Mattress Encasements - What does a bed bug mattress cover do?
What mattress encasements are and how they are used in bed bug control and prevention.
If you've looked around the web, no doubt you've seen advertisements for bed bug mattress encasements. These mattress covers are also known as mattress encasements or bedbug encasements. Whatever you call them, they are a useful tool in dealing with a bed bug infestation.
A Problem
When people find out they have bed bugs, some simply chuck their mattress and box spring thinking this will end their bed bug problem. Sometimes they even toss the bed frame out for good measure. This is a waste of money and is rarely necessary.
When people toss their old bed setup, they buy a new one of course. Makes sense. Then they bring the new setup into their bedroom. But they have not actually addressed their bed bug problem---they've only addressed one of the symptoms. The bed bug infestation is still there. You can guess what happens. The bed bugs come back and infest their new bed, leaving them back at square one.
A Simple Solution
Bed bug mattress covers serve two primary purposes:
- They keep any bed bugs hiding inside your mattress or box spring sealed in. This prevents them from biting you or hiding somewhere else.
- Bed bug mattress covers also prevent any more bed bugs from infesting your mattress or box spring.
An encasement is usually made of tough plastic. It is a kind of sleeve that you slide your mattress into. Then you close the cover with a zipper or slide. This forms a bed bug proof enclosure. No bed bugs can get out of it, no bed bugs can get in it. And they can't bite you through it either. Bed bugs can live over a year without feeding. Sealed inside the encasements without any opportunity to feed, they will eventually die.
When eradicating bed bugs, it is important to eliminate hiding options. In addition to mattresses, bedbug encasements are available for box springs and pillows. Once you encase all of these, you have removed them as hiding places. Since you will wash and dry your bedding on high heat to kill any bed bugs, you take away those areas to hide as well. Keep in mind that there is much more to handling a bed bug infestation. But encasing these areas is important to address.
Bed bug mattress encasements can be purchased for around $50, box spring covers for about the same, pillow encasements for under $20. Compare these prices to buying a new mattress and box spring and you'll see that they are well worth the investment. A full line of top quality bed bug encasements can be purchased online from www.bedbug.com.
