean bag opening helps enter more air into it. It helps to loosen the fillers. That’s why I asked to open the bean bag. 

Step 3: Finally, Gently Shake the Bean Bag

It would be best if you shake your bean bag until it fluffs to your desired level. The more you shake, the inner core of the bean bag improves its fulfillment. 

If your bean bag has an inner layer, you can remove the outer cover and shake. Make sure to keep beans in the bean bag while shaking. If not, they will spill out and create a mess. Also, EPS has a static charge, and be aware of that too.

When you are opening and fluffing the bean bag, keep your pets and kids away. Never allow them to play with bean bag balls because they can block their respiratory tract. 

Step 4: Done. Close the Zipper of the Bean Bag and Enjoy

If you are not satisfied with the fluff level, you can do the same steps for a second time. However, if it does not work, you can try another method.

fluff a bean bag

Fluff Heavy Fillers

Some bean bags cannot fluff by the above method, especially if it has heavy fillers. Also, it is not easy to shake heavy bean bags. Therefore you can use the below method for them. 

Step 1: Firstly, Remove all Fillers from the Bean Bag

You should remove the alternative fillings like old cloths, rice, and sand onto the clean polythene layer or mat. But if your bean bag is filled with expanded polystyrene balls, you should use a garbage bag or something like that to remove them because these fillers may have a static charge.

Thus, if you try to remove them on the open surface, they will make a mess. 

Step 2: Loosen the Compact Portions of Fillers

In this step, you can manually loosen the compact fillers. Generally, the old clothes materials can compact over time. Also, the dirt with some liquid or pee tends to adhere and squeeze the cloth fillers.

For example, if your bean bag dirt with a toddler’s pee, it directly affects the structure of faux fur filler. Then fillers’ cozy texture gets lost and compact with each other. If you identify this type of situation, you should wash and dry the filler before add again into the bean bag. Then fillers get fluff and give a comfortable feel as previous. 

The same thing happens for the foam fillers too. The shredded form fillers have an air pores structure. But these fillers can compact due to the regular usage, lack of maintenance, or leakage of any liquid matter like pee. 

Thus, you have to separate them from the bean bags and fluff manually. This process encourages foam structures to fill their pores with air and regain their original size. Agitate them manually until you become satisfied with their texture. 

Moreover, if they dirt with toddler’s or cat’s pee, you should wash them first because they cause to compact and adhere foam particles together. It makes a compact and rigid structure in a bean bag. 

Besides loosening the fluffing property, do you like to sit on the bean bag that is dirt with pee?

Furthermore, you can manually agitate the hay until it becomes loose. 

Step 3: Refill the Bean Bag

After your fillers loosen into the desired level, you can refill them again into the bean bag. Try to fill 2/3 of your bean bag using them. Because overfilling causes to lost fluff structure and compact the bean bag.  

fluff bean bag hairdryer

Use a Hairdryer or Electric Inflator Pump

Do you need to fluff your bean bag within a short time? Then try this method. 

Step 1: Open the Bean Bag and Keep the Opening Upwards

Step 2: Cover the Nozzle Mouth of Equipment Using a Net

If you use this method for expanded polystyrene or styrofoam, you should be careful about equipment safety because EPS balls have a static charge. Hence, they may stick to the equipment.

Therefore it is essential to take safety precautions to protect your equipment from undesirable damages. You can use a flexible mesh net or wet synthetic fabric net to cover the moth of the hairdryer or inflator pump nozzles. 

The wet cloth or wet net helps to reduce the static attraction. That’s why I asked to cover it using a wet cloth or net. 

It will reduce the attraction of bean bag balls into the equipment. Also, these nets will eliminate the entering of EPS fillers into the tool. Thus make sure to select a strong mesh that pores size is smaller than EPS ball size. 

Step 3: Set Hairdryer Nozzle or Electric Inflator Pump Nozzle into the Bean Bag

Step 4: Switch on the Equipment and let Air Flow Enter into the Bean Bag

The main principle of this method is giving a high-speed air supply into the bean bag. Then let beanballs mix and loosen their compact structure. 

The only thing you should do is, insert the nozzle opening into the bean bag and switch on the hair dryer or electric inflator pump. However, if you use a hairdryer, keep its temperature at a low level. 

High temperatures can damage the beanballs. It is better to operate the hairdryer for around 2 minutes and give 20 seconds break. Moreover, you can do this around 5- 10 minutes until your bean bag fluff into the desired level. 

Most people have an electric inflator pump to do their day-to-day works. This equipment can release powerful airflow than a hairdryer. 

Hence, operate the electric inflator for around 1 minute and give a 20-second break. You can practice the same way for 3,4 minutes until your bean bag fluff entirely.  

Do not let spill out beanballs from the bean bag when injecting the powerful airflow. Thus, it would be best if you kept the bean bag opening close while operating this. 

But on the other hand, if you continuously supply powerful airflow into the bean bag, the bean bag fills with air and may look like a balloon.

The bean bag seams can tear up due to the high air pressure inside the bag. That’s why I asked to give a small break (around 20 seconds) while injecting air. 

Then the bean bag has enough time to release extra air to the outside. 

Step 5: Done, Close your Bean Bag Zipper

You can practice this method to air bean bags too. Because they also lost their air filling over time. 

Final Words

Any bean bag lost its main properties after a certain period. But losing its cozy structure and get flattened is a significant issue. 

If you are a regular friend of a bean bag, you may need to recover them immediately to sit comfortably. Thus, try the above methods to fluff your bean bag within few minutes.  

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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