Do you have bed bugs in your mattress? Here's how to get rid of them easily!
Bed bugs are blood-sucking pests that significantly disturb rest and sleep. You were probably woken up by itchy bites from these annoying insects! Detecting bed bugs is crucial to ensure that appropriate eradication methods are used to address the problem. Bed bugs usually hide in the mattress, in the bed frame, in the headboard or along the floorboards. This article will show you how to remove bed bugs from your mattress in several ways.
What are bed bugs?
Bat bugs, fleas and spider beetles are usually confused with bed bugs. Bed bugs are tiny, white or reddish-colored insects with six legs and antennas. You have no wings. Lined bedbugs look redder and their bodies expand and become thicker. Although professional treatment of bed bugs is highly recommended, there are a few things you can do to fix the problem.
Here are the telltale signs of bed bug infestation in your mattress:
- Bedbugs droppings or blood stains in your mattress or pillow
- Small rusty stains in your bed frame
- Bad smelling mattress
- Bed bug bites in straight lines that can itch and ignite
Get rid of bed bugs
- Wash everything
Because bed bugs dig deep into mattress fabrics and bedding, they lay eggs everywhere. The best way to start eradicating your bed bugs is to wash everything as often as possible. However, you need to use high temperature water at 120 ° F to wash and dry the fabrics over high heat. Remember that bed bugs are tough and water alone won't kill them.
Here are some useful washing tips to get rid of bed bugs:
- Start with your bedding and duvet. Immediately transport them to your laundry area in a sealed large container or plastic bag to prevent bed bugs or their eggs from spreading to other areas of the house.
- If you have a modern washing machine, you can use the disinfection setting, which kills bed bugs with hot steam.
- It is also important to wash all clothing, fabric curtains, soft toys, pet beds and other fabric materials in the bedroom where bed bugs are found. You cannot control bed bugs by washing only selected items. So wash everything to avoid having to start the process again.
- Vacuum all beetles and eggs
Vacuuming as many beetles and eggs as possible can help eradicate them faster and easier. Using a HEPA filter vacuum is a good idea to ensure that the bed bugs do not escape. Remove the bag of the vacuum cleaner outside when you are done. Bagless canisters should be emptied into a sealed container to prevent bed bugs from escaping.
Check out these vacuum tips to get rid of bed bugs:
- Before vacuuming, scrub the seams of the mattresses with a stiff brush.
- Spend time vacuuming wrinkles.
- Pay special attention to your mattress and the areas around the bed.
- Vacuum floorboards as these areas are attractive breeding grounds for bed bugs.
- Check your sofa or couch for signs of bed bug infestation.
- Use steamer to control bed bugs
Vapers are amazingly effective in fighting bed bugs, even up to ¾ inch deep in fabric surfaces. Steaming can kill bed bugs in crevices and cracks. Monitor the surface temperature of the affected areas with an infrared thermometer. Kill bed bugs with a steam heat of at least 160 to 180 ° F using a steam brush.
Here are some steaming tips to kill bed bugs:
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure proper use of the steamer.
- When steaming, fabrics can get damp but not wet. You can reduce the amount of steam by properly setting the switch or dial.
- Muffle all surfaces and areas where the bed bugs normally hide.
- After steaming, use a fan to circulate the air and dry the steamed objects.
- Do not use a precise steam nozzle as this does not distribute the steam.
- Cover your mattress
Wrap your mattress and box spring beds with a sealed cover. It prevents bed bugs from entering or leaving the mattress. Keep the cover for at least a year to kill any bed bugs in your mattress.
- Change your mattress
If you have a heavily infested mattress, you may want to get a new one. This is because bed bugs can cause various problems that lead to health problems. Before taking the new mattress to your home, you should remove all bed bugs and their eggs to avoid infestation with your new mattress.
Conclusion
You can get rid of bed bugs in your mattress by washing everything as often as possible. Clean and vacuum all areas, especially folds and tears, in which bed bugs breed. You can use a mattress cover to contain the insects. However, changing your old, infested mattress is a better idea to fix this problem. If everything else fails, contact a bed bug control service or pest control company immediately.
