BED BUG MATTRESS COVERS 101
Bed bug issues continue to plague us and dominate headlines, especially in Toronto and the GTA. But bed bugs are not just exclusive to ‘big cities’. Any home or business can become infested with them. This is why so many people take precaution by checking for bed bugs.
Bed bugs feed on animal and human blood. Because they are attracted to the carbon dioxide that humans and pets exhale, bed bugs gravitate toward sleeping areas where it 's easy for them to feed throughout the night.
Even more disturbing:
- Bed bugs can live for up to a year if all conditions are right.
- In just 9 months, a single bed bug can become 37,310 bed bugs.
This is why it is crucial to address a bed bug issue as soon as it is detected and seek professional help to help you properly remove bedbugs. The longer the issue remains, the worse it gets in terms of quality of life, time to resolve and cost.
So why not just throw a bed bug infested mattress out, and get a new one? Problem solved, right?
Sadly, no, and not always feasible.
While mattresses are the ‘sweet spot’ for bedbugs, and their primary feeding site, they hide and infest mattress pads, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Further, they can infest drawers, window coverings, pet bedding, and really any small spaces in and around sleeping areas. Tossing the mattress does not solve the problem, and can be costly. In serious infestations, where bed bug issues have been left for long periods without professional help, bed bugs will move beyond sleeping areas to living rooms and even kitchens.
While there are many treatment options available for getting rid of bed bugs, like Safe Insecticides, K9 Detection, Thermal and Cryonite, the use of a quality bed bug mattress cover should not be overlooked. Bed bug mattress covers serve a greater purpose then protecting people from being fed on by a bed bug infested mattress. They are key in an effective treatment for getting rid of them.
It is also important to stress that not all bed bug mattress covers are created equal, and not all mattress covers are effective at helping you address and eliminate a bed bug infestation. As well, the best protection system will also include a box spring cover and pillow covers to fully encase the sleeping area.
How bed bug mattress covers help you get rid of a bed bug issue
Mattresses should not be treated with insecticides. Even insecticides deemed safe by Health Canada are not ok to use directly on a mattress as they are not deemed ‘safe’ for this application. People and pets purposely come in direct contact with mattresses for long period of time. Bedding, including mattress covers, do not provide a sufficient barrier of protection from the chemicals absorbing into skin. An insecticide-treated mattress poses a serious health risk to those who lay on it.
So, since you cannot treat the primary feeding site of bed bugs chemically, you need to contain it and cut off their feeding supply. This is done using a quality bed bug mattress cover.
By encasing the mattress in the cover, you are containing the majority of the bed bug infestation. This means that:
- Bed bugs cannot crawl out, and further spread an infestation in the sleeping area or other rooms.
- No bed bugs can crawl in, feed and multiply.
- Bed bugs have been cut off from further feeding on people and pets, which means that they will not be able to thrive and reproduce.
Taking this one step further to encase the box spring and pillows makes your efforts even more effective. With your mattress (box spring and pillows) encased, you can continue with the treatment plan (safe insecticides, K9, thermal or Cryonite), in the affected rooms of your house.
Bed Bugs are resilient, and it can take time to properly eliminate them. They can live for 1 year once they are encased in a bed bug mattress cover. Therefore, it is important to leave the bed bug mattress covered sealed for at least 1 year.
What makes a quality bed bug mattress cover?
When selecting the best possible bed bug mattress cover, look for the following, as you will have this on your mattress for a least one year:
- Tight zipper with very small teeth.
- An encased zipper.
- A seal to secure over the encased zipper to prevent entry or exit of bed bugs.
- No seams, pockets or folds.
- Laboratory tested and Certified bedbug proof by an independent source.
- Waterproof and flame-retardant.
- Breathable and hypo-allergenic.
Even if you do not have bed bugs, using a quality bed bug mattress cover can help you ensure that if bed bugs ever invaded your home, your mattress is safe from them, and can help minimize an infestation. Side note: in the absence of bed bugs, you can launder a bed bug mattress cover more frequently.
Where to buy bed bug mattress covers?
If you need bug mattress covers, we offer a full range of affordable, crinkle-free and lab certified Bugstop mattress covers, pillow encasements and box spring covers. These covers are proven to prevent bed bugs and their eggs from passing or biting through the fabric or special zippers.
Our covers and encasements are suitable for homes, hotels, universities, colleges, public housing, camps and more.
The next time you look at a bed bug mattress cover, get peace of mind knowing that it's:
- An effective tool for killing bed bugs, and preventing growth of a bed bug infestation.
- A means for you to sleep easy knowing that you are protected from bed bug bites.
Get effective bed bug pest control from Enviromental Pest Control
If you have bed bugs in your home or business, and you're looking for more informaton on effective bed bug treatments, visit our bed bugs page to learn more or give us a call to talk with one of our experts. We've been your local bed bug pest control experts since 1988.
When you have us on your side, you can sleep well knowing that you have the best team working with you to get rid of bed bugs.
