by If you wake up and find red marks all over your body, it may be due to bed bugs. Even the name of these pesky little bugs can cause a burning sensation down your spine. These small little predators are a nuisance.
Their favorite place to live is mattresses and sofa. They can even fit in the small cracks in your walls. Once a bed bug infestation takes place in your home, it can be challenging to get rid of bed bugs and bed bug eggs.
Who Are Bed Bugs, And Where Do They Come From?
Bed Bugs have been in this world for thousands of years. They are small, wingless creatures who live off blood. They are usually the size of an apple seed, ranging from 1mm to 7mm. These minute bugs are brown or red. They hide in the creeks and cervices of a house. The nocturnal creatures come out at night to feed on their host.
The bed bugs are known as hitchhikers. They can come from hotel rooms, offices, or any public place. They easily hide in your clothes, bags, or even attach to your pets. When you sit anywhere, they creep into the deepest place available. Although they take time to breed and spread out, they are very difficult to get rid of from your homes.
Can Air Mattresses Get Bed Bugs?
Everything can get bed bugs. They are a nuisance and can infect every object in this world. This means that they can easily access your air mattress. Although, it is difficult for them to infest an air mattress due to the material. All air mattresses are made up of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). The more advanced features of air mattresses (check the best selling air mattresses for long term use)Â bring more elasticity, making them less prone to damage.
This material makes it difficult for these pesky little creatures to hide. They cannot find any residence or hiding spots in the air mattress. You are unlikely to find a colony of bed bugs in your air mattress. Still, they can easily climb up on your mattress at night time.
How To Eliminate Bed Bugs from An Air Mattress
The Vacuum is a simple and best solution to keep these bold thirsty parasites away from your mattresses. Use a HEPA filtered vacuum to clean every fold and corner of the mattress. The bed bugs cannot tolerate higher temperatures.
The steam from a HEPA filtered vacuum will easily kill bed bugs. It also helps in removing the bed bug’s eggs from the mattresses. Also, try to vacuum through the walls and objects nearby, or they will invade the mattress again.
One more option is the use of pesticides. Buy a strong chemical or pesticide to spray on your mattress. Before spraying, remove any bedding or sheets from the mattress.
How Do You Know You Have Bed Bugs?
If you think you have bed bugs, there are some obvious signs you should look for in your home.
Bite marks on your body
When a bed bug bites you, it leaves a small angry mark on your body. If your house is poorly infested with bed bugs, you are more likely to have these red marks on different parts of your body. The back side of your torso is most affected by these bed bug bites.
Blood and fecal stains
If you look closely at your mattress and the walls, you will find blood and bed bug fecal stains on them. The blood is present because a bed bug feeds on it. This is also an alarming sign of bed bug infestation in your house.
 Bed Bugs eggs
If there is a colony present, they will also reproduce. You can see small bed bugs’ eggs and shells on your bed, walls, and the furniture. This means that these bugs are actively spreading around your house.
Can Bed Bugs Crawl Up an Air Mattress?
Sadly, the answer is Yes. These pesky little creatures are very good climbers. They are very fast and can travel long distances in no time. They usually come out at night time to feed on their host. The good thing about an air mattress is that it can’t be easily infested. There are no folds or creases in an air mattress.
Tips To Keep Bed Bugs Away from Your Air Mattress
There are many ways to keep bed bugs away from your air mattress.
- Mattress cover: A good mattress cover will help in keeping bugs away from your air mattress. They encase your bed and prevent it from infestation. These mattress encasements are made with breathable and washable material.
- Freezing: One more way to free your air mattress from bed bugs is to freeze it. You can deflate the mattress and fold and pack it. Place the mattress in the freezer for at least four days. It will kill the bed bugs efficiently.
- Pesticide: This traditional method can also free your mattress from bed bugs. Just fill the liquid in a spray bottle and spray it generously over the mattress. You may need to repeat it two to three times to get rid of them completely.
Conclusion
The infested mattress is the worst fear of a person. Once they are infested in your air mattress, you need professional pest control services for bed bug control. These pesky insects can house in bed frames and box springs.
The best way to save yourself from these small, blood-sucking bugs is a thorough cleaning of your house. Make sure you properly clean all the areas around your house. Steam your bed and sofa, as these are the favorite place of a bed bug.
Change your bed sheets and pillow cover regularly. Keep a lookout for bed bug droppings or eggs. Invest in zippered bedding or encasement to protect your mattress from bed bugs. Early precautions can save your house and air mattress from bed bugs and their destruction.
Bed bugs FAQs
How Long Bed Bugs Live in A Mattress Without a Host?
A bed bug can live up to four to five months without a host. The two factors determine the life of a bed bug; feed and temperature. If they don't find any host, they will die in four to five months. They are specially built to survive in the toughest of conditions.
Can Bed Bugs Live in A Mattress Covered with Plastic?
The bed bugs can't bite through a plastic cover. If your mattress is covered properly with a plastic sheet and zipped from all sides, no bed bug can enter or leave the mattress. Make sure there are no holes in the plastic cover, as the tiniest hole is enough for them to get through.
Can You Feel a Bed Bug Crawling on You?
It depends upon the sensitivity of your skin. They are tiny in size, and you cannot feel them moving across your body. In addition to that, they come out at night, when the host is deep in sleep. The presence of bright, red marks on your body the next day confirms their presence.
What Kills Bed Bugs Instantly?
A temperature of 212°F (100°C) kills bed bugs instantly. You can easily buy a HEPA-filtered vacuum from the market. Apply the steam in the places where bed bug infestation is present. Don't forget to steam the folds of the mattress, sofa, crevices of the wall, and every small spot where they can hide. If the steam is given properly, you can get a pest-free house in no time.