BED bugs are critters you want to get rid of as soon as you spot them - and using a steam cleaner might just do the trick.
If you want to get the insects out of your house, here's our guide.
How can you use a steam cleaner to kill bed bugs?
If you find you have an infestation of bed bugs, then it's time to pull out your trusty steam cleaner.
Bed bugs need carbon dioxide, blood, and warmth to survive, so extreme hot and cold temperatures can kill them.
First fill the steamer with water and turn it on - the higher the temperature of the steam, the better.
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Make sure you have the right attachment for the job in hand.
Then run it over the infested area, making sure not to miss any crevices.
If treating a bed, make sure to get all the cracks, edges and corners - and treat everywhere.
You should clean the mattress with the steamer and make sure all duvets, sheets, pillows, pillowcases and any other bedding is washed at a high temperature.
Do not miss anything out.
The reason the steamer kills the bug is due to the high heat.
The hot steam burns the insects and kills them instantly.
Here are some other ways of getting rid of bed bugs:
- Exposed to direct heat - Similar to using the steam cleaner, if you find bed bugs on your bedding, put them straight into the washing machine and the heat will kill them.
- Vacuum - If you get your vacuum up the bed bugs this will most likely kill them, but make sure to carry the vacuum outside straight away.
- Rubbing alcohol - One of the most popular ways of getting rid of bed bugs is using rubbing alcohol. If you dilute it in water and use a spray bottle, the bugs will die almost instantly.
- White vinegar - Use white distilled vinegar on the edges of infested areas and spraying it on the critters directly will kill adult bugs.
- Professional treatment - If you want your bed bugs gone once and for all you may need to call in a professional. They will have all the right chemicals and tools to get rid of them.
How do you get bed bugs?
Bed bugs can travel from place to place by grabbing on to a bag, luggage or someone's clothes - and despite their name are not just found on beds.
The critters can hitch a ride on anything and end up in your home.
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Once in your home, they can land on beds, carpets and furniture - although their favourite is mattresses.
They tend to live in small gaps in upholstered areas.
Another way they can enter homes is through the purchase of second-hand furniture and rugs, so make sure to check and treat items you have bought.
Bed bugs are able to survive up to a year without any food.
If you spot bed bugs in your home, take action immediately as they spread rapidly.
Can you see bed bugs with the naked eye?
The first telling sign of having bed bugs is a bite.
Bed bugs drink our blood by biting skin with their saw-like mouths.
However, they are able to also numb our skin at the same time as their saliva is full of anaesthetic.
Not only will bites give them away, you can see most bed bugs with the naked eye.
Adult bed bugs are usually around the size of an apple seed, at around 5-7mm.
If they have recently eaten they are balloon-like in shape, a reddish-brown colour, and elongated.
But if they haven't fed recently they are long and brown, with a flat, oval-shaped body.