Comments on: New mattress encasement comparison test data

By: I_Miss_Sleep

I_Miss_Sleep — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:34:58 +0000

Hi, Anaf. We’ve had the Allerzip for a month and a half or so, and it’s as comfortable as a regular mattress pad.

By: Anaf

Anaf — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:00:37 +0000

Hi,

Can anyone report on the comfort of the Protect-a-Bed Allerzip? I am looking at them and intrigued by the terry cloth top one. Would the terry cloth be a good harborage for bed bugs? I have not seen or felt any since my first introduction with them a year ago, and just purchased a new bed so this is a preventative measure not a trapping one.

Thanks!

By: Petra

Petra — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:19:39 +0000

Sean,

Please share with us what happens if that hook comes loose or gets torn off.

Keep in mind that clothing hooks like this always come off eventually.

We appreciate your thoughts on that.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:04:23 +0000

angrybutscared,

The encasements page will probably answer your questions in more detail.

If bed bugs come back, you probably have a better chance of detecting them on the surface of an encasement. And you’ve kept them from moving into the inside of the mattress or box springs.

Some mattress encasements can be washed and dried. We don’t encourage people to remove them normally, since many of our readers have encased an infested mattress and are trying to keep bed bugs sealed inside the encasement. But should you need to have the mattress treated, or should the encasement need cleaning, this is possible.

By: angrybutscared

angrybutscared — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:39:21 +0000

question once home is treated for bed bugs and mattress is encased. then what? what if the do come back then the encasement will be infested? then next treatment pesticides get on the encasement and you sleep on it? is the encasement thick enough where they can be infested like sheets and like sheets don’t they have to be cleaned with heat? i’m confused. is it just plastic that can be wiped down? please help!!!!!!

By: prayerfullybitten

prayerfullybitten — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:43:53 +0000

ihatebedbugs,
I agree–get a STRONG encasement. I got the exact same encasement you’re talking about right after the exterminator came for the first time and told me I didn’t have bugs and it might be okay to get an encasement as a preventative measure. It tore as I was putting it on. I will now buy what’s recommended as the best here. I don’t care how much it cost–my peace of mind is priceless.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:40:15 +0000

Nilesh,
No. Encasements have to be very carefully designed to keep bed bugs in or out. An encasement which has not been designed for this purpose will not work.

By: Nilesh

Nilesh — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:43:35 +0000

Have you looked at or tested encasement from xxxxxx. They have a cotton and cotton/ploy blend encasement which look good but does not say anything about bedbugs. Do you think they would work?

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:49:16 +0000

ihatebedbugs,

I personally had bad experiences with the type of encasement you describe. At least one reader, hopelessnomo, did use a vinyl encasement and got rid of her bed bugs.

It is possible to tape encasements along their zippers, but people generally find it hard to get the tape to stay on the zipper permanently.

And doing so seems to be crucial, if there are bed bugs in the mattress.

By: ihatebedbugs

ihatebedbugs — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:34:45 +0000

I just purchased an inexpensive vinyl encasement from Bed Bath and Beyond. While it does not have the protective layer for the zipper, I merely put tape around the outside of the zipper area in an attempt to “lock in” any bed bugs. We just recently had an inspection of our apartment and absolutely no faecal matter or bugs were found (other than the first and only bug we found last thursday), so I thought that purchasing this kind would be sufficient. If there are no tears in the vinyl and the zipper is enclosed, do you feel that my encasement is ok? I am hesitant to buy 4 protect a bed covers for both of our beds at the cost (at least until we are done playing out waiting game to see if we need to get treatment), so I was just curious what you all thought. Thanks!