Do I Have to Throw Out My Bed Bug Infested Mattress?

Take the following steps to get rid of bed bugs from a mattress:

If you suspect that your mattress is infested with bed bugs, it’s important to take immediate action. Here are some steps to help you deal with the infestation:

1. Inspect the Mattress and Box Spring: Start by thoroughly inspecting your mattress and box spring for signs of bed bugs. Look for bed bug stains (dark spots), eggs, shed skins, or live bugs. Bed bugs tend to hide in seams, folds, and cracks. If you’re not sure where to look, use a flashlight and magnifying glass to spot any tiny critters.
2. Vacuum and Steam Clean the Mattress: First, find the affected areas. Then, vacuum the mattress. This will help remove visible bed bugs, eggs, and debris. Be sure to vacuum every inch, including the seams and edges. After vacuuming, use a steam cleaner on the mattress. The high heat will kill bed bugs, larvae, and eggs. This is an essential step in eliminating bed bugs from your mattress.
3. Encase the Mattress: After cleaning, encase your mattress with a bed bug-proof cover. These covers trap any bed bugs left inside. This stops them from escaping and infesting your home more. Make sure to leave the encasement on for at least a year, as it can take that long for any remaining eggs to hatch.
4. Treat the Area Around the Mattress: The bed bugs in your mattress likely came from other parts of your home, such as the bed frame or upholstered furniture. It’s crucial to inspect and treat the surrounding area as well. Vacuum the bed frame, box spring, and any nearby furniture. Steam clean them and treat them with bed bug-specific insecticides if needed.
5. Seek Professional Help: DIY methods can help, but professional pest control is usually the best way to get rid of bed bugs. Contact a bed bug exterminator to treat it with heat or other effective treatments. Bed bug control experts know how to manage the problem safely.

Signs of Bed Bugs In a Mattress

Recognizing the signs of a bed bug infestation in your mattress can help with early detection and prevention. These pests are skilled at hiding, and spotting them early can stop the problem from worsening. Here are the key signs to look for:

Stains: One of the most common indicators of bed bugs is the presence of small, dark stains on your mattress. These are typically fecal spots left behind by bed bugs as they feed. Finding these marks is a strong sign that bed bugs are present and actively feeding in your sleeping area.

Bed Bug Eggs: Bed bugs lay tiny, white eggs, often tucked away in crevices or along the seams of your mattress. These eggs are about the size of a pinhead and can be hard to spot without a close inspection. If you notice these eggs, it’s time to take immediate action to address the infestation.

Live Bed Bugs: The most unmistakable sign of an infestation is spotting live bed bugs. These small, reddish-brown insects are roughly the size of an apple seed and are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. If you see live bed bugs during the day, it’s likely a sign of a severe infestation.

Shed Skins: As bed bugs grow, they shed their exoskeletons, leaving behind tiny, translucent shells. These are often found around the seams, edges, or crevices of your mattress. The presence of shed skins is a clear indication that bed bugs have been living in your mattress for some time.

Bites: While not always visible, many people discover bed bug infestations after noticing red, itchy bites on their skin. These bites typically appear in rows or clusters and are caused by bed bugs feeding on you while you sleep.

If you observe any of these signs of bed bugs in your mattress, it’s important to act quickly. Addressing the problem early can help prevent the infestation from spreading to other areas of your home.

Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away Your Infested Mattress

If you have a bed bug problem, tossing your mattress or box spring will not solve the problem. When you have an infestation, bed bugs aren’t only hiding in your bed. They have likely spread to other spots in your property. If you get rid of your mattress or replace it with a new one, chances are your brand-new bed will get infested, too! It’s crucial to treat your entire home for bed bugs—including your bed—to prevent the infestation from spreading.

Throwing away a mattress doesn’t eliminate bed bugs; it simply provides them with the opportunity to spread. Bed bugs can easily hitch a ride on discarded furniture and move into other areas of your home or even into your neighbors’ homes if left outside. Additionally, if you discard your mattress prematurely, you might miss the opportunity to treat and clean it properly.

Instead, it’s much more effective to treat your mattress professionally. You can get rid of bed bugs with treatments like steam cleaning, heat treatments, vacuuming, and bed bug covers. This way, you don’t have to throw away your mattress. A bed bug control expert can treat your home thoroughly. They will address all areas, including your mattress, box spring, and furniture.

Should You Throw Away Bedding or Other Furniture?

You may think it’s smart to toss out infested bedding or furniture. But this can waste materials and make the problem worse. So, consider these guidelines:

Bedding: Wash your bedding, sheets, and linens in hot water and dry them on the highest heat setting. High heat will kill bed bugs and their eggs. Encase your bedding in bed bug-proof covers to prevent any remaining bed bugs from escaping.

Other Furniture: If you suspect that your box spring or upholstered furniture has been infested, do not discard them. These items can usually be treated by vacuuming, steam cleaning, or applying insecticides. Professional bed bug control experts can also treat upholstered furniture to target infestations.

In general, you shouldn’t have to throw out any items in the midst of or after a bed bug infestation. With proper treatment, all items should be able to be salvaged. Instead of throwing out clothing and bedding, it’s recommended to wash them in a hot water washing machine.

Disposing of furniture can be costly and unnecessary. Treating all affected items can help you save money while thoroughly eliminating the infestation.

Do Bed Bugs Infest All Furniture?

Bed bugs are not picky about where they live. They can infest various types of furniture in your home, including:

Upholstered Furniture: Sofas, chairs, and recliners are common places for bed bugs to hide. Their soft fabrics and crevices provide a perfect home for bed bugs to hide during the day.

Bed Frames: Bed frames, especially wooden or metal frames, are common spots for bed bugs to reside. Be sure to check your bed frame thoroughly for any signs of an infestation.

Box Springs: Bed bugs often hide inside box springs, where they can easily go unnoticed. Inspect the seams and any cracks in the box spring.

If you have bed bugs, they will hide in areas you may not think of. It makes sense that upholstered furniture would be receptive to bed bugs, but what about wooden pieces? Unfortunately, bed bugs are known to hide in cracks and crevices, even in your wood table or chair!

It’s important not to throw away furniture during a bed bug infestation. Simply discarding items will not solve the problem; the bed bugs can spread to other parts of your home. Instead, rely on a pest control professional to address the issue and eliminate the infestation. If you’re unsure about how to handle a bed bug problem, contact a bed bug expert today for advice.

FAQs

While it’s technically possible to sleep in a bed with bed bugs, it’s not ideal. Bed bugs bite and feed on blood, often leaving itchy welts or allergic reactions. Sleeping in an infested bed can also lead to emotional distress and disrupt sleep. If you think you have bed bugs, act fast. Contact our bed bug experts right away. They will help treat the problem and stop it from spreading.

No, you don’t need to buy a new mattress. Wash all bedding in hot water. Leave the mattress where it is. Then, call a professional to exterminate the bed bugs. Proper treatment can save your mattress and stop the infestation.

No, you should not throw out your bed frame if you have bed bugs. Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices of all kinds of furniture. This includes wood and metal bed frames. But don’t worry; these areas can be treated effectively. 

Professional treatments can eradicate bed bugs from these surfaces. If your bed frame is old or damaged, and you want to replace it, treat it properly before throwing it away. This will help stop the infestation from spreading.

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