Step one: Purchase a new medium-firm natural latex mattress from Cotton Cloud futon.
Step two: Read the instructions online for how to properly cut a latex mattress.
Step three: Completely disregard instructions and start hacking away with a hot knife instead.
In my defense, I didn't find anywhere online that says NOT to do it with a hot knife, but this is what I learned. When you heat latex it does not magically re-harden like plastic does, instead it forms a sticky mess that reeks like a combination of burning kerosene and hashish. The odor is very potent, and does not go away, nor does the stickiness. So yeah, that was a mistake.
Step two: Read the instructions online for how to properly cut a latex mattress.
Step three: Completely disregard instructions and start hacking away with a hot knife instead.
In my defense, I didn't find anywhere online that says NOT to do it with a hot knife, but this is what I learned. When you heat latex it does not magically re-harden like plastic does, instead it forms a sticky mess that reeks like a combination of burning kerosene and hashish. The odor is very potent, and does not go away, nor does the stickiness. So yeah, that was a mistake.
For lack of a better idea, I spent the next 90 minutes with scissors clipping off the every last bit of the offending goo. Neither fun nor pretty, it got the job done and the mattress still fit perfect in the corner of the Airstream. Note to self: instructions are there for a reason, not because other people aren't smart enough to do it your way.
All's well that ends well though, and in the end I got a comfortable bed that will last four times as long as conventional foam without dumping a bunch of toxins into the planet. Cotton Cloud Futons had the best prices I could find on latex beds. They're a great locally owned company that makes all their own beds, comforters and bed frames.
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