Dry steam Cleaning Mattress & Upholstery When treating
As discussed earlier, steam cleaners are effective in cleaning bed bugs. Depending on your preferred temperature setting, bed bugs and their eggs are killed in a matter of minutes. Steam cleaners are most effective in eliminating bed bugs on the surface.
It often takes 2 or 3 times for steaming to kill all of the bed bugs since they may move to escape the steam, or you might miss an area. Plan to repeat the steam treatment a few hours later or the following day. Don't wait more than a few days to repeat the treatment because bed bugs multiply quickly!
Do continue to sleep in your bedroom after identifying a bed bug infestation. If you move rooms or start sleeping on the couch you run the risk of contaminating these other areas of your home. Similarly, avoid taking your bedding from the location of the infestation to other rooms of your home.
Heat treatment, although it takes longer than steam to kill bed bugs, does get through more cracks and crevices that are possible hiding places. Because heat has more flexibility than steam, it also offers the permanence of a bed bug-free household.
Lavender or peppermint oil spray
Just like in the case of tea tree oil, lavender oil can be used to spray on possible hiding places of bed bugs. You don't even have to worry about any side effects because lavender essential oil is safe for you and your pets even.
Bed bugs are easy to kill using heat. Their thermal death point is reported to be 114-115° F. Putting infested clothing in a hot dryer is an excellent way of killing bed bugs and their eggs. Heat can also be used to kill bed bugs and their eggs in furniture and carpeting.
If you've already gone inside your home, use a steamer to clean the carpets, drapes, linens, and mattress. Wrap your mattress in a bed bug proof cover. Place bedbug interceptors on the feet of your bed for a few nights just to be sure you killed everything.
Steam cleaning – sweat, dirt and stains can easily penetrate beyond the top layer of your mattress so treat it to a steam clean every few months. Vacuum the mattress first, run the steam cleaner across the whole surface then allow to dry.
A steam cleaner will clean your mattress and eliminate stains without you having to put in too much work. Steam that reaches between 212 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit will kill bacteria, dust mites, and break down stains for effective removal.
Leave the mattress for about four hours to dry. Steam cleaning a mattress does not leave behind water, but it's possible there's still a bit of moisture left deep inside from the initial spill. It's best if your mattress can dry in a warm spot out in the sun.
On average: A female bed bug will produce between 1- 7 eggs per day for about 10 days after a single blood meal. She will then have to feed again to produce more eggs. A female can produce between 5 and 20 eggs from a single • blood meal.
Dark spots (about this size: ), which are bed bug excrement and may bleed on the fabric like a marker would. Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger.
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are two common insecticides used to kill bed bugs. As far as pesticides go, these have a relatively low toxicity to pets and people, and are fast-acting. They also require a low dose to kill insects.
If you find that you have bed bugs in your home or apartment, it can be tempting to move out in the hopes of easily escaping the infestation. Unfortunately, unless you take the right safety measures, the bed bugs may move right along with you.
Although bed bugs are nocturnal and prefer to bite their host when they are asleep, they are not limited to biting their host at night. They've been known to bite people while awake during the day as long as the opportunity presents itself.
Sleep in long-sleeved clothing
Human blood is the primary source of food for bedbugs. These sneaky creatures will feast on exposed areas of your skin, but they can't bite through fabric. Lower your risk of getting bedbug bites by wearing long-sleeved pajamas with pants while sleeping.