We have discovered how effective are bed bug mattress covers, and the answer depends. The result is complicated and not straightforward because there are considerations to ensure the cover’s effectiveness. Continue reading below to know more:
Furthermore, please check the overall condition of the bed. Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to it rather than risk having the bugs in other parts of the house. If this is more applicable to you, here is how to dispose of bed bug mattress.
Are Bed Bug Mattress Covers Effective?
Bed bug mattress covers are effective but there’s a limitation to consider
Bed bug mattress covers are effective, and it’s worth using them if your mattress is infested with bed bugs. Homeowners should consider using a bed bug mattress cover because they can help kill most bed bugs. After all, remember that bed bugs will starve and eventually die if they are entrapped inside the cover.
However, a limitation with using a bed bug mattress cover to kill these pests is bed bugs can go without feeding for between 20 to 400 days. If you’re also thinking of suffocating them inside the mattress cover, the material itself is not airtight to work. Overall, bed bug mattress covers are effective, but they should not be your sole elimination plan for a bed bug infestation.
Can You Still Get Bed Bugs With A Mattress Cover?
Contrary to what most assume, you can still get bed bugs with a mattress cover. Yes, installing a protector on the bed will keep pests from living inside the mattress. You can feel assured that no bed bugs can hide within the bed.
However, bed bugs can still live on top of the bed and other crevices in the bed frame. They will be easier to spot and remove on the bed surface, but they have different areas to use as hiding spots. Use interceptor traps while having a mattress cover for complete protection against bed bugs.
Furthermore, take the time to learn how to fumigate a mattress. If you already confirm a bed bug infestation, fumigation should kill these pesky critters and help hasten their removal.
How Long Do You Leave A Bed Bug Mattress Cover On?
You must keep the bed bug mattress for years or longer. If you take it off early, you risk having surviving bed bugs that were trapped inside. Remember that these insects can last half a year or more without feeding, and the mattress cover is not airtight enough to suffocate and kill them quickly.
Additionally, bed bugs feed once a week, so removing the bed bug mattress cover puts you at risk of having them in other areas of the house. You want to ensure that they can’t access different parts of the house or even use you to hitchhike to various potential hiding spots. And if you must reuse the mattress cover, you should wash it in high heat to guarantee that even the bed bug eggs on it won’t also survive.
Do Encasements Prevent Bed Bugs?
Encasements can protect you from bed bugs because you won’t come in contact with those trapped inside it. However, using a bed bug mattress cover should only be a part of a more comprehensive prevention and management plan. You may need to consult a local exterminator, depending on the severity of the infestation.
A mattress encasement will keep bed bugs from biting you if the mattress itself harbors these critters. They can’t chew their way out of the material, but you must also address other potential bugs hiding in various tight spots. Always be mindful of whatever you bring inside your home, whether it’s a piece of furniture or even on your clothes when you come from another place.
What To Do If You Slept In A Bed With Bed Bugs?
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, bed bugs will die at 113°F. Put all the items you used on the bed with bed bugs in a container and into the sun to kill any potential critters on it. Afterward, wash your clothes in hot temperatures and then dry them in a low dry cycle even if you don’t see any bed bugs or eggs in them.
Once you confirm that you don’t have any bed bugs on you, you can safely go to other house areas. Try to search for bed bug bites as well and wash them immediately. If needed, apply corticosteroid cream on the bed bug bites to soothe the itchiness.
How Do I Permanently Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?
- Wash all washable items in the infested locations and expose them to heat
- Remove the clutter in the room and seal all the cracks where bed bugs can hide
- Contact a pest control expert to address the infestation effectively
- Do not sleep on the bed until the bed bugs are eliminated completely
- Schedule regular inspections afterward
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you decide if mattress encasements are worth it. To recap how effective are bed bug mattress covers, they will only work if you leave them on and ensure that the critters will die of starvation. Here is where you can buy bed bug mattress covers, but we still advise creating a more extensive management and elimination plan for the bed bug infestation.