Bedbugs in the house are a nightmare that many people have to deal with in real life.
To remove parasites, it is not necessary to resort to caustic chemicals. A steam generator will help solve the problem, but only if it is used correctly.
Our article will tell you whether a steam generator will help against bedbugs in an apartment, how to treat a room from insects, and which device is better to choose.
Does steam kill insects?
Bedbugs require certain conditions to reproduce. They actively increase their numbers at temperatures of +20-25 degrees. Insects feel comfortable in dry, shaded and warm places. Therefore, in city apartments they multiply very quickly.
They can be found:
- in upholstered furniture;
- under mattresses;
- between baseboards;
- in picture frames;
- in the joints between wallpaper;
- in the crevices of beds and more.
To stop the reproduction process of bedbugs, you need to take them out of their comfort zone. A steam generator is great for this.
Insects do not tolerate high temperatures well , and the device is capable of heating the affected area to +90-150 degrees. Bedbugs die within 15 seconds of continuous exposure to a jet of steam.
In order not to damage the item and remove parasites from it, it is enough to set the temperature regulator to 70-80 degrees.
This is enough for the protein component of insect cells to boil and curl. This is how their death occurs. The eggs laid by parasites will not survive under the influence of steam. Under the influence of high temperatures, their shell melts, which leads to the death of the embryo.
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.
Pros and cons of the fighting method
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.- No harm to human health.
- Disinfection of surfaces. In addition to bedbugs, fungi and bacteria will be destroyed in furniture treated with a steam generator.
- Highly effective in combating adults and their larvae.
- No unpleasant odor.
- Possibility of processing hard-to-reach places without harm to the product itself.
- Ease of transportation. The steam generator can be easily brought to the dacha or to another place where parasites have appeared.
- There is no need to move to another home during treatment. Children and animals may remain in the house.
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.
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.- Strict adherence to processing technology. If you bring the device too close to the surface of the furniture, you can simply knock the eggs into another place. They will not lose their viability.
- Compliance with processing time for each section. Prolonged exposure to furniture or wallpaper may cause stains.
- Be careful when using the device. High temperatures are required to kill insects. If safety precautions are not followed, there is a risk of getting burned.
- Inability to process some electrical appliances and sockets.
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.
Disinsection by heat treatment
The problem with getting rid of insects is that they are difficult to remove due to their resistance to chemicals. The most difficult time to destroy parasites is in the egg stage.
Products are produced abroad that slow down the development of insects and allow them to be killed in the early stages of growth. There are no such chemicals in the Russian Federation. Foreign substances are not certified. Therefore, to more effectively combat fleas in the egg, larval or adult stages in Russia, we use steam. During heat treatment, insects die instantly.
Using a steam generator (steamer) is the best solution if you cannot leave the room for several hours or have nowhere to take your children and pets. Heat treatment is carried out on an individual order with an additional charge. For processing, special generators are used that can operate in a horizontal plane.
The thermal procedure allows you to deliver a powerful blow to your enemies. In this case, areas where parasites accumulate are affected - in the area of baseboards, rugs, bedding, mattresses, carpets.
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.
Destruction by chemical spraying
When carrying out work, modern means with proven effectiveness are used. These are solutions based on substances from the class of pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and FOS. The substances allow you to get rid of fleas and a wide range of other unwanted insects - ticks, lice, wasps, flies, etc.
Advantages of the products used by Geradez employees:
- relative safety;
- Possibility of moving into the premises after 8 hours.
Birds can be poisoned by insecticides. Therefore, it is necessary to remove pets from the premises during treatment, and also to exclude contact with substances.
The purpose of insecticides used in chemical disinfestation is to kill adult fleas.
Stages of room treatment:
- The exterminator inspects the territory, studies the probable habitats of parasites, and the accessibility of the zones.
- The specialist gives recommendations to owners on preparing the premises for events.
- The exterminator makes a treatment solution according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Insecticides are sprayed in places where fleas are located - on walls, floors, dog beds, baseboards, folds of the sofa.
Surfaces are sprayed to a height of up to 1 meter. During processing, professional equipment is used - hydraulic and pneumatic sprayers.
The period of death of fleas depends on the toxicity of the drug. Low-hazardous substances of class IV are used in residential premises. With them, the death of insects occurs after 8-12 hours. If there is a large population of parasites, repeated treatment may be necessary.
Which device should you choose?
Which device is guaranteed to kill an insect? It is recommended to choose a steam generator with a power of at least 1500 W. Small devices may not be up to the task.
The most popular brands:
- Karcher.
- Phillips.
- Kitfort.
They are sold in hardware stores.
When deciding on the type of device, you need to opt for a steam generator designed for cleaning. Devices for steaming clothes will not cope with the task of killing insects .
Devices with a boiler can produce the maximum steam temperature. This is an additional guarantee that all bedbugs will be destroyed.
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.
Features of flea destruction
Geradez employees use two methods to combat parasites:
- chemical method of spraying insecticides;
- thermal method of treating surfaces with steam.
Disinsection is carried out by certified personnel. The company has documents for all substances used to eliminate insects. When treating premises with both methods, a 12-month guarantee against fleas is provided. If parasites reappear, repeated disinfestation is carried out free of charge.
Important Tips
To ensure that the fight against bedbugs is successful and without harm to health, you must adhere to the following recommendations :
To avoid getting burned, do not direct the steam stream at the skin.- It is recommended to work with gloves.
- After treatment, you should not do wet cleaning for 5 days. This rule is relevant when chemicals were used in addition to steam.
- Clothing used for treatment must be washed at high temperatures.
- When bedbugs reappear, the algorithm for their destruction is repeated again.
Operating principle
To understand whether a steam cleaner will help against bedbugs or not, you need to look at the basics of the parasite’s life. The optimal temperature for the full life of bloodsuckers is 20-25 ° C. Increasing it to 30-35°C will accelerate all processes in the life cycle of bedbugs. The ripening of the individual will accelerate and will not take 1.5 months, but 30 days. Accordingly, life expectancy is reduced.
On a note!
It has been experimentally proven that it is possible to remove bedbugs with steam if you apply a directed hot stream for 30 minutes. If the temperature reaches 50 degrees, it will instantly kill pests.
