Bed bugs are oval-shaped bugs approximately the size of an apple seed with a brownish-red coloring. They do not fly, but they are able to travel quickly and they feed on human blood. Because bed bugs are just ¼ of an inch long, they are able to lodge themselves in the smallest of spaces. Usually, you are going to find them hiding in groups on your mattresses, box springs, or in around bed frames where they have easy access to humans during the night. Also, you may find them in bedside tables, loose wallpaper, or other creases near where you sleep. By the way, how do you know if your mattress has bed bugs?
Some Signs Your Mattress Has Bed Bugs
Here are signs that your mattress has bed bugs:
- Bed Bugs
Of course, the most obvious way to tell if you have bed bugs on your mattress is to find one. Bed bugs are small, flat, and oval-shaped. Also, bed bugs are wingless with reddish-brown bodies. These bed bugs are nocturnal, so they are easier to discover at night. Mattresses, bed frames, pillows, and carpeting around beds are common hiding places for them. - Rusty Colored Stains
Also, bed bugs leave other signs of their presence. Rusty colored stains on your bed sheets or mattresses could be caused by the bed bugs that have been squished. - Bed Bug Eggs
One unpleasant evidence of the bed bugs is their eggs. The bed bug eggs and eggshells are very small, just about 1 mm. These bed bugs will also leave behind clear, yellowish exoskeletons as they grow larger. - Droppings
Another unpleasant sign of the bed bugs is their excrement that resembles a tiny dark ink spot. - Blood Stains
Small red smears on your bed sheets and pajamas are a sign that bed bugs have been biting you. - Bites
While this one might seem like the most obvious, it may be hard to identify bed bug bites because of their similarity to other insect bites. Bed bug bites are very itchy and will look like a swollen red dot.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Your Mattress?
Here are some steps to get rid of bed bugs in your mattress:
Step 1: Launder Your Linens
Your first step is to wash everything you can, which includes cleaning your mattress. Please wash your pillows, sheets, and pillowcases. You are able to use rubber gloves to put these items in a trash bag for transporting to your laundry room. You have to avoid using your laundry basket to move your bedding from room to room. Using a regular basket will give the bed bugs a chance to make it back to your bedroom. Instead, you have to use a garbage bag and throw it when you are finished. Since you should not use insecticide on your bedding or clothes, then you are able to use hot water in the wash.
Step 2: Vacuum and Repeat
After your bedding is in the wash and out of the way, then you have to vacuum your bedroom. Avoid using the brush attachment as the bed bugs can hide away in the bristles. Instead, you are able to use the hose. Please be sure to vacuum the small crevices in your mattress and other places around the room, especially by the bed. Please be thorough and repeat a few times. Just dump the vacuum’s contents in an outside garbage and then clean the container so the bed bugs within will not have a free ride back inside.
Step 3: Take Your Bed Frame Apart
Now, you are able to take your bed frame apart, and clean every inch of it. Bed bugs are able to hide in the smallest of places, thus it’s worth the effort to get rid of them. You have to use a magnifying glass and flashlight to see inside crevices and get a better look. If you have a wood bed frame and discover any cracks, seal them to prevent bed bugs from using them as a hiding spot.
Step 4: Use Insecticides which are Safe for Your Mattress
The best method to get rid of bed bugs instantly is to spray them with an insecticide. Most sprays kill bed bugs on the spot. But, after the solution has dried, there is no guarantee it will still kill the remaining bugs which come across it. Likewise, several ingredients in certain insecticides allow the bed bug eggs to hatch, however the chemicals kill them shortly after. Other ingredients are almost ineffective completely to prevent the bed bug eggs from hatching and killing the bed bugs once it has. Thus, do your research beforehand to know what will be most effective for killing bed bugs and their unhatched eggs.
Also, you have to be careful of spraying the insecticide too much around your sleeping area, because it does contain harmful chemicals. You have to leave the room and close the door and windows for approximately 15 minutes before re-entering and opening the windows for ventilation.
Step 5: Steam Your Mattress
For steaming to get rid of bed bugs effectively, it needs to reach a temperature of 120 degrees or higher. Because most people do not have steamers at home with this type of strength, it is not the best method for getting bed bugs out of a mattress, however it can work if you have such a steamer.
Step 6: Encase Your Mattress and Box Spring in a Cover
If you have decided that getting a new mattress is too expensive, consider purchasing a mattress cover and box spring cover. These specialized covers make it virtually impossible for bed bugs to escape. In order for this method to be most effective, you have to leave the cover on for a year to make sure the bed bugs inside are all dead and are no longer reproducing. This method is best if the bed bugs are just in your mattress, however it will not do anything if bed bugs are in your bed frame, nightstand, or anywhere else in the room.
