Can brominated flame retardants in your mattress and couch trigger allergies?

What's actually in it

Your mattress, couch cushions, carpet padding, and electronics contain brominated flame retardants (BFRs). These chemicals are added to meet fire safety standards, but they don't stay put. BFRs break free from the foam and fabric and settle into household dust. You breathe in this dust and absorb it through your skin every day.

Children get the highest doses because they play on floors and put their hands in their mouths. But adults are exposed too, especially in bedrooms where you spend hours on a treated mattress breathing in dust from treated fabrics.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Int analyzed data from a nationally representative health survey and found a clear link between BFR exposure and allergy diagnoses and symptoms. People with higher BFR levels in their blood were more likely to have been diagnosed with allergies and to report active allergy symptoms.

The researchers looked at several types of BFRs, including PBDEs and newer brominated compounds. The association was consistent across different flame retardant types, suggesting it's the class of chemicals, not just one compound, that's causing the problem.

BFRs appear to overstimulate the immune system, making it react to substances like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander that it would normally tolerate. If your allergies have gotten worse over the years, the flame retardants leaking from your furniture could be part of the reason. Encasing mattresses and pillows in allergen-barrier covers can reduce direct dust exposure.