Is it possible to finally and permanently remove bedbugs from an apartment using a steam cleaner?

Bedbugs in the house are a nightmare that many people have to deal with in real life.

To remove parasites, it is not necessary to resort to caustic chemicals. A steam generator will help solve the problem, but only if it is used correctly.

Our article will tell you whether a steam generator will help against bedbugs in an apartment, how to treat a room from insects, and which device is better to choose.

At what temperature do beetles and the like die?

Laboratory and field tests have proven the effectiveness with which superheated steam can effectively combat the spread of bed bugs. Insects die at a temperature of + 45 ° C, and at + 50 ° C their death occurs within a few seconds. Using this method, electrical appliances such as steam cleaners, steam generators and steamers have become popular in recent years, helping to improve pest control capabilities by killing bed bugs with steam. You just need to spray the insects with scalding steam; in extreme cases, for the first time you can use a household steamer or even just a steam iron. In the future, we recommend purchasing a high-quality branded steam generator designed for this purpose. To remove insects.

Important! High temperature and steam kill not only adults, but also eggs of parasites, which is a great advantage over other control methods. Linen bugs are very sensitive to temperature changes due to heat shock. Italian steam cleaners (Polti brand) have gone on sale in Russia. They are famous around the world for being equipped with steam sanitizers that heat steam up to 180°C to break down the sticky substance that binds eggs to surfaces and eliminate insect odors. Destruction of 100% of eggs.

The only problem is that not all furniture can be processed at this temperature. Before you start treating the apartment, you must find all the places where bed bugs accumulate, because if you leave at least one parasite alive, the reproduction process will begin again.

How to disinfect

Bedbugs can easily tolerate temperatures from 5 to 40 degrees Celsius; they very easily adapt to any living conditions. Bedbugs experience months of “dryness” during which they do not have the opportunity to feed on your blood.

If you want to control bed bugs, you must find their hiding places. The beetles themselves, their shed skins and eggs can be recognized by the eyes.

It is not recommended to fight bed bugs solely with a steam cleaner!

Typically the procedure is as follows:

• Spraying insecticides into cracks and crevices.
• Next, insect repellent is applied to the walls and floors surrounding the infested items and the door frames are treated.
• These insecticidal barriers prevent bed bugs from moving from an infested area to a clean area.
• In addition, cold or heat helps against bedbugs: small items such as photo frames or books can be “treated” in the freezer. They should be exposed to temperatures of -18 degrees for two to three days.
• The alternative is heat: to successfully control bedbugs, the temperature must be above 45 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes! Professional services can use special ovens to rid entire rooms of bed bugs.
• Items that do not fit in the washing machine, such as mattresses, can be cleaned with a steam cleaner.
• Some hotels use special bedding covers that they place over their mattresses.

Experts fight insects with pyrethroids, a group of active ingredients in insecticides. Since many insecticides cannot do anything against parasite eggs and only fight hatched bedbugs, they must work for a long time, at least six weeks (the so-called residual effect). This will ensure that any remaining bed bugs are killed when they come into contact with the treated surface.

Of particular importance: to eliminate the entire bedbug population, the success of bedbug eradication measures must be monitored weekly. In addition, experts recommend repeating the destruction several times within six months.

Prices for additional services

When ordering two additional services, a 15% discount Type of additional service:

Barrier ProtectionDouble DosageBarrier + 2x Dosage

Room	Barrier protection
Room (communal)	600 ₽
1 room apartment	700 ₽
2-room apartment	800 ₽
3-room apartment	900 ₽
4-room apartment	1000 ₽
5 rooms apartment	1100 ₽
MOP	600 ₽

Room	Double protection
Room (communal)	600 ₽
1 room apartment	700 ₽
2-room apartment	800 ₽
3-room apartment	900 ₽
4-room apartment	1000 ₽
5 rooms apartment	1100 ₽
MOP	600 ₽

Room	Barrier + 2x Dosage
Room (communal)	1000 ₽
1 room apartment	1200 ₽
2-room apartment	1300 ₽
3-room apartment	1500 ₽
4-room apartment	1700 ₽
5 rooms apartment	1900 ₽
MOP	600 ₽

Room	Barrier protection	Double dosage	Barrier + 2x Dosage
Room (communal)	600 ₽	600 ₽	1000 ₽
1-room apartment	700 ₽	700 ₽	1200 ₽
2-room apartment	800 ₽	800 ₽	1300 ₽
3-room apartment	900 ₽	900 ₽	1500 ₽
4-room apartment	1000 ₽	1000 ₽	1700 ₽
5-room apartment	1100 ₽	1100 ₽	1900 ₽
MOP	600 ₽	600 ₽	1200 ₽

Operating principle

A steam cleaner is a device that emits hot steam to disinfect surfaces, loosen stains, and kill small pests such as ticks and bedbugs.

Bed bugs may be tough, but they have no protection from the heat of a steam cleaner. Steam cleaners are a great, chemical-free way to get rid of bed bugs and other pests such as mites. It is enough to spray them with scalding steam to completely get rid of them.

The steam cleaner immediately kills bed bugs and their eggs and cleans the affected areas.

If you decide to use a steam cleaner, you need to be very precise and meticulous in how you apply heat in your home.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• DO use a larger nozzle for your cleaning tool
• DO use dry steam or "dry steam" to prevent mold
• DO buy a steam generator with a large water tank to prevent unexpected stops to refill the tank
• Make sure that the area you are applying the heat to rises above 50°, otherwise your bed bugs will not be killed.
• Use steam on furniture, baseboards, walls, ceilings and other hard surface areas
• DO NOT use steam on electrical outlets.
• DO NOT use a steam cleaner to kill bed bugs unless you have consulted with a professional.
• Wear a respirator to prevent accidental inhalation of toxic fumes. Steam cleaners can vaporize chemicals that have been applied to the surfaces you steam.
• DO NOT apply heat to objects that may be damaged by it.

Main advantages

First, let's look at the strengths of this technique:

1. Environmentally friendly. Killing bedbugs occurs without the slightest harm to humans, since the steam cleaner is filled with water without any chemical additives.
2. Availability. Since the main resource consumed by the steam generator against bedbugs is water, the destruction of parasites occurs without any special financial costs. In this case, the device can also be used for basic cleaning of rooms, curtains and clothes.
3. The ability to treat things that cannot be treated with insecticide (blankets, pillows and sheets).
4. Fast processing of all housing.

Treatment

There are several rules for treating a room that you should keep in mind to get rid of an infestation of parasites once and for all.

Use a steamer with mandatory confirmation in the instructions that it is intended to kill bedbugs.

1. You need a steam generator that has at least four liters of water in the tank. Such devices are very expensive, more than 80 thousand, so it is better to rent a steam cleaner or buy a used one.
2. Do not use steam cleaners on furniture or carpets. They do not reach the required temperature to kill bed bugs.
3. Place the triangular fastener on the hose. Most steam cleaners have a wide, square nozzle that cleans upholstery and other surfaces. Connect this attachment to the end of the hose before turning on the unit.
4. Don't use a carpet nozzle because the bristles will hold the actual steam nozzle too far away.
5. Avoid using pointed or narrow attachments as this may cause bed bugs and their eggs to be dispersed throughout the room.
6. Steam upholstered furniture, crevices and cracks. Fill the tank with regular tap water and turn on the steam cleaner. Clean all soft surfaces in the room, from the highest point to the lowest. This way, you can be sure that any bed bugs are swept down and not up. Bedbugs love to hide in soft materials and in all sorts of cracks and crevices.

Items that should be handled with particular care:

• mattresses
• box springs
• furniture
• skirting boards
• binding tapes on carpets

IMPORTANT ATTENTION: pay attention to cables and sockets! Remove any covers from areas where you need to work before you begin.

1. Move the steam cleaner nozzle slowly over the appropriate surfaces to ensure they are thoroughly cleaned. 30 cm in 30 seconds is a good pace. This way, each small spot receives enough steam to kill the bedbugs and their eggs.
2. Remember that steam cleaning can be a long and tedious process, especially if you have large surfaces to cover. Take breaks if necessary, or have someone help you if you're worried you'll be working too shallowly.
3. If you encounter a live bedbug while cleaning, hold the steam cleaner on it for about 30 seconds. This should be enough to kill him. Once it dies, you can pick it up with a paper towel and throw it away.
4. Open the windows and turn on the fan when you're done. If you've really thoroughly steamed all surfaces, open all the windows in the room to allow air to circulate. If you have a ceiling fan, turn that on too. It's important to let everything dry quickly so it doesn't get moldy.
5. Place the fan close to the items you've cleaned, such as on the floor if you've been working on carpet, or higher if you've cleaned a chair, mattress or innerspring.
6. Repeat the process two to three times to ensure all bed bugs are dead. It often takes two or three passes to kill all the bed bugs so that no bed bugs are missed. It is best to repeat the cleaning after a few hours or the next day.
7. Don't wait more than a few days between treatments because bedbugs multiply very quickly!

There is an option to increase the efficiency of the steam cleaner

• The surface temperature should be between 70 and 80 degrees. This is the ideal temperature to kill bed bugs without damaging your furniture during cleaning. You can use an infrared thermometer to monitor the surface temperature of the pieces you are processing. Place the thermometer about 1.5 cm from the surface immediately after removing the cleaner.
• If the temperature is below 70 degrees, you may need to adjust your steam cleaner or use a different one.
• Surfaces should be damp but not wet. When you're done, your furniture shouldn't be left wet. To do this, you need to change your device settings accordingly.
• If the object being treated becomes too wet, remove the moisture with a dry towel.

Tip: Some items are easier to wash and dry rather than steam, such as curtains and bedding. Gather all these items and place them in plastic bags. Seal bags tightly to prevent cockroaches from spreading to other areas of your home as they move.

• Hire a professional to pre-poison the pests with insecticides. While a steam cleaner can kill bed bugs, it may not penetrate deep enough to really affect them all. If you work with insecticides, you will get bed bugs under control faster.
• Since insecticides can be dangerous, it is recommended that you hire a professional to take on the job. He has the knowledge to select the right chemicals and use them safely.

What you will need:

1. steam generator
2. infrared thermometer
3. water
4. towels
5. fan

Features of the life of a flea

The insect feeds on the blood of animals and people. And only sexually mature individuals. The larvae eat the feces of adult bloodsuckers and organic particles. Having fed, the parasite leaves its victim and looks for another object. In the absence of food, a flea can live up to 30 days. Insects are carriers of dangerous infections, including helminthic infestations. Imago - adult insects can live in apartments or houses for several months. They remain in the form of a pupa throughout the entire period.

In abandoned premises, parasites do not die; fleas exist without problems, without food. Feeling the vibrations of the floor, the steps of a person or animal, they go hunting. The optimal conditions for the development and life of insects are a suitable temperature - 15-27 degrees and humidity - 75-100%. At what temperature do fleas die ? These parameters are also scary for the larvae. If the temperature drops and the humidity is less than 70%, development stops and they die.

Pros and cons of a steam generator

To ensure the safety of interior items and the person who uses the steam generator as a means of exterminating insects, you need to know:

• When working, do not set the steam cleaner to high humidity, so as not to damage wall coverings (wallpaper) and fabric materials;
• there is no need to direct a strong stream of high-temperature air onto plastic and wooden surfaces, especially painted ones;
• It is prohibited to use steam cleaners near sockets and electrical appliances, this may lead to a lack of electrical wiring;

ON A NOTE!

Before steaming, it is recommended to wrap a cloth around the steam generator nozzle to prevent insects and their eggs from being blown away by the directed air.

Disadvantages of killing bedbugs with a steam generator

• the directed high-temperature air flow cannot penetrate very narrow gaps or penetrate dense fabrics;
• Bedbug eggs can only be removed a short distance from the nozzle;
• Steam consists of moist air and can damage furniture and some surfaces, affecting their appearance.

Benefits of Steam Treatment

The benefits of steam are an environmentally friendly and completely natural solution to exterminating furniture monsters.

The use of steam cleaners has no impact on the environment and occurs without the use of insecticides. Once rooms have been treated, they can be re-treated, or you can return to them and live your normal life immediately, without waiting.

Even with the addition of a disinfectant, a steam jet ejector can operate in the presence of people.

This method is fast and effective, with the help of a jet of steam you can directly target insect clusters, you can reach hard-to-reach places in niches and cracks.

Due to its properties, the disinfectant can be an ideal complement to highly heated dry steam and can eliminate the unpleasant odor associated with insects.

A mixture of steam and disinfectants can be sprayed in the presence of people without problems. Thus, you remove not only bedbug eggs from surfaces, but also excrement left by insects.

Steaming bed bugs has many other benefits:

• Steam cleaners are very common now, so you can buy them at any hardware store;
• The method allows you to get rid of parasites in your home at a low cost;
• This method is the safest if there are small children or people with allergies in the house (chemicals and insecticides are not used);
• Hot steam treatment allows you to destroy insects on surfaces and objects that cannot be treated with chemical insecticides.

Choosing a steam cleaner for bedbugs

We suggest considering global brands that you can purchase on Amazon with delivery to Russia.

Vapamore MR-100

• Uses dry steam to kill bed bugs
• Lifetime Warranty
• Large reservoir for long-term use

Atrix HEPA

• The suction power is very powerful
• Purifies air by suction
• Comes with several additional attachments

Housemile Anti-Dust

• Uses a carbon filtration system
• Effective against dust mites and bed bugs
• Easy to clean

Conair Extreme Steamer

• Very light
• Comes with 3 useful attachments
• Holds a stream of steam for 15 minutes

Handheld steamer Sunbeam

• Heats up in 45 seconds
• Extremely portable
• 15 minutes continuous use

Atrix Bed Bug Vacuum

• Purifies the air with a 4-level HEPA filter system
• Comes with multiple attachments
• Picks up bed bugs with powerful suction

The Atrix Bed Bug Vacuum seems to be the most attractive. Why?

It has a number of attachments and very high suction power to pull bed bugs and their eggs out of cracks and crevices.

Vapamore MR-100

• Capable of quickly creating very hot steam (210+ degrees)
• Lifetime warranty on heating element, boiler and all internal electrical parts.
• In addition to removing bed bugs, also clean your bathroom, kitchen and floors.

Cheaper models only have a 1 year warranty. It also has a maximum tank capacity for longer steaming times before requiring a new refill.

McCulloch 1275

• For people who want an inexpensive steam cleaner option.
• It has a slightly smaller water tank and a 1 year warranty.

What should you consider when purchasing?

Not all equipment is created equal. Before purchasing a bed bug steam cleaner or vacuum cleaner, you should first consider your needs.

Below are some questions you may want to ask:

• Do you want something that can disinfect surfaces?
• Where do you want to use it?
• And how long do you want it to last?

Below are some factors to consider before purchasing.

Nozzles

Some steam cleaners and vacuum cleaners are portable devices that you can travel with. In many of these cases, the product does not come with any attachments.

Baits are useful because bed bugs can be difficult to find and hide in hard-to-reach places. If you find bed bugs in a crack near the ceiling, how can you get them out?

Attachments can simplify the cleaning process and save a lot of energy when it comes to killing pests, such as curtains covering tall windows.

When purchasing steam cleaning attachments, try to purchase at least one larger brush head so that you can apply steam to a larger area. Smaller nozzles will focus too much pressure on one spot, potentially scattering bed bugs in all directions and possibly increasing the size of the infestation.

Strength and Durability

Steam cleaners and vacuum cleaners differ in their purpose and design. Some were created specifically for travel. These portable devices are not as durable as regular models. They are designed for a year or two. The larger model is more expensive, but can last for several years. They also hold more water or dirt and can be used throughout the home without having to refill with water or empty it repeatedly.

IMPORTANT!

Having a large water tank is especially important for steam cleaning jobs to avoid interruption of heat treatment.

Steaming clothes

The steam cleaner device is based on the formation of steam when water is heated by a heating element. The kit includes several nozzles that allow you to direct a stream of hot air directly to your clothes.

The steam straightens the fabric, disinfects it, and eliminates odors. But if clothes infested with bedbugs can be washed without damaging them, then it is better to use a washing machine, hot water and a hot dryer.

Operating rules

The main rule: to get rid of insects, the flow of high-temperature air must be directed at the parasite itself, which dies after a few seconds.

IMPORTANT!

To enhance your bed bug control, you should choose a high-efficiency steam cleaner. With smaller devices the results may not be as effective.

To get rid of bed bugs using a steam cleaner, you need to know the general rules of use:

• Treatment should begin in places where large numbers of insects accumulate: sleeping places (beds, sofas) and adjacent areas, seams in upholstered furniture and mattresses, etc.
• The steam cleaner should produce a stream of steam and air above 50°C. First, work around the perimeter of the room to remove frightened insects from their hiding places. Then you can quickly kill them.
• Separately, you need to treat the back walls of cabinets and other furniture, especially near the sleeping areas.
• Bedbugs love to hide on clothing or in bedding, so you'll have to treat clothes from your closet.
• “Steaming” is also necessary for curtains, carpets and other home textiles.
• Before you begin removing bed bugs from upholstered furniture, you should read the instructions as some surfaces can be damaged by hot, humid air. Then you should use a special spray with a spray;
• To reliably get rid of parasites, bed bug control should be carried out regularly (weekly) using a steam cleaner until the parasites are gone forever. Repeated treatments kill new larvae that hatch from surviving eggs.

Tips for caring for the unit

A steam cleaner is a faithful assistant to housewives in maintaining cleanliness and fighting germs. Proper operation and care of the device will help extend its service life.

Need to remember:

1. Do not add detergents or cleaning agents to the steam cleaner tank. Heating the active components to a temperature of 95-100 °C will create a real threat to the upper respiratory tract of the owner;
2. Do not store the device at sub-zero temperatures, especially if there is liquid left in the reservoir. Before use, the cooled appliance must warm up to room temperature.
3. Unscrew the boiler cap after each cleaning procedure, otherwise it will become welded. Such a serious problem can only be solved at a service center, which will entail additional costs.
4. Keep a spare anti-scale cartridge ready. You may need it during cleaning.
5. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the care and use of the steam cleaner.

When choosing a device for your home, you need to evaluate the area and material of the surfaces that will be processed, and typical contamination. The functionality, steam supply mode and model equipment directly depend on this.

Removing scale from the unit, video instructions:

Reviews about the application

When Marina found bed bugs in her bed, she was simply scared, because she had always believed that domestic bloodsuckers only appear in dirty rooms. Faced with an unpleasant situation, she called a special service that performed professional chemical treatment. The smell in the apartment was incredibly disgusting. She washed all the clothes and curtains, but the smell of insecticide persisted. But the bedbugs appeared again. She was at first in despair. Salvation came with a steam gun that her husband bought at a hardware store. They steam-cleaned all the sofas and furniture, baseboards and carpets. The blood-sucking insects were defeated with the help of a steam generator and they all died, and the smell disappeared.

The beetles moved into Sergei's apartment from neighbors who carried out bedbug baiting. Fearing for the health of their little son, Sergei and his wife did not decide on chemical treatment, and did not rely on traditional methods. A friend suggested that Sergei use a homemade steam cleaner for bedbugs. Sergey steamed all the sofas and bedding, the positive effect appeared immediately. In the near future, Sergey plans to repeat the process of removing parasites with a steam cleaner to destroy everything.

Purchasing a device for heat treatment of the room

When faced with the need to buy a steam cleaner, the pressing question arises: “Which device should I choose?” By visiting any home appliance department, you can find many different models of steam generators, steamers and steam cleaners. All this equipment operates using steam, but its purpose is very different.

So, if you need a device to combat harmful parasites such as bedbugs, you should buy a unit with instant conversion. Its feature is instant heating of water. You can operate the steam generator almost immediately after connecting it to the network.