Faced with an unpleasant situation when there are bed bugs in bed, many try to find a solution to this problem as soon as possible. Assuming that it is possible to get rid of blood-sucking parasites without the use of chemicals, by treating them with high-temperature devices or by freezing them, many wonder whether it is possible to drive away bedbugs with an iron and steamer?
According to experts, the fight against this type of parasite through steam treatment is very effective. The main thing is to act correctly, to walk not only in those places where bedbugs were found, but throughout the entire apartment, not leaving a single corner unattended.
However, is it so convenient to handle, and is the stream of steam released by the iron so powerful as to destroy parasitic insects?
If you think carefully, this is not a very good choice. Therefore, it is better to get rid of bedbugs using a steam generator. There are some subtleties here too. The effectiveness of the fight against bloodsucking insects directly depends on the correct choice of device and processing method.
What is a steam generator in the fight against parasites?
Faced with such an unpleasant situation as the discovery of bedbugs in an apartment, many wonder whether it is possible to remove the bloodsuckers on their own or whether it is necessary to call the employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station. In fact, if you don’t want to make your problem public, you can get rid of parasites yourself. To destroy bedbugs in an apartment, you can use any available means. It has long been known that these insects are quite sensitive to temperature changes.
To maintain normal life functions, they require constant environmental conditions, that is, temperature and humidity should not fluctuate dramatically. Only in this case does their rapid reproduction occur. A sharp change in climatic conditions leads to the death of adults and eggs.
This means that killing bedbugs with steam is a very real way to clean your home of uninvited guests.
A sudden increase in temperature in a stuffy room under the influence of sunlight has a similar effect on bloodsuckers. It should be understood that bedbugs can hide in cracks, behind baseboards, in sockets, and other hard-to-reach places. This means that even if all the furniture is exposed to the scorching sun, the method of combating it will be ineffective.
That is why hot steam treatment must be carried out with a special device called a steam generator. A special device produces steam at a temperature of 90 degrees. In everyday life, it is usually called a steam cleaner; it is used mainly for steaming clothes, cleaning, and disinfecting diapers and infants’ clothing. However, a bedbug steam generator is a fairly effective pest control measure that few people have thought about.
There are many models of steam generators that are quite suitable for use at home. Basically, the devices differ in power; the higher it is, the higher the likelihood of getting rid of parasites as quickly as possible.
The steam generator consists of the following parts:
- electric heater;
- bendable elastic hose;
- water tank;
- nozzles
If you purchase a device specifically to get rid of blood-sucking insects, you must take into account that the steam generator must have several nozzles for treating the room in hard-to-reach places. The steam generator can only process surfaces that are resistant to high temperatures. Moreover, you can start processing without waiting for the peak heating mark of 90 degrees; you can start the procedure already at 70 - 80 degrees.
Disadvantages of using steam cleaners for bedbugs
If the device does not have a narrow nozzle, then it will be very difficult to work with hot steam in all hard-to-reach areas. The wide opening of the steam generator will not make it possible, for example, to destroy parasite eggs hidden behind cabinets. Additionally, such areas will have to be irrigated with a spray or a gel insecticide applied to them.
If the technology is violated, or rather, if the device’s nozzle is brought too close to a cluster of eggs, you can simply knock them out of place, and then the pests will calmly hatch in a new area of the apartment. Therefore, the distance from the nozzle hole to the surface should be less than 25 cm. Other disadvantages of using steam against bedbugs:
- If you act on a small area for a long time, drops may begin to roll down it. This can leave stains on furniture and wallpaper.
- Using steam near sockets is unacceptable, which is where bedbugs often hide. Before processing, you will have to turn off all electrical appliances.
- Steam often needs to be used multiple times, because not all insects can be “caught” in one go. It is advisable to carry out treatments once a week in the first month.
Other steam devices for fighting
As you know, bedbugs die when exposed to high temperatures. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to kill bedbugs with steam from an iron? In addition to the steam generator, there are other methods of combating blood-sucking parasites.
The following methods are considered some of the most popular:
- A steam gun is a device that is usually used to heat and dry a room after installing suspended ceilings. To get rid of bedbugs, you need to install the device indoors, heat the air to a temperature of 60 degrees, and leave the room for 1 - 2 hours;
- a steam cleaner for bedbugs also effectively affects parasites;
- Machine washable items at temperatures above 60 degrees. The disadvantage of the method is that not every material can be processed at high temperatures;
- ironing bed linen and clothes with an iron at the highest level;
- using boiling water to poison parasites in cracks and behind baseboards;
- drying things in the scorching sun also effectively destroys bedbugs and eggs;
- a clothes steamer produces high steam temperatures, so it is also effective against bedbugs;
- A hot air gun is a special industrial tool, so for safety reasons, a fire extinguisher should be placed nearby before treating surfaces.
To get rid of bedbugs using a steam cleaner, you need to start treating the apartment from the areas most densely populated with parasites (upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows, cabinets). You should also thoroughly treat the floors, including baseboards and crevices. Do not forget that all things in the apartment need to be treated with steam, including curtains, carpets, cabinets, bedside tables, summer and winter things. Bedbugs camouflage themselves so well in the folds of things that it is simply impossible to see them with the naked eye. It is important to understand that steam treatment alone may not be as effective as desired. It is necessary to disinfect the premises for several weeks in a row to completely get rid of bloodsuckers.
Expert advice
Recommendations from specialists will help to successfully destroy pests and not spoil things during the processing process:
- When choosing a suitable device, you should give preference to models with different attachments that allow you to reach hard-to-reach corners of the room.
- It is not advisable to set the maximum temperature of the steam generator. Otherwise, finishing materials and things can be damaged. For effective pest control, 70-80 degrees is sufficient.
- Treatment should begin with the bedroom as the most contaminated room.
- Disinfection is carried out in the direction from the highest point of the room to the floor surface.
- If furniture or things become slightly damp, then you need to reconsider the settings.
- After completing the procedure, apply a special chalk line along the perimeter of door and window openings, along baseboards and in the ventilation area.
- Clothes used for treatment must be washed at high temperatures.
Is it possible to kill with steam
Many people who are faced with an unpleasant situation are interested in whether it is possible to get rid of bedbugs with a steam cleaner?
Bed parasites hiding in carpets, bedding, and bedding can be destroyed by exposure to hot temperatures. If you don’t have a device such as a steam cleaner at home, you can ask your friends or rent one. Hot steam passes through the thickness of the carpet or other fabric, while the bedbugs have nowhere to escape from it. When they come into contact with it, they die along with the eggs.
To use a steam cleaner on a furniture surface, you need a tool with a small nozzle to release steam into small cracks, nicks, and crevices of the furniture. To ensure that bed bugs are eliminated, treatment should be repeated after two weeks.
Main advantages
First, let's look at the strengths of this technique:
- Environmentally friendly. Killing bedbugs occurs without the slightest harm to humans, since the steam cleaner is filled with water without any chemical additives.
- 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.
- The ability to treat things that cannot be treated with insecticide (blankets, pillows and sheets).
- Fast processing of all housing.
Temperature selection
In order to get rid of bedbugs with a steam generator, you can select a certain temperature regime at which the insects quickly die.
Cold steam
Cold bed bug steam alone may not be effective enough to completely get rid of the parasites. Therefore, cold steam poisoning should be done using chemical reagents. It will remain in the air for about 5 hours, during which toxins will penetrate into all the cracks.
Hot steam
Hot steam and bedbugs are a more effective way to kill them. Since high temperatures instantly destroy insects, this mode can be used in the most advanced cases, when the apartment is densely populated with bedbugs.
Dry steam
Dry steam from bedbugs is the same temperature effect as hot and cold.
Therefore, removing bedbugs with a steam cleaner with dry steam is a fairly effective measure in the fight against parasites.
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 ₽ |
Advantages and disadvantages
The method of getting rid of bedbugs using a steam cleaner has its pros and cons.
Advantages:
- since only water is used to treat the room, the method is safe for the health of people and animals;
- the versatility of the device allows it to be used for other purposes, so the method is considered low-cost;
- the possibility of applying steam to bed linen without harm to health;
- speed of processing.
Disadvantages of using a steam generator:
- difficulty in penetrating steam into hard-to-reach places, due to which some parasites may survive;
- the impossibility of using the device for processing items that deteriorate under the influence of moisture;
- ban on steam treatment of electrical appliances and sockets.
What steam generators are used?
Answering this question is not so simple, because among the variety of steam treatment devices on the market, it is easy to get confused. When choosing a suitable model, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- power;
- volume of the liquid reservoir;
- steam temperature;
- possibility of using additional attachments.
Advice! If your budget allows, then you should buy products from trusted brands, which, according to reviews, are considered the best in their category.
McCulloch
The brand’s units are distinguished by high power and productivity. A wide range of models allows you to choose a steam generator of any size with various functions. Powerful steam is able to penetrate the most inaccessible places and crevices.
A huge variety of attachments allows you to process mattresses, bed linen, curtains and other items. Portable models are easy to carry to any part of the room, and the long power cord ensures comfortable operation of the device.
Vapamore mr 100 and mr 75
The manufacturer produces both large-sized and portable steam devices, which are distinguished by high power and steam temperature within 200 degrees. The large water tank ensures continuous disinfection over a long period of time. Adjustable nozzles allow you to carry out treatment even in the most secluded places.
Among the disadvantages, the rather high cost of steam generators and long cooling after heating are noted. In addition, the device destroys pests, but does not collect dead insects.
Dupray
The brand’s steam units are distinguished by their low weight, high power and the ability to process any surface. The built-in funnel and high temperature allow you to quickly and effectively disinfect all areas of the apartment.
Karcher
The German brand of household and professional appliances produces reliable, high-quality products. The advantages include the ability to heat water to maximum values and a large selection of nozzles. The disadvantages include high cost. Read how to use a Karcher steam cleaner here.
Phillips
The brand's products have a narrow range of models. Both compact devices for manual cleaning and large-sized steam cleaners effectively cope with the destruction of blood-sucking parasites. The mechanism of action is standard - water is heated and converted into steam under pressure. Among the advantages are high efficiency of disinfection and affordable cost.
Kitfort
Devices in the mid-price category are not inferior in quality to expensive analogues. A wide range of models allows you to choose both compact hand-held steam cleaners and floor-standing devices. The latter externally resemble a conventional vacuum cleaner and are capable of removing dirt from the floor surface, but differ in their built-in steam generator.
Professional pest control
As already mentioned, a steam generator against bedbugs is one of the best remedies, provided it is used correctly. One of the reasons to contact us is that our master is provided with the necessary tools that are not available to the average customer: this includes expensive equipment and drugs that are not sold in stores.
When ordering pest control from the United City Disinfestation Service you receive:
- No risks to your own health;
- Carrying out processing at a time convenient for you, anywhere in the city or region;
- High speed of work;
- Reasonable prices that distinguish us favorably from analogues presented in this market;
- Result guarantees. We are completely confident in our abilities and are ready to confirm this now!
- Many people have steam generators, which means there will be no extra costs.
- Using steam is an absolutely environmentally friendly method.
- You can treat surfaces and objects on which the application of chemicals is contraindicated.
- It is relatively inexpensive to destroy parasites in large rooms.
A bedbug steam cleaner is appropriate when people are allergic to insecticides
Mechanical methods
The most common are two mechanical folk methods. To implement the first, you will need a vacuum cleaner, to use the second, a steam generator. In the first case, bedbugs can only be “collected” in a garbage bag built into household appliances. In the second, kill insects, and not only sexually mature ones. One bad thing: both methods will steal a lot of time from the home “exterminator”, without giving any guarantee of effectiveness.
Vacuum cleaner
Peculiarity. By combining the mechanical method with the chemical method, you can get a pretty good result. To lure bedbugs out of the hiding places in which they are safely hidden, you will need ammonia. Bloodsuckers cannot stand the smell of this liquid. It is enough to place saucers with a smelly liquid near places where insects accumulate, and the living creatures will immediately begin to leave their homes. You can make the composition stronger.
What we do
- Prepare the emulsion according to the following recipe: mix 100 g of denatured alcohol and 50 g of ammonia.
- Pour the emulsion into a spray bottle and spray the room.
- We turn on the vacuum cleaner, remove the brush attachment, and use the tube to quickly collect insects that have awakened from the aroma spreading throughout the apartment into the dust collector.
Steam generator
Peculiarity. The method is environmentally friendly, accessible and easy to implement. And also quite effective. It is noteworthy that the steam generator is capable of eliminating even eggs by destroying their shell. True, the method cannot be used near outlets. And condensation settling on the surface of the furniture can negatively affect its upholstery and further operation.
What we do
We turn on the steam generator and start from the most remote places: we steam curtains, cornices, joints of walls and furniture, niches behind paintings, cracks and other hard-to-reach locations. Then we proceed to textile processing. We carry out liquidation activities daily for several weeks, paying special attention to places where insect nests have been observed. We refrain from wet cleaning until the treatments are completely completed. We carefully inspect all things and pieces of furniture so as not to lose sight of a single parasite.
Herbs against bloodsuckers
“Poison” does not come from the word “grass.” But if you think about it, you can identify an obvious connection between representatives of the flora and the destruction of parasites. It is not possible to eliminate bed bugs with the help of plants, but it is easy to scare them away. The table will tell you which herbs can “poison” blood-sucking insects.
Table - Plants against bedbugs
| Plant | Characteristic | How to use |
| Chamomile | Natural insecticide | — Place bouquets of fresh flowers on the windowsills; - scatter dried plant material in the corners; - wash the floors with a decoction; - spray the broth with a spray bottle onto the identified nests |
| Ledum | ||
| Tansy | Natural repellent | |
| Sagebrush |
Plant repellents work well as preventive measures. But they are not able to drive bedbugs out of the house once and for all. Most likely, the insects will find a secluded corner, protected from unpleasant herbal odors. And when the “insecticide” plants lose their aromatic properties, the pests will return.
It is useless to fight bedbugs with garlic. Insects are not disgusted by its pungent smell.
Chemical substances
Many Internet users write on forums about their unwillingness to use insecticides.
The reason is the toxicity of the main components. We must admit that there is some truth in this opinion. Most professional pest control products, if used incorrectly, can lead to poisoning of a person or warm-blooded animal. Some poisons are especially dangerous for aquatic inhabitants, such as aquarium fish. With the help of others, they carry out not only the destruction of bedbugs, but also the correction of the population of some birds. In addition, after using insecticides, the apartment needs to be ventilated for a long time, washed, and personal belongings treated with soda solution. All these difficulties force people attacked by bedbugs to opt for traditional methods of control.
Recipes with turpentine
If you know exactly where the nests of bloodsuckers are located, and are ready to go on the warpath with them yourself, look into the pantry or garage. There will probably be components for one of the three “combustible mixtures”, with the help of which you can precisely neutralize the enemy.
- Turpentine, clean water, kerosene and laundry soap. Take 10, 100, 40 and 30 ml of components, respectively. The soap is ground with a grater. All components are mixed until dissolved. Treat sites where insect nests are located.
- Turpentine, kerosene, naphthalene. You need 100 ml of the first two components and 20 ml of the third. The nests are treated with a spray bottle.
- Turpentine, phenol, salicylic acid. Take 40, 20 and 3 ml, respectively. Apply using a cotton swab.
“Turpentine” methods have a targeted poisoning effect on insects, but do not in any way affect the shell of bloodsucker eggs. In one and a half to two weeks the population will be renewed, and the treatment will have to be carried out again.
Solutions with vinegar
Vinegar is no less popular a remedy for bedbugs than turpentine. The reason for the demand is not only the relative effectiveness, but also the low cost of the main ingredient of homemade emulsions. The “stronger” the acetic acid, the stronger the effect will be, especially if this substance is correctly supplemented with other chemicals. Vinegar “insecticides” will not be able to destroy eggs, but they can easily eliminate several dozen adult bedbugs. Recipes for preparing drugs are presented in the table.
Table - Recipes for folk remedies based on vinegar
| Ingredients | Proportion | Peculiarity |
| — Vinegar 90%; - alcohol; - naphthalene | 1:1:1 | — Is an alternative to purchased aerosol; - works in direct contact with bloodsuckers |
| - Vinegar; - wormwood decoction | 1:2 | — Means for prevention; - repels insects with a pungent odor; - suitable for treating potentially hazardous areas |
Most often, bedbug nests are located in hard-to-reach places. For example, behind cabinet furniture that is tightly pushed against the walls, on curtains under the ceiling, behind wallpaper that has come loose from the wall, in the upholstery of upholstered furniture and under baseboards where the owner cannot reach with her hands.
Treatment with boric acid is ineffective. If in the case of cockroaches this substance can serve as bait, then bed bugs are not at all interested in it.
Valerian bait
Valerian has a special property. It is well known to cat owners who have repeatedly observed how a mustachioed pet goes crazy from the cloying smell of the tincture. Drops can be used as bait for blood-sucking insects. The algorithm of actions consists of three steps.
- Installation of "traps". Place sticky traps on the headboard and base of the bed.
- Luring by smell. Add a few drops of valerian to each trap.
- Waiting for the result. Wait until the bed bugs come running to the smell of the bait and stick to the adhesive tape.
If there is a cat living in the house, you will have to stop using the drug. The animal will lick the drops faster than the bugs can smell its characteristic aroma.
