Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads

The Commission is amending the flammability standard for mattresses and mattress pads by revising the laundering procedure specified in that standard for mattress pads which contain a chemical fire retardant. These laundering procedures help assure that any chemical flame retardant is not removed or degraded by repeated washing and drying, thereby creating a flammability hazard. The Commission is issuing these amendments because the detergent specified by the existing laundering procedure is no longer available and the operating characteristics of the washing and drying machines required by that procedure are no longer representative of machines now used for home laundering.