Exploring The Benefits Of Hiring Pest Control Experts

Suffocation As An Approach For Controlling Bed Bugs: Does It Work?

17 May 2018

Evan Patterson

As a kid, you probably had or knew someone that had head lice at least once. These little bloodsuckers are relatives of bed bugs. Both feed on human blood. The main difference is that bed bugs prefer the cushy-ness of a mattress to call home (amongst other hiding spots), whereas lice prefer your head or anything on which your head rests.

At some point, you may have even witnessed your mom or another adult stuffing items like stuffed animals and pillows inside plastic bags and placing the bags outside the house for a few weeks. Now you know, as an adult, that head lice suffocate and/or die of starvation that way. The question is, could it be done for bed bug extermination too? Here is more on that.

Yes, You Can Suffocate a Bed Bug, but It Is Easier to Starve It

Yes, you can suffocate bed bugs, but the problem is that you have to suffocate ALL of them if you are going to eradicate them from your home. You also have to seal the bed bugs in an airtight container or unrippable bag. There are not many products made to fully encase a mattress and box spring that do not rip and cannot allow the smallest bit of air to remain in the mattress.

Some hotels have commercial box spring and mattress covers that prevent infestation of bed bugs, but these covers are quite expensive. Also, the commercial covers more or less starve the bed bugs rather than suffocate them. The bugs can still breathe and breed in your mattress set, but they cannot get to you, their host, as a blood meal.

A Better Approach to Bed Bug Extermination and Control

A better approach to your bed bug problem is to use vacuum seal bags for everything from small electronics to large comforters. These vacuum seal bags are found in most home goods stores and home goods departments in other retail locations. You can use your vacuum's hose to suck all the air out of the bag, thus flattening and killing the bed bugs that may be hiding out in these items. 

Then, purchase the commercial anti-bed bug box spring and mattress covers for your box spring and mattress. Seal them up tightly in the covers and never remove the covers. This will starve out any of the bugs trapped in the mattress or box spring. 

Finally, have a pest control expert spray the rest of your bedroom for bed bugs. All hard surfaces and carpet should be sprayed. Anything that was recently left on the floor should be promptly handled with rubber gloves and washed separately from other laundry loads.

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