A Comfortable Stay

Posted on: 22 January 2016

Although tiny in size, bed bugs are a big problem for many Americans. In fact, in 2011, one out of every five people either had an infestation or knew someone who did. Once in a home or commercial space, bed bugs can be tough to evict. However, steam cleaning may be one tool that can help you eradicate an infestation. Here's more information about this treatment option.

Bed Bug Hate the Heat

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate because they can fight off some of the treatments used to get rid of them. Namely, these bugs have developed a number of measures to defend against the chemical pesticides used to kill them. For instance, researchers found these bugs have a genetic resistance to some types of chemicals. Bed bugs will also attempt to disperse from an area being treated to one that's not, which can cause them to spread to other parts of the home or office if the treatment is not handled correctly.

However, one remedy that has proven to be highly effective is heat treatment. Bed bugs cannot tolerate heat. While the bugs can withstand cold temperatures for a long period of time (they can even survive up to 80 hours at -16-degrees Celsius), they will die within 90 minutes after being subjected to temperatures above 48-degrees Celsius.

This means that carpet steam cleaning—which uses high temperature water to clean carpeting and other materials—can be one way of fighting an infestation. There are a couple of things you need to do, however, to maximize the efficacy of this remedy.

Maximizing the Effectiveness of Steam Cleaning

The primary requirement of this treatment is to use a commercial steamer that can reach temperatures between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit (higher temps over 118-degrees Fahrenheit [48 degrees Celsius] will kill the bugs faster). Regular carpet cleaning machines found at local retail stores typically do not get hot enough, nor do steam machines used to get wrinkles out of clothing. Hiring a professional steam cleaning company is the easiest way to go. If you're short on cash, however, you can rent a commercial steam cleaning machine from a local equipment rental or home improvement company.

The second thing you must do is treat and remove all items from the affected area. This is because when the treatment begins, the bug's first defense is to crawl into holes or onto other items to avoid the heat. Removing furniture will minimize their escape routes and reduce the risk of being reinfestation. It's also a good idea to treat a whole area (e.g. entire home) because the bugs may move to another untreated room.

The third thing to do is to use a vacuum to suck up as many bugs as possible before steam cleaning. Use a vacuum cleaner that uses bags because you'll need to seal the debris you pick up and throw it away. If you only have a bag-less vacuum, seal the dirt in a plastic garbage bag and thoroughly clean the canister when you're done. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the carpet and items being cleaned before vacuuming to help kill some of the bed bugs.

After vacuuming, sweeping, and cleaning the affected area, use the steam cleaner to kill bugs and eggs you may have missed and get in areas that couldn't be vacuumed.

After the steam cleaning, keep an eye out for signs of bed bugs. You may need to steam the area multiple times to get all of the bugs, so be prepared for this eventuality. For instance, you may want to place furniture and other belongings in storage for a few days so you can quickly do another cleaning without having to move everything out again.

For more information about using steam cleaning to kill bed bugs or to hire a professional to do it for you, connect with a steam cleaning company in your area.