subject: Sleep Tight...Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite [print this page] Sleep Tight...Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite
That is how my daughter and I said good night until she was almost 10 years old. My daughter is now an adult and we still say (and sometimes text) that same message to each other at the end of the day. Back then she had no idea of what a bed bug was...for that matter I had never seen a bed bug or known anyone who had them. Just like with many things, today it is a very different story.If you have been watching the news lately you know there is an outbreak of bed bugs in the US. In fact, as reported by The National Pest Management Association, Inc. things are getting so bad that the United States Environmental Protection Agency held its first ever "Bed Bug Summit" in 2009. Bed bugs are turning up in homes, businesses, hotels, retail locations, hospitals, universities, movie theaters, and even military bases. It seems that finding them is easy while getting rid of them is difficult, until now.Unfortunately, the most common solution you hear of to get rid of bed bugs is to use potentially harmful chemicals. I don't know about you but I have no interest in sleeping in a bed or living in a house that has been treated with chemical-based pesticides to eliminate bed bugs. And I have even less interest in putting my family, including our dog, in that situation. So, if you cannot use potentially harmful chemicals how can you get rid of bed bugs?The answer to that question is rather simple although the solution is extremely serious and effective. Use a steam cleaner to not only rid your home or business of bed bugs but also keep them away by incorporating a steam cleaner into your normal cleaning routine.Bed bugs cannot tolerate heat and they cannot live in temperatures of 113 F or higher. Steam cleaners use a boiler to heat tap water to temperatures of 212 F to 320 F and higher. This causes the water in the steam cleaner to be transformed into a very fine, "dry mist". The "dry mist" in the steam cleaner penetrates bedding, upholstery, draperies, and carpets killing bed bugs where they live.The vapor from a steam cleaner is made up of only about 5% water. As a result, surfaces such as bedding and upholstery dry quickly allowing you to sleep or sit on them almost as soon as you finish cleaning them with your steam cleaner. Since steam cleaners use only water and no chemicals, there is no chemical residue left behind after cleaning with a steam cleaner making the surfaces you clean and the air in your home safer for your family.Here are some tips on how to use your steam cleaner to eliminate bed bugs:. Use the steam cleaner to apply steam directly into the surface. Holding the steam cleaner above may scatter bed bugs into new hiding places making it harder to eliminate them.
. Steam slowly. Move your steam cleaner carefully on every area being treated in order to render 'complete steam exposure'.
. Make use of steam cleaner attachments. For larger surfaces like couches, carpets, mattresses, headboards, make sure you use bigger steam cleaning heads that came with your steam cleaner. You may use those little crevice tools for small cracks, inside bed frames and other smaller surfaces.
. Don't forget to vacuum after using a steam cleaner. This is done in order to remove all dead parasites, eggs, dirt and other residues.You may have to complete the above process a couple of times to completely get rid of bed bugs. However, once you have rid your home or business of bed bugs you can keep it that way by incorporating your steam cleaner into your regular cleaning routine.
