No one wants to deal with bed bugs because they are a nuisance, create various health problems and it’s scary to think that something is feeding on you while you sleep. While getting rid of your mattress is a viable option, it’s not required, and it doesn’t always solve the problem. If you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs in a mattress, then this guide will help you complete that so that you can sleep soundly again.
Content:
Inspecting Bed Bugs
Clean and Dry Everything
Prepping the Mattress
Vacuum
Mattress Cover
Afterwards
Inspecting Bed Bugs
Before going forward, you should ensure that you have bed bugs and not another issue. If you have clearly seen them, then there’s no reason to check these signs. If you suspect bed bugs due to bites or mysterious stains, then it’s best to check through these infestation signs to ensure that you are really dealing with this issue.
One of the most prevalent signs is waking up with itchy spots without any other indication or reason. Bed bug bites will itch and can be very annoying. Since they are taking your blood, it’s common to see small blood stains on your pillow or bed sheets. Unless you can find another reason for blood, such as cutting yourself on something, then bed bugs are a likely culprit.
Bed bugs go to the bathroom and propagate just like any other living organism. Expect to see dark spots of bed bug excrement on sheets or the mattress itself, along with shed skins and egg shells. You can find these on the sides, top, bottom or anywhere else around your mattress. Bed bugs often have an offensive, musty odor that can’t be explained by any other reason.
Clean and Dry Everything
Most bugs are susceptible to heat, and bed bugs are no exception. Take all your bedding, linens, sheets and even your curtains and throw them in the washer. Turn the heat up as high as possible, the hotter the better. Do the same with the dryer. You want to use the hottest setting that you can. Even if the item calls for cooler temperature, the only way to effectively take care of the bed bugs is with high heat.
Bed bugs like hiding in shoes, stuffed animals and other soft items. Obviously, these items cannot be placed in the washer, but they can be placed in the dryer. Just like with your bedding, push up the temperature to its highest setting. This should be enough to kill off a good amount of the bed bugs. Run the dryer for at least 30 minutes, but longer is better.You should know how to clean a mattress.
Prepping the Mattress
Most people skip directly to the next step, vacuuming the mattress, but that’s not efficient and causes you to miss a good amount of the existing bed bugs and eggs. If you to know the best way how to get rid of bed bugs in a mattress, then doing this extra step will be incredibly helpful.
Get a stiff brush. You don’t want one so stiff that it will damage the mattress, but it can’t be soft. Aggressively scrub all around the mattress. You want to ensure that you get all the seams, the top and sides and every nook and cranny.
Bed bugs and their resulting eggs are very tiny and good at hiding. This scrubbing will help to flush them out and remove them from their hiding spots. You’ll remove much more bed bugs if you do this step first, otherwise you’ll still have some hiding in the mattress when you’re finished.
Vacuum
This step is easy enough, but there are some things to keep in mind. First, vacuum all around the mattress. Leave no angle or side unvacuumed. Even the smallest section can harbor a bed bug, which might lay eggs and start the process all over again.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty the canister), place that in a sealed plastic bag and put that bag in an outside garbage can. This creates a barrier so that the bed bugs can’t escape the bag and it ensures that they are outside and have no way to return.
Mattress Cover
If you followed all the steps until now, then you should have gotten rid of most if not all the bed bugs. However, you don’t want to rely on probability, you want to ensure that everything is gone. The best thing that you can do is place a sealed mattress cover over your mattress and box spring. It must be tightly woven and sealed with a zipper to prevent bed bugs from getting in or out.
Bed bugs can live for a whole year without feeding. Keep this cover on for at least a year to ensure that any bugs still in the mattress die. You don’t want to remove it prematurely as that can give them a chance to feed and grow.
Afterwards
There are just a few small things to do before you are all finished. Is there any clutter around the bed? This might give bed bugs a place to hide, so you’ll want to clean and remove any clutter. If possible, throw it away. If not, then take steps to clean away any bed bugs so that they don’t bother you.
Look around your room for cracks, peeling wallpaper or anywhere else that bed bugs can hide. Use caulk to seal any cracks or holes and glue wallpaper to the wall if it is peeling. This should prevent bed bugs from getting back to your mattress. If anything looks suspicious or even in slight disrepair, then it should be best to be cautious and repair the area.
Conclusion
These steps will help you learn how to get rid of bed bugs in a mattress in the most effective way possible. While you can always throw away the mattress, you should still follow these steps to prevent a new infestation from happening. Remember, bed bugs don’t just hide in the mattress, they can also hide around the room in cracks and objects. Be safe, take precautions and you should be able to get rid of these pests on your own.