The mattress myth
We reckon there must be a mattress mountain somewhere, judging by the number we know are being thrown out. Probably half of the cases we treat have already got rid of their mattresses before we have been called.
We understand why people do it. Seeing bed bugs or their signs on mattresses can be quite disturbing and it is a natural reaction to want to get rid of them. However, in many cases, it really isn’t necessary. While bed bugs do live on mattresses, they generally prefer the cracks and crevices found in bed bases, headboards, in bedside furniture and under skirting and floor boards close to the bed. This is because their ideal conditions are darkness and stillness. If there are bed bugs living on your mattress, the chances are that there are more living in the bed base or surrounding area. Because of this, throwing out the mattress will rarely solve your problem. You’ll just end up spending a lot of money for nothing.
Except in the heaviest infestations, our advice is to have the problem treated first. Our heat treatment penetrates even the thickest of mattresses and kills all bed bug life stages – including the pesticide-resistant eggs. For those opting for chemical treatment, too, we can generally get rid of the infestation without throwing out expensive furniture. Save yourself the cash and call us first!