While there are many ways to eliminate bed bugs these days, there are no so effective as steam treatments. That being said, steam treatment is, by no means, the best solution available in all situations, but it is certainly always a top contender. That’s because steam treatment can kill bed bugs in their tracks instantly. Steam treatments effectively heat and penetrate areas where other treatments can’t potentially reach.
Although bed bugs are an instant kill, it should be noted that there is no residual effect. This is both a good and bad thing. It means any missed bugs will go on to survive another day. With chemicals and pesticides, these products can kill bugs long after they’ve been put in place. That’s just not the case with steam treatments. If bugs get missed during this initial administration, they will go on to live another day.
Because of the unique properties of steam treatment, it does afford pest management professionals the ability to charge a little less for the treatment. You combine this with its potential effectiveness, and it only makes sense to take advantage of the treatment if and when possible. That being said, there are still tons of things that need to be known about this treatment.
How Does Steam Treatment Work?
Being that steam treatment is a new method for killing bed bugs and we just started offering it, we get this question a lot. That’s okay because we love to take the time to explain the treatment to people. When you think of steam treatments, you should think of steamers for clothes. Have you ever used a steamer for clothes instead of ironing? If not, you likely have a good idea of the premises of the process. You’ve probably seen someone apply steam heat to clothes before.
All in all, bed bug steam treatments work under the same theory. It’s a machine that takes water and turns it into high-temperature, high-pressure steam. It works just like a clothing steamer does. The only difference is, it operates at much higher, much hotter temperatures and pressures. So, a regular clothing steamer would not be adequate for bed bug elimination.
Steam treatments are great because they are steam, meaning they can be applied to a lot of areas where other treatments are applicable. They can be applied in electrical outlets and behind baseboards without the fear of injury or destruction. However, one does have to be a bit cautious when applying steam to electrical outlets because there is always the potential for condensation and sweating, which could lead to electrical shorting.
In addition to this, these treatments are all-natural and great for furniture, clothing, and mattresses. Anything tricky to handle. What’s even more is, this type of treatment kills bed bugs on contact. Just keep in mind that this can be construed as both a good and bad thing.
A More Eco-Friendly Solution
The need for eco-friendly pest management solutions is becoming more and more known these days. People are growing more aware of the potential hazards associated with chemicals and pesticides. Although chemicals and pesticides are extremely effective and proven so over the years, there are always inherent risks associated with their use. This is where steam treatments come in.
They do not require the utilization of any chemicals whatsoever. This means that children, pets, and people can remain in the home during treatment. Although this is not something that we recommend, it would be entirely possible. It also means that you can immediately come back to the property after the treatment has been administered. There are no linger harmful side effects.
Calling In The Pros
One thing that should be noted is that a clothing stream will not be an acceptable substitute for a bed bug steamer. While the theory is the same, a bed bug steamer is an entirely different machine. There are, however, places where you can rent bed bug steamers. This might seem like the best solution for many, but you have to remember there is more to steam treatment than just applying steam everywhere.
These treatments are effective and pretty safe, but there is the potential to damage some items when these machines are used incorrectly. Not only this but if the machine isn’t used effectively there is the potential of just spreading the infestation to other parts of the property. This is something you want to avoid at all costs, and why it is much better to just opt for professional pest management.
Just because you can do something, you shouldn’t. This is especially true when it comes to bed bug steam treatments. Our techs are highly trained, skilled, and know-how to apply these treatments in the most effective manner possible. All you have to do is pick up the phone, give us a call, and we’ll get someone out to the property within the next 24 to 48 hours. If you do need emergency assistance, we do have specialists available for that as well. Just pick up the phone and call our Baltimore offices.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
