Will a Plastic Mattress Cover Kill Bed Bugs?

If you’ve ever had bed bugs, you know how hard it can be to get rid of them. You may have heard that a plastic mattress cover is a solution to your problem, but unfortunately, this isn’t true.

While a plastic mattress cover can contribute to reducing their populations, it will not kill them. Let’s take a look at why this is the case and how else you can prevent and reduce bed bug infestations.

Does a Plastic Mattress Cover Really Kill Bed Bugs?

Statistics show that when used in combination with other methods such as frequent vacuuming and laundering of bedding, a plastic mattress cover can reduce the number of bed bugs by as much as 77%.

However, if you rely solely on the mattress cover without using any other preventative measures, it won’t be enough to solve your problem.

A study conducted by the Institute of Medicine found that nearly two-thirds of people who had used plastic mattress covers for 6 to 12 months reported seeing an increase in their number of bed bugs.

This is because there are many different ways for bed bugs to enter your home – through furniture, clothing, or even from outside – and even if you have a plastic mattress cover installed, these bugs can still find their way into your home.

What’s more important than relying on just one method is understanding how to properly use preventative measures. Vacuuming regularly helps remove existing eggs and larvae while laundering sheets regularly kills adult bugs who may have already made their way into your home.

If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your plastic mattress cover, make sure you are also doing these things on top of having the cover installed.

Conclusion:

A plastic mattress cover alone will not kill bed bugs — but it can help reduce their populations when combined with other preventative methods such as frequent vacuuming and laundering of linens.

Understanding how to properly use preventative measures like these is key in order to permanently solving your bug problem. Don’t rely solely on one method – get proactive about preventing an infestation using multiple strategies!