What is the best way to create a barrier between your mattress and bed bugs? A simple product known as the mattress cover is the answer. Mattress covers come in various designs, some of which offer a stronger barrier than others. There is enough evidence to safely say the bed bug’s preferred hiding place is the mattress. It is also the human’s preferred sleeping platform. If you do not want to share your mattress with
bed bugs, a mattress cover may be the solution. What exactly does maybe mean in this case? First, and foremost, some mattress cover designs do not deliver 100 percent bed bug protection. So, the level of bed bug protection will depend on the mattress cover design. Learn more about mattress covers by reading the content provided in the content below.
Which Mattress Protector Is Best For Your Home?
Online information claims 90 percent of bed bug infestations in
residential settings start in the bedroom. The pinpoint the starting place, our exterminators assess each infestation thoroughly. It is easy to determine that the starting point is the mattress when it is covered from top to bottom with live bed bugs, eggs, and exoskeletons.
What Does A Mattress Cover Do?
The primary role of a mattress cover is to create a barrier against bed bugs As previously mentioned, mattress protectors are available in various designs, including the encasement and cover. It only makes sense that the full encasement design delivers full protection while the topper offers only half protection.
What Is A Mattress Encasement?
An encasement engulfs the entire mattress, including all four sides, and top and bottom. This design delivers full protection against bed bugs. Once the encasement is intact, bed bugs will not have access to the mattress.
With this said, mattress encasements are broken down into various designs. Just because the encasement covers the entire mattress does not necessarily mean it offers full protection. The protection barrier will depend on the fasteners. Mattress encasements utilize different fasteners, including a zipper, ties, Velcro straps, and elastic bands.
There are also partial and full encasement mattress covers. The partial encasement offers only half the protection of that of the full encasement.
Fastener Design
The mattress protector utilizes fasteners to provide security. The fastener plays two roles. It creates a partial or full seal around the mattress. It also helps to secure the protector to the mattress. Without fasteners, the mattress protector would not stay intact or create a seal.
The best fastener is the zipper, which creates a full seal and security. Once the zipper is secured, bed bugs will hit a barrier when trying to access the mattress.
Straps do not create a full seal around the mattress. However, they do secure the protector to the mattress. If your intention is to utilize the mattress protector to fight against bed bugs, straps are not the solution.
Velcro fasteners can create a full seal, but only when they are designed properly. Mattress encasements are sometimes designed like a pillowcase. They slip onto the bottom of the mattress, sliding upward until they are fully intact. The Velcro fastener is aligned across both flaps to create a seal.
Does The Brand Conduct Third-Party Testing?
Not all bed bug mattress covers have an
eco-friendly design. These brands utilize thick plastic and vinyl materials for their mattress protectors. Organic cotton and polyester are eco-friendly. Experts recommend investing in organic cotton and polyester mattress protectors for crib mattresses and twin-size mattresses, as well as full-, queen-, and king-sized mattresses.
Look for third-party testing data. If the manufacturer conducts third-party safety testing for their mattress covers, they will post the results on their official websites.
Are Mattress Protectors An Effective Barrier Against Bed Bugs?
It depends on the design. A full encasement, with a zipper fastener, delivers full protection against bed bugs. The half encasement, with strap fasteners, do not offer full protection, but only half.
Mattress protector toppers are also ineffective against bed bugs. The only protection these designs offer is for the top of the mattress. Regardless of the fastener, a mattress protector topper is not suitable for bed bugs.
Conduct thorough research and brand comparisons when shopping for mattress covers for bed bugs.
