At what temperature do bedbugs die?
Research conducted by scientists has shown that bedbugs die at a temperature of +45ºС, and at +50°С their death occurs within a few seconds. Therefore, the question arose whether it is possible to kill bedbugs with steam. In recent years, electrical appliances such as steam cleaners and steam generators have become popular, which helped people come up with an improved method of pest control - killing bedbugs with steam.
Important!
High temperature and steam kill not only adult individuals, but also parasite eggs, which is a great advantage compared to other methods of control.
The only problem remains the question that not all pieces of furniture can be processed at this temperature, but here other means of pest control will come to the rescue.
Before starting to treat the apartment, you should find all places where bedbugs accumulate, because if you leave at least one parasite alive, the reproduction process will begin again.
Is steam harmful to bedbugs?
Blood-sucking insects, which also include bedbugs, are very sensitive to external conditions - they do not like changes in temperature and humidity. They live, develop and reproduce only under suitable conditions. When the degrees decrease or increase, they either freeze, fall into suspended animation, or die. This is what the physical method of fighting bedbugs is based on. And if previously it was possible to freeze a house by leaving the windows and doors open for a couple of days in winter, now it is very difficult to do this. It is also difficult to take all the pieces of furniture out into the bright and hot sun so that all the bugs living in them “fry”. In addition, insects or their eggs can be found not only in pieces of furniture, but also directly in the apartment: behind wallpaper and baseboards, in cracks on the walls and floor, in ventilation and other secluded or hard-to-reach places. Therefore, if furniture and other furnishings cannot be exposed to scalding air, then such air must be delivered to them. And this can be done using a steam generator.
How steam generators work
A steam cleaner (steam generator) is a special device intended for household use for cleaning clothes, cleaning and disinfecting various things.
The steam cleaner device is based on the formation of steam when water is heated by a heating element. It comes with various nozzles, which can be used to direct a stream of hot air into narrow and hard-to-reach places in the room and gaps in furniture.
Cleaning a room with high temperature will not only help against bedbugs, but will also destroy harmful viruses and bacteria.
Steam generator - what is it?
A steam generator is a special apparatus that produces steam at a temperature of 90 degrees. Usually people perceive a steam generator as an industrial device, but in everyday life such devices are called steam cleaners. A steam cleaner is purchased for cleaning, cleaning an apartment, steaming dirt and disinfecting any things, but killing bedbugs with its help will also be excellent.
Manufacturers offer many models of steam generators that can be used at home. The power of the devices varies, but the most powerful models are more suitable for exterminating pests. Compact, low-power devices will not give the desired result.
The design of a steam generator always includes the following parts:
- Heater (heater)
- Flexible hose
- Water container
- Nozzles
If you buy a device specifically to get rid of bedbugs, it is better to make sure that it has different attachments - for treating a mattress (flat attachment), for removing bedbugs from cracks, from behind cabinets (narrow-hole attachment).
When it is possible to purchase a new steam generator or rent one, you should choose a device with the following data:
- Availability of a separate boiler for steam generation.
- Fast steam production (preferably instantaneous).
- High quality materials.
Advantages and disadvantages of the steam method
Steam treatment for bedbugs has many advantages over other methods:
- steam cleaners are now very common, so you can buy them at any hardware store or rent them;
- this method will allow you to get rid of parasites in your home at a low cost;
- this method is the most environmentally friendly (no chemicals or insecticides are used);
- hot steam treatment will destroy insects on surfaces and objects that cannot be treated with chemical insecticides;
Disadvantages of using steam cleaners:
- a directed jet of air with a high temperature is not able to penetrate a very narrow gap or pass through dense fabric;
- Bedbug eggs can only be removed at a close distance from the nozzle;
- steam consists of moist air and can harm furniture and some surfaces and disrupt their appearance.
To ensure the safety of interior items and the person who uses the bedbug steam generator as a means of exterminating them, you should know:
- When working, you should not set the steam cleaner to a high humidity level, so as not to spoil the wall covering (wallpaper) or fabric materials;
- there is no need to direct a strong stream of high-temperature air onto wooden, especially varnished and plastic surfaces;
- It is prohibited to use steam cleaners near sockets and electrical appliances, because this can cause a short circuit in the electrical wiring;
- You must be careful not to accidentally burn yourself or a person standing next to you with the steam.
On a note!
Before starting steam treatment, it is recommended to wrap the steam generator nozzle with cloth so that the strongly directed air does not blow away insects and their eggs.
Optimal temperature for killing fleas and their eggs
Blood-sucking insects live and reproduce under favorable conditions . At what temperature do fleas die, from what values:
It is better to boil textile items for several minutes.
What flea eggs look like is known. This means you can find nesting sites and get rid of the bloodsucker population. It is necessary to first treat animals and beds with insecticides. Then walk with the steam generator across surfaces and floors. At +35°, the death of adult insects and their eggs begins. The larvae are also unlikely to survive. -16 is the limit of survival of adults and their offspring.
Rules and instructions for processing
The main rule: to get rid of bedbugs, a stream of high-temperature air must be directed directly at the parasite itself, then it will die in a few seconds.
Important!
To improve the quality of processing, you should choose a steam cleaner with high power. With smaller devices the results may not be as effective.
In order to get rid of bedbugs with a steam cleaner, you need to know the general rules for its use:
- Treatment should begin in places with large concentrations of insects: sleeping places (beds, sofas) and the area next to them, seams in upholstered furniture and mattresses, etc.
- You should direct a stream of air with a temperature above 50ºC along the baseboards around the perimeter of the room; frightened bedbugs will crawl out of their hiding places, and they can be killed faster.
- Separately, you need to treat the back walls of cabinets and other furniture, especially those that are located close to the sleeping areas.
- You can also remove bedbugs with steam on clothes or bedding, where insects love to hide; you should also treat clothes from your closet.
- It is also necessary to “steam” curtains, carpets and other home textiles.
- Before you start removing bedbugs from upholstered furniture, you should study the instructions for it, because some surfaces can deteriorate from the action of hot and humid air - then you should use a special aerosol with a sprayer;
- To reliably get rid of parasites, fighting bedbugs with a steam cleaner should be carried out regularly (weekly) until the parasites disappear forever. Repeated treatments will kill new larvae that hatch from surviving eggs.
Instructions for exterminating parasites in your apartment
What you need to fight bedbugs:
- steam generator with a narrow nozzle;
- extension;
- insecticide in the form of a spray.
To remove bedbugs, you need to follow the instructions for their destruction :
Move the furniture away from the walls, turn it over so that nothing interferes with the upcoming processing.- Set the temperature on the device to at least 70 degrees.
- Direct the steam jet towards the treatment area. The distance should be about 25 cm.
- Take a ferry ride through hard-to-reach places. The maximum accumulation of parasites is observed in the folds and crevices of furniture, as well as from the bottom of sofas and beds. They lay eggs behind bedside tables, in dark and secluded corners of the apartment.
- Treat cracks in laminate, linoleum or parquet. There bedbugs hide during the daytime.
- Walk through the curtains. If possible, it is recommended to wash them or boil them at high temperatures. Be sure to steam curtains, carpets and all textiles in the house.
- Treat clothes and bedding.
Those fabrics that do not tolerate high temperatures must be disinfected using insecticides.
After steam treatment is completed, additional drying of items is not required . If there is high humidity in the apartment, you can get rid of it with short ventilation.
Reviews of the bedbug steam cleaner
When I discovered bedbugs in my bed, I was simply horrified, because I always thought that they only appeared in unkempt and dirty rooms. First, I called a special service that performed professional chemical treatment. The smell in the apartment was incredibly foul. I washed all the clothes and curtains, but the insecticide does not want to disappear. And then these bastards appeared again. I was in despair, and then we were saved by a steam gun, which my husband bought at a hardware store. We blasted all the sofas and furniture, baseboards and carpets. The bugs are all dead! I'm delighted, and most importantly - no nasty smell.
Marianna, Perm
The bedbugs came to our apartment from neighbors who poisoned them with chemicals. But due to the fact that our little son lives with us, my wife and I did not dare to treat with chemicals, and there is little hope for folk remedies. One friend advised me to use a household bedbug steamer. I tried steaming all the sofas and bedding and found that it helped. In the near future I will repeat the process of removing parasites in order to destroy them all.
Gennady, Moscow
Feedback on use
Reviews about the use of a steam generator to combat bedbugs are mostly positive. Although it is not always possible to remove insects using a device alone.
The best results can be achieved by combining steam treatment and chemicals.
People who have tried to remove bedbugs with a steam generator indicate that they actually die under the influence of high temperatures. However, you need to steam all furniture and textiles without missing a single centimeter.
For some users, two procedures were enough to completely get rid of insects . Other people could not cope with parasites on their own. Therefore, they had to seek help from specialized services.
Reviews can be found here and here.
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.
Pros and cons of a steam generator
There are no ideal methods for cleaning premises from parasites. They all have certain pros and cons.
There are a sufficient number of positive aspects when removing bloodsuckers with steam:
- Environmental friendliness is the main advantage of the method. To kill insects, only water is required - an absolutely harmless substance for people and pets.
- The method is available to most homeowners. The main consumable material for removing insects is water. The money paid for a steam generator is a useful financial investment. They not only exterminate harmful insects, but also constantly carry out thorough cleaning of the home and things.
- The device steams things that cannot be disinfested using repellents. Thanks to it, they destroy parasites that have gotten into the folds and seams of pillows, duvet covers, sheets, and blankets.
- Disinfestation of a home using a steam generator is carried out quite quickly.
- During processing, adult parasites, larvae and eggs die immediately. Many insecticidal preparations do not act on eggs, so repeated disinsection of the home is carried out at the moment when the larvae have hatched but have not yet reached maturity. Steam, the temperature of which approaches 100 degrees, cooks the eggs of bloodsuckers. Instant denaturation of proteins causes the death of developing embryos.
- The steam cleaner effectively kills bedbugs in their nests. When disinfesting nesting sites, insects are massacred, and bloodsuckers of all ages and their eggs die at the same time. At the same time, the consumption of effort and time is minimal.
Flaws
The method has several serious disadvantages:
- Steam is not always able to penetrate bedbug nests located in narrow crevices and cracks. Thick materials cannot be steamed properly. For this reason, some insects sometimes survive safely.
- The steam contains moisture, so the method is not suitable for disinsection of furniture and objects that deteriorate from exposure to liquid. It will not be possible to steam books, magazines, or polished furniture.
- Electrical appliances and gadgets cannot be treated with a steam generator, and bedbugs love to make nests in them.
Advantages of killing bedbugs using a steam generator:
- No chance of survival. If a stream of steam hits an insect, it will die with 100% probability.
Inability of bedbugs to adapt. Pests are able to develop immunity to some chemicals, but they are powerless against high temperatures.
To achieve uniform dispersion of steam, it is recommended to stretch a cloth over the nozzle. This will allow you to destroy the eggs rather than blow them away.
The high cost of the steam generator can be called its disadvantage. However, the versatility of the device overcomes this disadvantage.
We suggest you read Allergy to a bedbug bite in a child
The choice of steam generators is wide, so in a household appliance store you can find an inexpensive and practical device that will not take up much space in the apartment.
Disadvantages of using a steam generator to combat bedbugs:
The need to purchase a device with a narrow nozzle included. If you use only a wide sprayer, you will not be able to reach hard-to-reach areas.
It should be borne in mind that it will not be possible to get rid of all insects at once. At least 4 treatments will be required at weekly intervals.
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.
Flaws
Now let's look at the disadvantages of using this technique:
- Steam is not able to provide complete disinfestation, since it cannot penetrate through a thick layer of material and into narrow crevices of products, so some parasites can survive after such a procedure.
- Impossibility of processing electrical appliances.
- This method is not applicable to the disinfection of objects that cannot tolerate moisture (books, documents, notebooks).
Asking the question, “Can I get rid of bedbugs with a steam cleaner?” We will answer with confidence: “Yes, of course it is possible!” However, to effectively treat the apartment, it is recommended to clean it three to four times, with an interval of seven days. This approach will make it possible to kill young individuals that have recently hatched from surviving eggs.
Separately, we note that when using a steam generator to bait bedbugs, a better result can be achieved if the nozzle is wrapped with a piece of cloth during the disinfestation process, which will make the air compressed. When carrying out such manipulation, the larvae and eggs will not be blown away from the treated surface.
The ideal option at the time of cleaning is to direct a stream of steam at each parasite. Following this condition, it is possible to significantly reduce the number of adults and larvae from the first time of use. If you work tirelessly on this principle and use the steam generator correctly to kill bedbugs, over time this will lead to the final extermination of the pests.
Steam efficiency
A steam cleaner is a household appliance that is designed to perform indoor cleaning, clothes cleaning, as well as disinfection in both cases. Thanks to its use on surfaces and things that have been treated, all germs and bacteria are destroyed, grease and dirt are dissolved almost instantly. Today, consumers are offered steam cleaners with various technical characteristics, the main one being power. The quality of the final result and the time it takes to complete the work depend on the numerical value of this value. Therefore, before refusing disinfection services, you need to decide which steam cleaner to choose to kill bedbugs from a number of existing models, the power of which will be sufficient to combat insects. The design of this device includes the following main parts:
- water container;
- a heating element;
- flexible hose;
- nozzles in various designs for changing depending on the type of work and the surface being processed.
Understanding the exact purpose of the device, and faced with the problem of insects appearing in the house, a person immediately has a question about whether it is possible to get rid of bedbugs in this way. The answer in this case will be positive, but when using a steam cleaner, you must understand that its use is only possible if the surface is resistant to steam. It is worth considering that the steam produced by the device has a fairly low humidity level, namely equal to 5%, and a high temperature level of almost 90 degrees. This ensures that expensive upholstery of upholstered furniture or the surface of parquet boards will not be damaged while using the bedbug steam cleaner. But it should be taken into account that you should use this device at home very carefully, since its inappropriate use can lead to burns.
As a result of experiments conducted by scientists, it was found that the death of bedbugs is possible already at a temperature of 45 degrees, while when they are exposed to steam with a temperature of more than 50 degrees, their death occurs in a few seconds. Based on this, we can conclude that, even using the steam generator not at full capacity, you can quickly get rid of such “living creatures” in the house.
Effect of steam on bedbugs
At a temperature of 50°C, bedbugs die within 15 minutes. The temperature of the steam leaving the device is 80-90°C. Parasites die under its influence in a matter of seconds. Hot steam completely kills adults, larvae and eggs.
We suggest you read: How long do bed bugs live without human blood?
When using a steam cleaner for bedbugs, about 80% of pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, are simultaneously destroyed. Bedbugs, caught under a hot steam cloud, die within 10-15 seconds. An ultra-modern device allows you to instantly clean your home from infestations of parasites.
Most of those who removed bedbugs using a steam generator are satisfied with the result of the disinfestation. Those who failed apparently violated cleaning guidelines or used a low-power device to clean.
Experts recommend performing pest control using powerful steam generators. Miniature hand-held devices cannot fully cope with the tasks. To solve them, devices capable of generating steam whose temperature is not lower than 60°C are suitable.
It is not necessary to purchase a powerful steam cleaner. Such equipment is rented out to organizations that specialize in providing household services.
When surfaces are treated with hot steam, adult bedbugs, their larvae and egg clutches are completely destroyed.
The hot steam produced by the steam generator can kill bedbugs in just 10-15 seconds of exposure. Therefore, using this device you can clean the premises quickly and effectively.
It must be said that reviews about the effectiveness of using a steam generator to clean a room from bedbugs are contradictory. Most people who have had this treatment are happy with the results. However, there are also negative reviews, but most likely the failures are due to either incorrect temperature disinfestation or insufficient power of the device.
The most important thing you should pay attention to when choosing a steam generator is its power. It must be powerful enough to kill insects. To achieve good results, you need to carefully treat the entire area of the room.
The photo shows a steam generator with a narrow nozzle
The advantages of this processing method:
- The method is quite affordable, because in the modern world a steam generator can be found in any household appliances store.
- Treatment with a steam generator is environmentally friendly, unlike chemical aerosols, which release many dangerous toxins into the air.
- Not all surfaces can be treated with bedbug killing spray. All hard-to-reach places can be passed with hot steam.
- This processing method is also used in large industrial enterprises where chemicals cannot be used.
The photo shows processing using a steam generator
In order to treat a room, you need to move the steam generator through the air at a relatively low speed.
Many consider this method ineffective, as evidenced by reviews from dissatisfied citizens. However, the ineffectiveness of the method is often due to a violation of the apartment processing technology. It is worth understanding that you most likely will not be able to get rid of bed bugs in one day. Some of the insects that will eventually restore the population will have time to hide. Therefore, the apartment will have to be steamed at least 2 times.
If the insects have already built nests, then most likely there are eggs in the room, from which harmful bugs will hatch in 10-12 days. Therefore, it is advisable to re-treat after 2 weeks.
Best Floor Steam Cleaners of 2021
Floor-standing steam cleaners are somewhat reminiscent of vacuum cleaners - the same elongated body shape and long hose. They are generally slightly more powerful than manual models and can also last longer due to their larger water reservoir. Below are the top five best floor standing units from the biggest home appliance brands.
MIE Juno
A good and reliable floor steam cleaner.
MIE Juno
First of all, you should consider a steam cleaner from the Italian manufacturer Mie. A good and reliable floor-standing steam cleaner MIE Juno (RUB 12,600) has power ratings that are fairly standard for floor-standing devices - 1500 watts. The volume of the tank is slightly larger than a liter - this means that the steam cleaner will take a long time to heat up, but nevertheless it will work for quite a long time, in this case - half an hour. In addition to a variety of attachments, there is also a long (1.5 m) steam hose that allows you to effectively clean the floor surface, steam curtains and much more. A significant drawback is that it can drip heavily at the beginning, as well as as work progresses.
Main characteristics
- Water tank volume: 1.1 l
- Power: 1500 W
- Maximum steam pressure: 5 bar
- Working time: 30 min
- Water heating time: 300 s
- Steam hose length: 1.5 m
- Power cord length: 2.8 m
Video review
Advantages:
- High efficiency - power of 1500 watts and steam pressure of 5 bar.
- There are many attachments included, suitable for almost any purpose, including steaming curtains.
- Continuous operation for 30 minutes.
- There is an extension tube.
- There is a shoulder strap.
Flaws:
- It leaks and drips.
- Low quality plastic.
- Short power cord.
What is a steam generator in the fight against parasites?
To kill bedbugs at home, any available means are suitable. Persons faced with this unpleasant situation often ask a specialist: “Is it possible to remove bedbugs with a steam generator?” It’s not easy, but it’s also effective and safe for the health of people around you, since the unit was originally developed for treating medical institutions. By using such a device at home, you can easily get rid of blood-sucking parasites, their eggs and larvae, as well as many types of bacteria.
The steam generator is a compact device, the main purpose of which is to treat premises from parasites and other dangerous microorganisms. It is worth remembering one important point: surfaces can be disinfected if they are resistant to hot steam. Please note that it cannot harm the parquet surface or upholstered furniture in any way.
A steam cleaner is an indispensable tool in the fight against bedbugs. Just fifteen seconds of your time and the annoying parasite will never be able to bite again. And this is even if the steam jet does not reach the peak temperature! The optimal mode will be varying between 70-80 degrees Celsius.
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.
Destruction of bedbugs with steam - features
When carrying out processing, you need to follow several rules in order to keep the furniture intact and achieve a high effect:
- Do not set the steam cleaner mode to high humidity - textiles, wallpaper, and upholstered furniture may be damaged;
- It is better to avoid this method for wooden surfaces, as well as those coated with varnish or other decorative materials;
- Do not bring the steam cleaner near sockets or household appliances;
- if the air stream is strong, cover the nozzle with a layer of cloth before starting - this will help not to blow away insects, but to destroy them;
- In order for the insect to die, a stream of air must be directed at it for 2-5 seconds;
- first you need to walk through the places of maximum accumulation of parasites, then treat the entire apartment around the perimeter;
- textiles, bed linen, clothes are easier to wash at a temperature of at least 60 degrees;
- in order not to spoil the upholstered furniture, first treat a small invisible area with steam;
- It is recommended to carry out a course of parasite destruction - once a week, but at least 3-4 times;
- To enhance the effect, it is recommended that in addition to steam treatment, apply a light, non-toxic product (for example, chalk) to the surfaces of furniture and baseboards.
We suggest you read: Who can bite in bed at night except bedbugs? Who bites at night?
If you follow the processing rules, you can effectively remove bedbugs from your apartment without causing harm to your own health.
extermination of bedbugs with steam
Destruction of bedbugs, treatment of the sofa before pest control of the apartment
Steam generators against bedbugs! The depth of steam penetration depends on the Power of the Steam Generator!
The steam generator kills bed bug eggs.
First of all, it is worth noting that you need to prepare several attachments in advance. Depending on the nature of the visit, you need to use either a flat nozzle (processing a mattress, for example), or an elongated one (processing holes between the baseboard and the floor).
Before we start fighting bed bugs, we determine where they accumulate. If you start treating the room from those places that are only slightly infected, you will only succeed in scaring away the insects, which will begin to crawl into all the cracks.
After treating the most infected areas, you should steam all the furniture in the room, wardrobes, carpets, and decorative elements. It is advisable to wash items from wardrobes at temperatures exceeding 600C or treat them with the same steam generator, which will take much more time.
Then, we use a steam cleaner to treat all surfaces in the room that may be contaminated: floors, walls. If the floors are made of wood, then they need to be processed carefully. If the steam contacts the wood for too long, it may warp. And if you treat the surface with steam for a short time, you will not be able to achieve the desired result.
The best universal steam cleaners (2in1)
Such steam cleaners are considered universal devices, as they are suitable for washing the floor and for cleaning various surfaces in the house. Especially for you, we reviewed many worthy devices and compiled the TOP 4 best models in this category.
BLACK+DECKER FSMH1351SM-QS
High-quality and convenient 2in1 steam cleaner.
BLACK+DECKER FSMH1351SM-QS
The rating opens with an American-made universal steam cleaner - BLACK+DECKER FSMH1351SM-QS (RUB 13,600). The floor nozzle is suitable for surfaces such as laminate, linoleum, tiles and wood. The power of 1500 Watts allows the device to effectively eliminate dirt and bacteria. The volume of the water tank is 0.5 liters, which, based on the manufacturer’s assurances, should be enough for 20 minutes of use. In addition, the potential user will not have to wait tediously for the water to heat up - the steam cleaner is ready for use within 15 seconds after being turned on. Finally, built-in anti-scale protection significantly extends the life of the device.
Main characteristics
- Water tank volume: 0.5 l
- Power: 1300 W
- Working time: 20 min
- Water heating time: 15 s
- Scraper attachment
- Floor nozzle
- Anti-scale protection
- Power cord length: 6 m
Video review
Advantages:
- High power, effective cleaning.
- Heating of water and complete readiness of the device for operation in 15 seconds.
- 20 minutes of continuous use.
- There is built-in anti-scale protection.
- Convenient digital control; you can adjust the amount of steam released depending on your cleaning purposes.
Flaws:
- May leave streaks on soiled surfaces.
- There is no compartment for storing the power cord.
- There are no instructions in Russian.
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.
What is the device?
A bedbug steam generator is an electrical device that produces a stream of steam by heating ordinary water. The maximum temperature to which heating is possible is 90 degrees.
Steam cleaner for pest control
How to kill bedbugs with steam in an apartment:
- Pour water into the designated container of the steam cleaner.
- Wrap the device nozzle with a loose cloth. This will reduce the power of the steam flow. Otherwise, house bugs will simply be blown away.
- Set the minimum humidity. Steam treatments for bed bugs with high humidity can cause serious damage to furniture and sensitive furnishings.
- Removal will be effective if the temperature is 70-90°C. In this case, a targeted flow for 10-15 seconds is sufficient.
- The room should be treated from the most favorable places for bedbugs to live. This could be baseboards, a mattress, a bed, a sofa, or window frames.
- After this, the fight against bedbugs with a steam cleaner should affect clothing, bedding, and every item in the closet is treated.
It is very difficult to get rid of bedbugs with a steam cleaner in one use. This is due to a large error during operation; the steam flow must reach even the most remote place. Therefore, before treatment begins, you should carefully examine the house and find the largest areas of parasite accumulation.
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.
Correct operation of the steam generator
A steam cleaner is not only a repellent against bedbugs, but also an excellent unit for exterminating them. It is necessary to carry out disinsection from the most contaminated areas of housing. Such objects are often sofas, beds and other upholstered furniture. Be sure to go through the joints, folds and crevices of the products, since this is where these pests can huddle.
In addition, if you want to get rid of bedbugs once and for all, you should also steam the baseboards, floors and all cracks.
To be extra sure, it is better to treat your clothes, since unpleasant insects can also live in them. This is especially true for winter items. It is there that bedbugs can settle so quietly that it is impossible to do without using a steam generator. When disinfecting clothing, be sure to take into account the information on the labels. In some cases, the steam can destroy part of your wardrobe.
Separately, it must be said that steam will not always immediately help. This often applies to deep cracks. However, do not despair and think that the steam cleaner is completely powerless here. Don’t be tormented by the question: “Will he help in such a situation?” Of course everything will work out! But this will take more time, namely, disinfection will need to be carried out over several weeks.
How to treat your home with hot steam
If you do not make mistakes in the process of cleaning premises using a steam generator, the quality of the disinsection performed will be at its best. There will be no parasites left in your home if you find and treat all the nests they have made.
Experts recommend adhering to the following algorithm of actions when exterminating insects with steam.
- The steam temperature must be above 60°C.
- First of all, rooms that are overly infested with parasites are treated. Typically, disinfestation begins in the bedroom; bedbugs are destroyed in beds and sofas.
- Steam is applied to cabinets, mattresses, upholstery and back walls of furniture.
- From the sleeping places they move on to other pieces of furniture - wardrobes, chests of drawers, nightstands, etc.
- Floors, baseboards, and defects in decorative finishing are not left untreated.
- Carpets, curtains, drapes and textiles are steamed.
- Things and clothes are steamed.
Clothes are sorted before processing. Things that cannot withstand high temperatures are put aside.
Follow-up actions after treating an apartment or house against parasitic insects
Disinfecting the entire room from bedbugs is not a single action that should be performed to get rid of pests. So, for a certain time, it will be necessary to follow a number of rules in order to consolidate the achieved result. Let's move on to consider them:
- When carrying out processing, do not forget about curtains and curtains.
- After disinfection, you should refrain from cleaning for some time. Only sweeping the floor is allowed.
- After working with the steam generator, check the closet with bed linen, which will need to be washed, dried and thoroughly ironed.
- Remember! After the destruction of bedbugs, after a certain period of time, a new wave of insects may come. They can appear through untreated cracks or crawl out of your neighbors' sockets. Therefore, you need to remain vigilant and periodically check “risk areas”.
- Be sure to pay attention to your sleeping area. This is where dangerous insects can accumulate. After completing disinfection, you should still check the bed linen and mattress. There is a possibility that after disinsection, pest eggs could remain in the bed. If you identify them, you need to immediately treat them with steam, followed by disinfection of all bedding.
Treatment
In order to completely destroy bedbugs in the entire house, it is recommended to steam treat all objects in the room, as well as those surfaces on which they could move. Initially, it is necessary to determine the exact location of the places where there are the most bugs, since by processing it, you can not only destroy adult individuals, but also their larvae and eggs, from which new individuals subsequently appeared that feed on human blood and are capable of reproduction.
The most “favorite” places for parasites to accumulate in the house are upholstered furniture and mattresses. In the folds and joints of these objects, bedbugs gather in groups and remain there throughout the entire time, periodically leaving in search of food. Bedbugs choose night as the most active time of day for searching for food. After all, it is at this time that a person is mostly motionless and thus does not threaten their life in any way. That is why furniture infected with parasites is best treated during the day, at a time when all individuals are in their permanent habitat.
In addition to furniture, floors and baseboards require more careful treatment; insects can also be found in the cracks between them. They can also very often be found in fur winter clothes and shoes, which requires processing of them too. Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to see them during a visual inspection, when exposed to steam, that is, creating unfavorable conditions for insects, they will immediately begin to run out of there, which will significantly affect the simplification of the destruction process.
Having steam treated all of the above places and objects, the last thing you need to do is treat all bedding sets, curtains and other textiles in the house. The back walls of cabinets and chests of drawers, cornices, as well as carpets that lie on the floor also require careful processing. It is better to clean bed linen, curtains and clothes from the wardrobe that can be washed first using detergents and water at elevated temperatures. After drying, they must either be treated with a steam cleaner or ironed.
After the entire room has been disinfected, one should take into account the fact that a one-time exposure will not be enough and after a short time the procedure will need to be repeated. This can be explained by the fact that the larvae and eggs of bed bugs have a fairly strong shell. Steam is also destructive for them, but still requires a longer exposure time to destroy them. Very often, due to the efficiency of the work, a person does not achieve the result of the death of eggs and larvae. And after they are born, they again begin to hunt and reproduce, which leads to the emergence of new numerous groups.
Among other things, to achieve a good result in the process of work, you must adhere to certain rules, which include:
- minimum steam temperature, which must be at least 50 degrees;
- the steam source, that is, the device nozzle or nozzle should be located as close to the processing site as possible;
- exposure to steam on the same place should be at least 10-15 seconds.
Steam cleaner for bedbugs: description, principle of operation
The main advantage of the steam generator is that it kills not only adult individuals, but also bedbugs in the stage of eggs, larvae, and adults. Their death occurs within a few seconds after exposure to steam. The processing method itself is not dangerous and can be used in a home where small children, animals, and allergy sufferers live.
A steamer or steam generator is a common household appliance that is used to iron clothes and other textiles. This device has special nozzles, with the help of which the steam is directed in a thin stream and reaches any corner. Steam will help destroy different types of insects and cleanse the house of bacteria and viruses.
Before carrying out treatment, you need to determine the main places where bedbugs accumulate. You need to carefully walk through the entire apartment. If you do not treat at least one room, bedbugs may reappear in 14-21 days.
Most often insects hide:
- under mattresses, in bed linen, under the bed;
- in upholstered furniture, sofas, armchairs;
- in and under carpets;
- under baseboards, in sockets, in wallpaper joints;
- behind paintings, behind cabinets, inside cabinet furniture.
Steam treatment is a popular and simple way to kill parasites. It is easy to buy a steamer - they are inexpensive and are sold in all household stores. The process uses only heated water, which does not have negative consequences. The only drawback is that not all furniture can be treated this way.
The performance of the device depends on the power. The device is easy to use:
- The container is filled with water.
- After turning on the steam generator, the heating element heats up in it.
- High pressure is created inside the unit. After pressing “Start”, steam enters the hose and escapes out of the nozzle.
When destroying parasites on the steam generator, change the nozzles. This allows you to treat any nests of bloodsuckers, even those located in hard-to-reach places. Mattresses and other large surfaces are treated with flat nozzles. Steam is supplied to cracks, crevices and other miniature gaps through nozzles with narrow holes.
Are there any disadvantages to using a steam generator for bedbugs?
A steam generator that does not have a nozzle with a narrow nozzle will not be able to steam hard-to-reach areas. Steam will not get into cracks and crevices where bedbugs or their eggs may remain. If the nozzle is too wide or large, the steam generator will not reach the back walls of the furniture or will not send steam far into the vent, for example.
There are other limitations or disadvantages:
- If you bring the steam generator nozzle too close to a cluster of bedbugs, their larvae, or eggs, you can mechanically knock them out of place with a stream of steam, rather than destroy them. In this case, they will simply continue to live in another area. The processing technology suggests that there should be a distance of approximately 25 - 30 cm from the bedbug nozzle.
- Surfaces must be treated quickly, since with prolonged irrigation with steam it turns into liquid, and hot drops form on the surface, which can damage things, wallpaper, and furniture.
- You should not use a steam cleaner near electrical outlets, and electrical outlets and appliances plugged into them are one of the favorite places for pests to hide.
- Bedbugs live in very numerous colonies. It is impossible to destroy them all in one treatment. You will have to use the steam generator several times. Sometimes this fight takes several months with steaming once or twice a week.
The problem with this technique is that the steam will kill the bug as long as it hits it directly. When using insecticides, a bug can acquire the toxic substance by walking on it or inhaling it. When using a steam generator, you need to act very carefully, not leaving untreated areas. Otherwise the bedbugs will survive. And even if at least a couple of individuals survive or eggs remain, the population will be reborn.