Do You Have to Throw Out Your Mattress After Bed Bugs?

Do You Have to Throw Out Your Mattress After Bed Bugs?

Do you have bed bugs infesting your mattress? Maybe you saw these tiny, brownish, flattened insects roaming around your mattress. Or perhaps you woke up to tiny, itchy bumps or painful welts on your skin.

Whatever the case, bed bugs are a huge problem and you want to get rid of them. Fortunately, the best solution is available to most people: calling a professional junk removal service can help get rid of your bed bug problem. 

Trained experts who have years of experience removing bed bug infested mattresses will be able to come to your house during a scheduled time and contain the problem for you.

But do you want to do it yourself? Removing bed bugs from a mattress can be very time-consuming. If you want to give it a try, keep on reading.

Removing Bed Bugs From a Mattress

There are some steps you can follow to remove bed bugs from your mattress, although you must take precaution when doing so.

Step 1: Remove sheets from your mattress.

You’ll need to remove all your pillowcases, sheets, and covers. Wash them thoroughly in hot water and soap, making sure you avoid contaminating other pieces of furniture in your house on the way to the washing machine.

Step 2: Vacuum your mattress

Take your vacuum cleaner and clean your entire mattress, paying specific attention to small cracks, crevices, shallow areas where bed bugs can hide. Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned the area, clean out your vacuum and prepare for the next step.

Step 3: Quarantine your mattress

You’ll need to completely encase your mattress in order to seal up any remaining bed bugs. You can use a plastic wrap and very thoroughly wrap it up, making sure to cover every small hole in a non-porous material like plastic wrap. 

However, a safer bet is to use a special case that’s specifically-designed for bed bugs. And keep in mind you’ll have to keep your mattress encased for at least one year since bed bugs can survive for months without food.

Step 4: Clean up the rest of your room

You’ll need to vacuum again, this time giving the floor a thorough cleaning. Inspect other furniture and wood around your room to make sure there are no bed bugs that have contaminated other areas of your house.

You’ll also need to repeat vacuuming multiple times to ensure thoroughness— remember, bed bugs are tiny and lay eggs, so it’s important to get rid of every bed bug before they can spread again.

Step 5: If you still have bed bugs…

Then consider having someone else remove your mattress and furniture for you. Bed bugs spread like wildfire, and keeping them around only gives them more time to multiply. 

Do You Have to Throw Out Your Mattress After Bed Bugs?

The truth is, you don’t have to throw out your mattress. You can thoroughly clean it and keep your mattress isolated for one year to ensure all bed bugs die. But to save yourself the effort and a lot of time, consider using a professional junk removal service instead.

Professionals will be with you every step of the way and can handle and identify bed bug problems in your household for you. You’ll also save the added stress and money of having to remove the mattress and other infested pieces of furniture yourself.

Keeping yourself safe from bed bugs can be difficult, but taking proper action can help you in the long run.

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