How do the mattress encasements work? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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How do the mattress encasements work?

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ohbugger

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Mar 2 2009 21:31:30
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My friend called me to ask if she should get a mattress encasement now (she doesn't have bb's but wants to prevent as much as possible). I said yes, and she asked how they work? For instance, lets say she has them hiding on her mattress and she puts the encasement on there, is it that they won't be able to get out and in 2 years they'll die? Or should she make sure she doesn't have them there yet - like do an inspection.

I'm curious myself too.
KillerQueen

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Mar 2 2009 22:05:30
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Encasements will help to protect an infestation from getting into the mattress and or box spring. It will also reduce possible harborage locations and will make for an easier inspection if you are looking for them. They don't live for 2 years but will starve inside an encasement if left on long enough. And of course if you are fighting an infestation you will starve them once you encase them.

For me it's a 2 sided coin in terms of preventative measures. I would think locating them would be a harder task if you never had them and then thought you did. It's been said they harbor in the bed 70% of the time (Mattress, box spring, head & foot board, and rails). If you reduce this number it may be harder to locate them if they are hiding in other locations. But maybe in some cases it could prove helpful, who knows for sure?
bugbuster

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Mar 2 2009 23:30:47
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So do you think it's a bad idea to use them preventively?
KillerQueen

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Mar 3 2009 0:17:41
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I guess she can put one on. Just have to hope she reacts to bites and can detect a problem quick. I don't know 100% what the best option is. I had one on my bed then took it off. I wait for the day a sukka shows himself over here. But I check my mattress here and there and think that I could locate one faster inside bed harborage than anywhere else in the room.

She can put my number into speed dial if she’s worried =)
OutOutDarnBugs

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Mar 3 2009 0:24:18
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KQ, couldn't they still harbor on the edge of an encasement?
KillerQueen

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Mar 3 2009 0:36:20
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I have seen them sit right on top of an encasement so sure. But they do like to tuck away into out of the way hiding places.

One client a few months ago called me to come over and price a treatment for her. When I got there she had said she found one dead bed bug 3 days ago. She pointed to the center of the bed at a second instar nymph. I asked how do you know its dead? She said it has not moved in three days, I touched it with my finger and it started moving.. She jetted out of the room screaming and by the time she returned I found about 9 all just sitting along the top of the mattress and the seams of the pillow cases.
She was treated the week before Christmas & has not been bitten or seen a bug since I left.
bugbuster

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Mar 3 2009 11:00:16
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I have them on, but am still paranoid. Do you think I should take them off?
bed-bugscouk

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Mar 3 2009 14:05:39
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Hi,

Coming to this a little late but I do have a clear way to explain what encasement's do so here goes:

Mattress encasement's act as a physical barrier to either prevent bed bugs from getting onto the piping and edges of the mattress, if bed bugs are present on the mattress when the encasement is fitted it will trap any live bed bugs on the inside until they die of starvation.

They will not prevent you from getting bed bugs, only inspecting hotel rooms when you stay in them and for that matter inspecting any bed that you sleep in will reduce your risk or re-exposure. As bed bugs are an exposure pest what type of bed you have and if it has an encasement will have no bearing on the likelihood of you getting them in the future.

I personally do not use them as part of my treatment, partly because with lower charges in the UK the cost of a bed bug mattress encasement would significantly add to the cost (about 15-25% in some cases) and I think 3 or 4 minutes spent removing bugs is a better return on investment. After all you never need to worry about it ripping, you never need to worry about when or if to remove it.

I have in the past commented that I kill not encase but that is why we do it that way around.

I do however think that mattress encasement's are a great idea to help keen your mattress and sleeping area clean. They are also amazing for dust mite issues which is what they were originally designed for.

But hey with over 9,500 cases cleared it could be feasible that we have got it wrong but the statistics would make it a very low probability indeed.

David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited