Can Bed Bugs Live on an Air Mattress? How to Avoid Bites
An infestation of bedbugs is a nightmare for any homeowner. Thus, the question can bed bugs live on an air mattress is very relevant to the growing number of American households using them. Also, given the practical necessity of using an air mattress while camping, it is essential to determine whether a colony of bedbugs can breed on them.
Traditionally, campers use air mattresses to protect against the harsh reality of the cold, hard ground. However, rising poverty rates in the United States combined with the expense of box spring mattresses, make an air mattress a cheap alternative for many families.
Regardless of circumstances, let’s examine whether bed bugs can live on an air mattress.
Contents
CAN BED BUGS LIVE ON AN AIR MATTRESS?
image by pixabay
As the writer of this article, I can speak with first-hand experience dealing with the horrible, itchy, red bites caused by bed bugs. I can assure you that you want to do any and everything possible to prevent having an infestation in your home. The insects bit me during a stay at a hotel on a box spring mattress. However, it is indeed possible to find bed bugs on an air mattress.
A bed bug is a type of insect drawn to the smell of a sleeping human. Bed bugs are not able to climb on smooth material. However, a colony of bed bugs can hide in the crevices of an air mattress. So, despite bed bugs being more likely to survive in the fabric of a box spring mattress, as long as they can find creases to hide, they will spread.
If you are going camping, remember that, yes, bed bugs will travel in the folds of an air mattress. Also, while extreme cold and heat can kill them, these temperatures must be sustained for an extended period. Therefore, it is conceivable for the insects to survive on an air mattress during your camping trip. Never mind how cold or hot the conditions.
BE CAREFUL
It is also vital to consider that the fabric of blankets and sleeping bags provide a comfortable place for bed bugs to harvest. Can bed bugs live on an air mattress? Yes, and consequently, they can also travel in the crevices of an air mattress and transfer themselves into the cloth of your camping blankets and bite you.
Let’s take a look at some of the things that you can do to prevent bed bugs from breeding on your air mattress. Remember that this insect will enter your home through any means that it might find. Be vigilant in checking anything that you bring into your home that might provide a breeding ground. It might be a hassle and time-consuming, but it will be worth it.
INFORMATION AND TIPS
Can bed bugs live on an air mattress? Yes, they travel quickly through luggage and dirty clothing. They can spread onto almost anything that they contact. It’s easy to see that these insects will multiply exponentially if they can hide and travel from item to item. Yes, an air mattress can harbor insects. It acts as both a breeding point and a mechanism for their transmission.
One of the keys to preventing bed bugs is to remain vigilant in regards to the cleanliness of your home. Be sure to vacuum regularly and close any cracks in your walls, fixtures, and furniture. Also, if you live in an apartment or condo wherein you have common walls seal all fractures in these areas. A mattress cover will help keep your bed bug-free, as well.
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Do not use or buy a second-hand air mattress. If you have to buy second-hand furniture for your home, check it with a flashlight before buying. You don’t want to provide any means for the insects to get into your living space and then spread to your mattress.
Also, if you are camping, check your air mattress regularly, before and after using it. If you are storing your air mattress for camping excursions, deflate it and ensure that you keep it in a well-ventilated area.
WHAT IF I HAVE THEM ALREADY?
Annoyingly, air mattresses are not immune. On the plus side, an air mattress can be deflated, put inside a garbage bag, and put inside a freezer (if you have a big enough freezer). This will kill the bedbugs, and it’s an option you don’t have with regular mattresses. However, you’re going to need four full days in the freezer to make sure they’re all dead.
If freezing them isn’t viable, you can always kill them the old-fashioned way: With a little pesticide. Just make sure to follow the directions and be careful!
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- Kills Resistant Bed Bugs &…
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DON’T LET THE BEDS BITE!
An air mattress is an essential item for camping excursions. Nobody wants to sleep on the unforgiving and hard ground. If you have an air mattress in your tent, it makes your trip more enjoyable. But be careful and inspect it when you go camping.
Also, given very troubling economic variables, specifically in the United States, more and more households are having to use them out of necessity. If you have an air mattress in your home, follow the tips mentioned above for keeping these very bothersome insects out of your home. They cannot spread if they cannot get inside the house or apartment.
Can bed bugs live on an air mattress? The answer, as we have seen, is yes, indeed they can. Therefore, be careful in storing one and keeping it clean.
Please feel welcome to comment in the section below. Let me know your thoughts and experiences regarding bed bugs and how they live and multiply on air mattresses.
Featured image by: Pexels
Daniel C. Warren gradually morphed from a weekend warrior into a full-time outdoorsman and outdoor blogger. From picking up trash in the woods or sleeping under an open sky to hiking until his plantar fasciitis says no more or having a field day fishing with like minded fellow countrymen, there’s little he doesn’t wholeheartedly enjoy while out in the wild. While some might call him a true-born nature freak, he likes to see himself as a “born-again” outdoor enthusiast. Daniel just can’t get enough of nature, and we’re grateful whenever he decides to share his latest experiences with us.
