All 15 mattress protectors we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 mattress protectors for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
100% of the 15 mattress protectors we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free mattress protectors we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The mattress protectors we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Avocado
Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector
Organic cotton/poly blend with waterproof barrier coating (unspecified)
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Coating degradation and microfiber shedding
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Allergic reaction to undisclosed coating components
Limited concern
Avoid until Avocado discloses waterproof coating chemistry, since mattress protectors often use PFAS-based treatments.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Avocado
Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector - Twin XL
Fabric + waterproof barrier layer (unspecified)
PFAS
Limited concern
Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing
Limited concern
Polyurethane coating degradation and microparticle release
Limited concern
Avoid until brand discloses waterproof coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Helix
GlacioTex Mattress Protector by Helix Twin
Polyester blend with water-repellent coating (likely fluorinated)
PFAS
High concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding
Moderate concern
Avoid unless Helix commits to PFAS transparency or obtains third-party testing.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on mattress protectors
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
- Flame retardants. Chemicals added to foam and electronics, some persistent and bioaccumulative. EPA
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The mattress protectors brands that will not say
5 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Avocado, Brooklinen, Casper, Helix, Purple.
Common questions about PFAS-free mattress protectors
Is mattress protectors PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 mattress protectors we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Avocado Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector at 20.
Which mattress protectors should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Avocado Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector at 20, Avocado Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector - Twin XL at 20, Helix GlacioTex Mattress Protector by Helix Twin at 20. The problem with the first is that avoid until Avocado discloses waterproof coating chemistry, since mattress protectors often use PFAS-based treatments.
How can you tell if mattress protectors contain PFAS?
In this category we check for formaldehyde / vocs, flame retardants. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which mattress protectors brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
5 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Avocado, Brooklinen, Casper, Helix, Purple. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test mattress protectors?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Does a particular brand of mattress protectors have PFAS?
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