The use of the air mattress, also called inflatable, is not confined only to camping. However, most uses are travel-related. The air mattress is very useful for visiting family, spending a weekend in a tent or if you have an improvised guest. When you finish using it all you have to do is put it away in your bag. Which makes an air mattress very handy.
Once the mattress is deployed, it can also be used as an extra bed for your friends. If today you have people coming to stay with you, just install your air mattress in the living room. There are no more excuses for not having a good evening with friends! With a quality mattress protector, you make your bedding welcoming and comfortable. In this article we will answer the question : Can you get Bed bugs in an air Mattress ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an air mattress?
Advantages
The biggest advantage of an air mattress is its storage which is very practical. Since it is flexible, this mattress can be stored easily after use. Often light, it can be taken anywhere, making travel easier. Generally, an inflatable bed is an economical option. It allows you to have an extra bed for a really reasonable price. This bed nevertheless offers relative comfort, which is obviously less than a more traditional bed.
Disadvantages
In the disadvantages, we can note the fact that it is a rather fragile mattress. Despite the technical prowess and increasingly modern materials available today, it’s still an inflatable mattress! If you have a pest cat or turbulent children, you will have to think about protecting it. Second disadvantage, the noise which could be an annoyance for the user. Unfortunately, this kind of mattress can be noisy. Especially if you do not cover with a quality mattress protector.
Can you get Bed bugs in an Air Mattress ?
Yes you can get bed bugs in an air Mattress. But the difference with a traditional mattress is that bed bugs will not be able to penetrate within the inflatable mattress. Indeed They are not able to bite their way through plastic. Having such bedding when dealing with a bed bug infestation, can be helpful. There are much less hiding spots in an inflatable mattress as in a regular mattress due to the smooth surface of the plastic of the air mattress. Also an inflatable mattress will be easier to treat for those parasites as you will not have to pay attention to treat the center of the mattress.
How to treat an Air Mattress for Bed bugs ?
Here are some steps to undertake to treat an air mattress for bed bugs:
Vacuuming
You can use a vacuum cleaner, and its accessories such as nozzles and brushes to get rid of bed bugs, their eggs, and their larvae. For a perfect result, redo the suction on the parts of the room likely to house these (folds of the mattress, seams of the duvets, etc.). Paying special attention to seams and crevices.
Wash and Dry on High Heat
To kill bed bugs with a wash, set the washing machine to the maximum heat option. Also extend the washing time so that no insects come out alive. Apply the same logic when drying clothes and bedding.
Steaming
This step will be effective because those bloodsuckers are heat sensitive insects
Iron your linens with a steam iron and insist on seams and folds. Do not hesitate to put the thermostat of the iron to the maximum to ensure the death of those pests.
You can also steam your inflatable mattress with a steamer cleaner, as bed bugs at all life stages, including eggs, will die at temperatures above 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50°C).
Use Bed bugs Powders
Nothing is better than Diatomaceous Earth for biologically treating a bed bug infestation. To do this, all you need to do is get a bag of food-grade Diatomaceous Earth (some people call it diatomite) and a sprayer from supermarkets. Put diatomaceous earth throughout the room, insisting especially on the corners of the furniture, without forgetting the folds of the mattress and the covered areas of the box spring.
A biological treatment product, diatomaceous earth contains the skeletons and bones of fossilized diatoms. This mineral silica is characterized by sharp particles which, in contact with the bug, will cause dehydration and therefore death.
Encase your mattress
Seal the mattress in a bed bugs mattress cover to prevent those parasites from getting in or out. By doing so you will prevent them from biting you when you are asleep. To encase your bed is one of the most effective and cheap ways to quickly deal with those parasites. If you want to know the best Bed bugs Mattress cover available on the market today, you can have a look at our Best Bed bugs Mattress Covers Buying Guide.
Use Interceptor cups traps
These bedbug devices are circular in shape. you can distinguish them by their small receptacles, in which there is a certain amount of talc. Arranged under each foot of the bed, they grab bed bugs that come down from the bed while preventing those on the floor from climbing up to the box spring.
Heat treatment for Bed Bugs
If you detected Bed bugs in your air mattress Heat treatment could be an option. It is a question here of diffusing dry heat in an enclosed space, the room where the infestation takes place. This rise of temperature is done with heaters designed for bed bugs treatments. Thanks to this heat propagation, the room and all the objects in it are heated up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60°C). It is this high temperature which, contributing to the dehydration of those harmful insects, will kill them and their eggs.
Heat treatment has many advantages:
- It kills not only bedbugs, but also larvae and eggs
- The radiated heat releases no odor
- The process is not toxic to the occupants of the house
- A reoccupation of the infested rooms is possible as soon as the temperature in the room returns to normal.
- Quick results. The process only last a few hours
Can bed bugs live on plastic mattresses ?
Bed bugs can live on plastic mattresses, or any other surfaces, as long as they are not far away from blood meals (You in your bed) and a suitable environment. However, the plastic surface of a plastic mattress itself may not provide bed bugs with the ideal conditions. They indeed prefer natural material like wood with more cracks and crevices or folds and seams. Which gives them more spots where they can hide to nest. Do not forget that those parasites can also live in the areas nearby the mattress, like the headboard or box spring. Therefore, it’s important to take similar steps to protect your plastic mattress as you would with any other type of mattress, including vacuuming, steaming, using bed bug sprays and mattress encasements.
Can Bed bugs crawl up an Air Mattress?
Yes, bed bugs can crawl up an air mattress. They are able to crawl on a variety of surfaces, including plastic and rubber, and can move between rooms and floors through small cracks and holes, electrical outlets, or pipes. They can also bring themselves into your home by hitchhiking on clothing, suitcase, or furniture and then spread in a room, including in your inflatable mattress. To prevent bed bugs from infesting an inflatable mattress, it’s important to be wary for early signs of infestation and take rapidly action to eradicate your home from these parasites, such as inspecting thoroughly second-hand items before bringing them into your home, vacuuming and steaming your mattress on a regularly basis, and using bed bug sprays and protective mattress covers to encase your mattress.
Can bed bugs live in an Air Mattress?
Yes, those bloodsuckers can live in an air mattress. Those parasites can survive in a large variety of environments and surfaces. They can live in the seams and crevices of an air mattress, which can provide them with a suitable environment to hide and a quick access to blood meals.(You in your bed while asleep!) An inflatable mattress is not the ideal environment for bed bugs because there are less cracks and crevices as compared to an inflatable mattress. But they will not mind much if there is a human sleeping in that bed. You got the picture.
How to prevent Bed bugs in your Air Mattress ?
protect yourself properly. Here are some recommendations to limit the invasion of these harmful insects from your air mattress:
- Use an airtight cover to protect your mattress. This will prevent bed bugs from accessing it.
- Also treat soft toys, shoes, bags and cushions (by washing and drying them on high heat for example).
- Dismantle sockets and switches, then pour diatomaceous earth at the bottom of the fixtures before putting them back in place.
- Vacuum all furniture, then wrap it in a plastic tarp. Spray insecticide inside the tarp and tape it closed.
If you are experiencing a bed bug infestation in a room. This is what you should not do to avoid the infestation to propagate in your home :
- Shake bed sheets to get rid of bed bugs (the latter may cling to walls or windows and then come home or worse, spread the infestation further).
- Take the infected mattress out of your room (carrying it through the hallways can contaminate the whole house)
- Spraying any insecticides directly on the bed. Not all insecticides are labeled for mattress use. Use the manual user provided by the manufacturer for every product you use.
Should we throw everything away if you have bed bugs ?
In one word: No! We do not believe you are doing the right thing if you get rid of your mattresses, beds, chairs, etc
The reason is simple: everything can be disinfected completely and easily! It is therefore not a good idea to throw away mattresses or furniture in good condition, which can very well still be used. Especially since refurnishing can be expensive and it’s not always easy to find exactly what you had.
One of the situations most frequently are people who decide to throw away their mattress, because even after disinfection the bed bugs have returned. People therefore believe that the disinfection did not work, since “there must have been bedbugs in it”. But in fact, that is not what is happening.
The issue is that if you do not resolve your bed bug problem in its entirety and this is not always easy when you live in a building and the tenants of the adjacent apartments do not take care of it!. So ultimately the bed bugs will end up coming back.And… Unfortunately, by returning to the mattress, which remains their favorite place! Because it is the place where we sleep, so they can feed easily without disturbance. Quick access to blood is what matters to these parasites.
If you have another type of mattress like a waterbed, you should not throw it as well. You can have a look at our article about Waterbed and Bed bugs if you want to know more about this topic.
Conclusion
In this article we answered the question : Can you get Bed bugs in an air Mattress ? The answer is Yes you can. Even if an air mattress is not an ideal nest for those pests. What they care about in the end is to be close to a sleeping human. The solution to not getting bitten at night is to get a bed bug mattress cover. This will relieve you from some of the anxiety that bed bug infestation could have generated.