by Bobby Wilford | Jan 16, 2015 | Got Bed Bugs? Don’t DIY!
You don’t. Please don’t try! Here’s why.
YES, bed bugs may die after being exposed to steam for a long enough period. Steam applied directly to bed bugs and allowed to reach a temperature range higher than what professionals call the “Kill Zone” – 120° F and above – will kill them.
YES, you may be able to kill bed bugs by applying steam directly to them, but did you apply the steam long enough to reach the kill zone temperature? How can you be sure?
Steam will kill bed bug eggs faster than bed bugs. The success rate of killing eggs with steam is higher.
Steam has no proven history of resolving an infestation by itself. It may be used as one step in a larger bed bug treatment plan if it makes sense for the situation. It is not a whole-house solution (and if any “bed bug professional” tells you that it is, RUN!)
You’ll kill the ones you find –how about the ones you don’t?
Once you discover a bed bug problem, time is everything. The longer you wait to resolve the problem, the more time bed bugs have to breed. The more ineffective DIY solutions you try, the more you will send the bed bugs into Survival Mode, which will make professional bed bug treatment more difficult and more costly.
Call a bed bug professional as soon as possible after discovering a bed bug. If you don’t, you will likely be calling them in the future, and they will profit on your delay.
Killing Bed Bugs with Steam is a great solution IF it is part of a bigger bed bug control plan. Find out more by reading “Killing Bed Bugs with Steam: Just one small part of a bigger plan“.
