Should I Change My Mattress If I Have Bed Bugs

A bed bug infestation can leave anyone horror-struck. It’s unpleasant, unhealthy, unsafe and it spreads rapidly. If you’ve discovered a bed bug infestation in your mattress, your first instinct might be to simply get rid of it. But that may not be as wise an idea as you might think. Not only would you have to incur additional costs for purchasing a new mattress.

You’d also have to be ultra careful in disposing of your old mattress because the sheer act of moving it can lead the bed bugs to spread even further, even getting into your neighbours’ properties. With this in mind, you need another solution to deal with your bed bug infestation, with complete mattress removal being your last resort. Ready to find out more? Let’s dig in. 

What are bed bugs?

With so many little and different creatures that could possibly settle in your home, it’s worth asking the questions what are bed bugs and what do bed bugs on a mattress look like. These are tiny creatures, often as big as an apple seed, and they are brownish in colour. However, after they feed on blood, they tend to turn reddish. In terms of size, they can be as thin as a plastic card and that’s why they are sometimes quite difficult to spot and identify. But the importance of addressing an infested mattress with bed bugs cannot be overstated. They can not only cause health risks such as itchy bites but they reproduce extremely quickly and before you know it, you may have an infestation on your hands.

How do bed bugs get in your mattress?

Part of knowing how to get rid of bed bugs in your mattress is knowing how they get there in the first place. We humans are social creatures and never stay in one place for too long. Bed bugs are everywhere and you can pick them up and bring them home with you from airports, taxis, buses, hotels and motels, in your luggage, on your clothes and anywhere else you may think of.

Once the bed bug has hitchhiked on you and you’ve brought them home, they’re in paradise. They will not only be able to breed rapidly at peace. But they also love warmth, feeding on skin cells and the smell of carbon dioxide. The perfect combination of treats for them when you are sleeping. 

The hard part though is that bed bugs can exacerbate issues such as asthma, allergies, eczema and others. And as a well-recognised pest, they need to be dealt with.

How to find bed bugs on a mattress?

Bed bugs are tiny creatures that are often not visible to the naked eye. However, that does not mean that you won’t be able to spot an infestation. For this purpose, you’ll need a pair of medical gloves, a flashlight and something flat and stiff (e.g. a credit card, scraper, hard paper) to help you slowly and carefully comb through the mattress surface.

Once you’ve put on the gloves, switch on the flashlight and examine your mattress carefully. You should pay particular attention to mattress edges, crevices in your wooden frame, where the mattress buttons up (for the older mattress versions) and all over the entire mattress itself. 

What you need to be on the lookout for is signs of their presence. 

For example, you may notice some tiny blood stains where they’ve fed on your skin. You may even see some brownish or yellowish skin sheds, tiny white eggshells and, of course, the bed bugs themselves.

What are the signs of bed bugs?

There are several early signs of bed bugs that you should be looking out for to ensure you catch the infestation in time and address the issue as quickly as possible before it gets worse. Some of the typical bed bugs on a mattress signs may include:

Can you keep your mattress if you have bed bugs? Is it better to buy a new one?

If you have identified that you have a bed bug infestation, you might be wondering: should I throw away my mattress with bed bugs? The short answer is that no, you don’t need to throw out your mattress after a bed bug infestation. It is possible to have them removed. However, this needs to be done by professionals because home remedies often fail to have the desired results.

And in addition to the above, you may also be wondering if you can have bed bugs in brand new mattress. Unfortunately, the answer is yes. It is possible to get bed bugs in a brand new mattress and this is why getting professional help is so important to solve the issue as early on as possible.

How to get rid of bed bugs in a mattress? What kills bed bugs instantly in a mattress?

There are many out there who give advice on how to get rid of bed bugs on a mattress. Solutions range from vacuuming and pest control to using acids, rubbing alcohol or bug bombs. However, these solutions have not proven to be effective and some of them can even be hazardous.

So, what actually works? To reach the answer to this question, you need to know that bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures and heat. This means that anything over and above 50 degrees Celsius and they’re literally toast. Armed with this knowledge, you may now wonder does steam cleaning kill bed bugs?

The short answer is “yes” but it comes with a caveat. The reason for this is that while steam cleaning is performed at high heat which kills bed bugs, it needs to be extremely thoroughly executed for maximum effect.

For instance, a professional mattress cleaning services will always ensure that your bedding and linen is first placed in a sealable bag before being transported to your washing machine so that you do not spread the infestation throughout your home. After this, the bedding should be carefully placed in the washing machine and a high temperature cycle should be used to kill the bed bugs off.

How effective is steam treatment for bed bugs?

According to the NHS, bed bugs and their eggs cannot live in really hot temperatures. This is where steam treatment for bed bugs comes to the fore. At a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius, the bed bugs and their eggs are exterminated immediately and this is one of the most effective bed bugs treatments that you can rely on. So, if you have always been curious about whether steam kills bed bugs and their eggs, the definitive answer is yes.

Wondering how to kill bed bugs inside a mattress? Rely on our trusted bed bug cleaning services

Although you might be tempted to attempt getting rid of bed bugs by yourself, using a professional mattress cleaning service that specialises in bed bug extermination is your best bet for a long-lasting and effective solution. 

At Perfect Carpet Cleaning, we’ve been getting rid of bed bugs for years now for clients in Enfield, Harrow and Barnet. And our numerous happy clients can attest to this. We know just the right techniques and use the right equipment to ensure your bed and mattress are as healthy and bed bug-free as possible.

We use a hot water extraction cleaning technique on your mattress to not only eliminate bed bugs but also bacteria, dust mites and allergens. As a result, your service will naturally include pest removal, too. So, if you are concerned about a bed bug infestation, don’t hesitate to give us a call! Our helpful and experienced team is ready to help. Revitalize your sleeping experience today with our professional mattress cleaning services in Enfield and enjoy a healthier, cleaner and fresher sleeping environment!