We are about to uncover an incredibly useful technique for treating bedbugs’ presence inside your living area. Thanks to steamers here!
There are great benefits to learning how to use a steamer to get rid of bedbugs in thorough detail. The steamer is highly effective against bedbug removal in most cases.
But most people use steamers without prior knowledge and ultimately end up with a full-blown infestation. It would help if you didn’t go through the same misfortune.
So let’s direct this discussion towards the supporting solution details and make sure to read till the end!
Table of Contents
Directions to Use a Steamer to Get Rid of Bedbugs
So let us take you through a proper guide explaining the subjects of the solution below!
1 – Setting up the Nozzle
You have to connect a nozzle with the steamer’s hose. But make sure that the nozzle is in a triangular shape for the best performance. You have to ensure steady movement for the temperature adjustments.
Besides, avoid any nozzle that features a narrow opening. Such nozzles ruin the cleaning process. Some nozzles are terribly incompatible with this process as they blow away the eggs and bedbugs in the surroundings.
2 – Taking on the Right Temperature
This stage is about ascertaining the temperature of the steamed areas. The best temperature to kill bedbugs is 160°F to 180°F (71°C to 82°C). Your steam want must not exceed or reduce from this approximate temperature figure. It will ensure the best possible results to get rid of bedbugs.
Besides, you can perform a temperature validity check with the use of an infrared thermometer.
3 – Ascertaining the Process
Take your infrared thermometer and measure the temperature afterward in the Process. If you see the low-temperature value (than recommended temp), move the steamer slowly. On the flip side, if you observe a high temperature (than recommended temp, try to move the steamer faster in that case.
4 – Cover all Suspected Areas
The cleaning process must include all the vulnerable areas with the probability of containing bedbugs. Depending on the size of the infestation, Bed bugs can be only in one room or in the whole house. Most often, bed bugs stay in rooms where it is easy to feed, like bedrooms.
To locate them, you will have to watch for the infestation signs such as blood stains, dark spots, egg shells, a stinky sensation. At this stage, you might want to read our guide to find where bedbugs are hidden.
Anyway, you have to clean up all the areas where these creatures can live; A new infestation can grow from a few individuals left.
5 – Null the Steamed Effects
Each steamed area will become wet depending upon the steaming supply. So you can dry up all these areas by using the fan after completing this process. That way, you will be able to feel normal and cleaned about everything.
6 – Repeat again
Besides, you can always repeat the process to deposit strong results. You can repeat after a few days and perform this well over 2 or 3 times to make sure that all bedbugs die.
How can a Steamer Kills Bedbugs Effectively?
The steamers exhibit a killing temperature tendency for wiping away bedbugs. Besides, users can always seek an infrared thermometer for a surface temperature check.
Steamers is a popular method because it is highly effective against the killing of bedbugs in all development stages. The fact that it do not use chemical make it a great choice to protect your family.
So check out some of the finest quality steamers if you don’t already have one.
Temperature Range to Kill the Bedbugs:
It takes a couple of minutes for Bedbugs to die with a temperature of 110°F to 120°F (43°C to 48°C). Steamer provide a higher temperature to kill bedbugs instantly.
The high-temperature steam is able to wipe away nymphs and eggs altogether, even in hidden corners. The steam process is highly effective in reaching out to the hidden gaps that normal cleaning equipment can’t.
Some Factors Regarding Steam Cleaning
It is important to highlight important factors that can impact the Process of your steamer. Also, the steaming Process can go wrong altogether under some circumstances.
So let’s get to the points given below.
Suitable Furniture for Steam Cleaning
It is crucial to understand the compatibility of steam cleaning with the appliances inside your home. You can steam clean almost anything. Steam cleaners don’t exude harmful chemicals while letting you clean objects freely.
Steamer cleaners are highly compatible with wooden furniture and don’t cause complications. You will be able to steam clean any part of your bed or couch where there is the possibility of bedbugs. In addition, steam cleaners can conveniently take on the upholstery to wipe away the bedbugs.
Some people use box springs on their beds to ensure better height. In fact, most bed bugs are found within the box springs. Steamer won’t have any sort of trouble erasing every possible trace of bedbugs completely in box springs.
Steam cleaners can be safely used on a variety of surfaces, including:
- Carpets
- Upholstery
- Mattress
- Box spring
- Sofas
- Hardwood floors
Furniture that you must Avoid Steam Cleaning
It is best to avoid anything that is fragile or something that won’t take on excessive heat. Otherwise, you can’t steam clean velour upholstery and anything with evident pores on the surface, which will save you from all sorts of troubles.
The second thing to take care of is the humidity produced by the steam. Some wood may get stained. Also, some paper-based items may get damaged. The last thing to take care of is all electrical elements.
You shouldn’t steam clean the following items:
- Water-based paint
- Cardboard
- Plants
- Thin plastics,
- Velour upholstery
- Electrical appliances
- Electrical sockets
Steaming while Reaching the Concealed Areas
Some crevices and baseboards can fall prey to bedbugs in some cases. It is easy to steam clean these parts in order to get rid of bedbugs completely. You should perceive the depth of any possible hidden spot before the steaming process.
Bedbugs are also found hiding behind large picture frames and switchboards. Here, you don’t directly use steamer but try to expose the target area for better steam exposure to bedbugs.
It is ideal to avoid any fragile subject that comes near the operational area. So, steam cleaning can take some wisdom as you don’t need to ruin your important possessions.
Steaming Process Frequency
The reconstruction of bedbugs is a really common condition. It might happen after cleaning left small traces in the form of either eggs or nymphs.
Normally, you might consider cleaning the impacted areas twice. And repeat to see if the areas still have traces of bedbugs.
Also, reconstruction of the bedbugs from the wiped area is likely. You might want to check the areas all over again in a couple of weeks to see if there’s a reconstruction of bedbugs.
It is appropriate to check the respected areas again for ascertaining the situation.
Safety Measures of Using a Steamer
Your safety is crucial as we discuss how to use a steamer to get rid of bedbugs. Therefore, let us try to go through some important points that you must remember when using a steamer!
- Make sure to stand to the side when operating a steamer so you don’t get an impact on the body
- Cover your body properly to undermine the impact of any uncertainty
- It is recommended to wear heat-proof safety gloves when operating a steamer
Steamers can cause severe burns if the exuded steam comes in contact with your skin. The damage depends upon the severity of the situation. So try to operate the steamer with great care.
Additional Benefits of Using a Steamer for Bedbug Removal
The steamer is highly effective when used for cleaning purposes, just like bedbug removal in this case.
Besides its working brilliance, let’s try to go through some of its chief advantages given below.
- Steam cleaning can help wash away the annoying pet odors from the indoors
- It is an incredible way of cleaning effectively without using harmful chemicals or harmful additives (Eco-friendly)
- Cleaning with steam is proven to be more effective
- You can clean away bad germs and bacteria with ease
Therefore, you will be able to get rid of bedbugs with least to no harm to the health of your entire family.
Do you Actually Need to Buy a Steamer for the Bedbugs?
Most people don’t have access to a handheld steamer, which is why you must seek one depending upon your situation.
Most steamers carry hefty price tags in the consumer’s market. Not every family affords to buy this bedbug cleaning equipment.
You can alternatively rent it from a local hardware shop. So you can get rid of bedbugs economically. If the infestation is severe and you have to use it for a few weeks, it might be a good idea to buy one.
Make sure to choose a steamer that works well for this purpose. The pressure at which the steam is released, the capacity of the tank and the heating time are important parameters to check when buying a steamer. Our concise buying guide will help you buy the best steamer suitable to kill bed bugs.
Therefore, it depends upon your budget and usage. If renting a steamer works well for you, you really don’t have to spend a lot of money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use a steamer to kill bed bugs?
You are talking about one of the very trusted ways of cleaning bed bugs and their eggs from any impacted area.
Also, steam has an advantage as it can reach narrow gaps and hidden passages to ensure cleanliness at all possible costs.
How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs with a steamer?
It closely connects with the temperature of the steamer provided to remove any possible traces of bed bugs.
Usually, it takes about 15 minutes for bed bugs to die when exposed to a steamer, and besides, the eggs might take longer to diminish completely.
So try to apply more temperature effect in order to take stronghold cleaning when it comes to bed bugs.
Can you steam clean a mattress?
You can conveniently clean a mattress at home as it breaches inside the top layer to remove dirt and stains.
Also, you can try to repeat this process every couple of months to get the most effective cleaning results.
How do I get rid of bed bugs permanently?
Cleaning can come in any shape, and that is what sets the standard to remove beg bugs altogether.
You will have to keep an eye on dirt deposits on mattresses and sofas; treat them with the steamer to get better results in a short time.
Does a spot cleaner works the same as a steamer for bedbugs?
No, there is a significant difference when we talk about the mechanism of these two cleaning tools. You don’t have access to the corners with brush attachment where bedbugs might be hiding with a spot cleaner.
You can access hidden corners and any awkward place using a steamer for bedbugs. So steamer has a better bedbugs cleaning functionality than spot cleaners.
How long does a mattress take to dry after steam cleaning?
The drying process relies upon the quality of air or ventilation, in simple words. You can expect the mattress to become dry and standard in the course of 2-3 hours and 4 hours in some cases.
Besides, it also depends on the supply of steam on the mattress to dry quickly and vice versa.
Can a blow dryer kill bed bugs?
Yes, a blow dryer can actually kill bedbugs with approximately 30 seconds of exposure. A blow dryer will operate better with a cleaned and open environment.
So try to move things aside and clean the mess around, giving bedbugs’ total exposure to the dryer.
Will a handheld steamer kill bed bugs?
Absolutely, a handheld steamer can effectively get rid of bedbugs and eggs.
Moreover, a handheld steamer is easy to operate, and it does also act as a convenient storage option.
Is steamer enough to eradicate bed bugs?
The steamer is considered to be highly effective against the killing of bedbugs.
So yes, the steamer is enough to kill bedbugs from all development stages through accurate usage.
Why is steamer a life-saving cleaning tool?
Steamer easily reaches every part and every corner of the impacted area to wipe away bedbugs.
So that makes it a convenient procedure to get this important Process done.
Which distance from the steam (the nozzle) makes bedbugs’ death certain?
It varies from the exposed surfaces to the hidden corners. The steamer is certain death for the bedbugs to the ¾” into the most fabric surfaces, but that margin is different from the concealed corners where it can be highly effective to 2-3/8″ inside a gap.
How to kill bedbugs when the crevices are too deep and out of your steamer’s reach?
That’s the situation when the steamer’s steam won’t be able to reach the bedbugs inside the crevices or cracks. Here, you would want bedbugs to come out by themselves, and you can do different techniques to get these nasty creatures out of their tight bill.
It is efficacious to use CO2 or exude heat into the crack, which will create an undesirable hiding spot for the bedbugs. So they will ultimately come out to face your steamer’s exposure.
What are the top spots to find bedbugs?
It is best to look around the bedroom area. Bedbugs are mostly hiding inside the box springs, mattresses, the piping area, and the bed’s surrounding area.
You can always look for crevices and gaps in the baseboards, and such gaps provide a great hiding spot for the bedbugs.
Does the infestation disappear after a single steam treatment?
It is better to repeat the Process after you have done steaming for once, and that will help you clear out any residue that might be present in the form of eggs or nymphs.
Bedbugs lay eggs that are terribly small to locate, and you might miss them at first.
So repeating the steaming Process twice is mandatory. Besides, if your room is highly infested, try to use a steamer 3-4 times until bedbugs are gone.
Final Words
So that was it for our solution call on how to use a steamer to get rid of bedbugs. Bedbugs are common, and they must be removed quickly.
We convinced the steamer’s implementation to eradicate bedbugs, and it has been the best possible solution in this regard.
Moreover, steam cleaning is eco-friendly and brings better bedbugs cleaning functionality. So consumers no longer have to worry about the existence of bedbugs in their lives.