Lately, bed bugs have become a rampant problem. Almost every other house these days is susceptible to bed bugs. One of the most effective methods to rid your home of a bed bug infestation is steam cleaning.
Will Steam Cleaning Kill Bed Bugs?
Steam is indeed a very effective heat treatment that kills bed bugs. However, it is not as simple as directing a shot of steam at a particular area and eliminating all the bed bugs in that spot.
To begin with, you have to apply steam heat on a certain area for a prolonged period if you are trying to reach the deep pockets in the carpet or the fabric of your furniture. Secondly, the steam treatment works more effectively at higher temperatures. That is why you should seek the assistance of professionals who use high-quality steamers to kill the bed bugs. You can also purchase a commercial steamer for this purpose. This is different from a clothing steamer as the latter does not get hot enough to kill the bed bugs.
How Does Steam Kill Bed Bugs?
It is the heat and not the steam that kills the bed bugs. Steam is just a potent way to transfer this heat across large areas. People often use other heat treating methods like tossing their clothes in the dryer to treat against bed bugs. This, however, cannot be done with certain affected areas in your house, such as the furniture. That is why steam cleaning is necessary to treat against the bed bugs as you can target specific areas with the heat, such as mattresses and beds.
The surfaces that are steamed must reach a temperature in the range of 160 degrees to 180 degrees. An infrared thermometer should be used for this purpose.
How to Apply Steam Cleaning to Kill Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can be quite stubborn creatures. You kill 100 today and find 1000 new tomorrow, creeping under your pillows, bedsheets, and blankets. It is, therefore, best to call professionals for help. However, if you take it upon yourself to steam clean your house, be sure to follow these steps carefully.
- Buy or rent a steam cleaner with at least a 3.8 liters tank
- Most of the steam cleaners available on the market come with an angular, wide nozzle for steaming furniture and other surfaces. Before you turn on the steamer, attach this nozzle at the end of the steamer hose.
- After switching on your steamer, start by steaming all the hard surfaces in the room. Bed bugs tend to hide in cracks and crevices. Make sure you steam clean extensively in this area. Some of the items you may need to steam are furniture, mattresses, and carpets.
- Once you are done, turn on the fan in the room and open the windows to help the air circulate. Make sure to position the fan towards the items you have just steamed.
Although some folks prefer to do steam cleaning themselves to counter the bed bugs, a wiser course of action is to engage the services of a professional service like NYCleaners. This will yield better results compared to doing the steam cleaning yourself.