Bed Bugs In Your Mattress? Here's What You Should Do
Ah, bed bugs—just like mosquitoes, everyone hates them. They’re your bed’s worst enemies. Not to mention, they feed on your blood every night. Yikes!
They may seem terrifying at first, but don’t worry—bed bugs don’t cause serious health issues other than skin rashes and allergies. Still, no one likes to sleep with an itch that won’t go away, so what’s the solution to such a dilemma? It’s cleaning your bed, of course.
How To Keep Your Mattress Bug-Free
First, you need to understand how these bugs keep themselves safe. They’re called “bed bugs” for a reason, but that doesn’t mean your mattress is their only nesting place. Bed bugs can hide in:
- Boxes
- Shoes
- Cracks/crevices
- Wallpapers
- Upholstery
- Carpets
The worst part about bed bugs is they can travel from long distances and hide in your shoes and bags. That’s why if you’ve returned home after a long trip and you’re feeling itchy at night, bed bugs might be the culprit!
So if you think your bed is home to nasty bed bugs, consider following these guidelines:
- Clean your bedroom (and other affected areas)
Yes, your bed may be the central nesting place for bugs, but it isn’t the only area they reside in. Clean your bedroom (and other affected areas) by reducing clutter. That means you should keep the floor free from clothes, cardboard boxes, and papers.
If you have dirty laundry lying around, it’s crucial to wash them immediately before the bed bugs spread to other areas. Include your bed sheets and blankets in your laundry as well.
- Inspect your mattress
Every bed or mattress is prone to bed bugs, no matter how expensive or cheap it may be. Try to inspect your mattress for bed bugs if you’re feeling a bit itchy during nighttime. Here are parts of the bed that you should check out:
- Seams
- Headboard
- Boxspring
- Bed frame
These annoying bugs love to nest in cracks and crevices, so inspect every part of your bed to see if they’re present. What if bed bugs are all over your mattress? Here’s what to do next.
- Clean your bed
Time to kill these bed bugs the right way! Once you’re done reducing clutter and cleaning the bug-ridden areas at home, treat your bed properly by doing the following:
- Remove the bedding, pillows, and other covers. Wash them with hot water.
- Use a steamer on your mattress. Pay attention to cracks and hard-to-reach areas.
- Kill bed bugs using insecticide. Read the instructions on how to use the insecticide first.
- Vacuum the surroundings to make sure no bugs are transferring to other areas.
- Monitor your bed
After cleaning your mattress, don’t expect the bed bugs to vanish instantly. Wait for a few days until the bugs are gone. To make sure your bed is bug-free, monitor your bedroom once a week to see if there are still signs of bed bugs.
To prevent bed bugs from creeping up on you in the future, you can cover your mattress with a protector. The mattress protector prevents dust mites, fungi, and other allergens from spreading all over your bed—giving you stress-free sleep every night.
There you have it—these are just some of the tips for keeping your mattress bug-free! However, if your bed is too old and rickety, don’t hesitate to replace it with a cheap new mattress instead. That way, your bed is sure to be 100% free from bed bugs!