Can Bed Bugs Eat Through Mattresses?
If you suspect that your mattress has bugs, the first thing you should do is clean it thoroughly. You should vacuum thoroughly, and repeat this process several times. You should use a vacuum attachment that can reach the small crevices of your mattress and other furniture in the room. Make sure to clean and disinfect all areas where you suspect bugs may have been.
While bed bugs cannot survive without human blood, they will continue to feed on the blood of a human every few days. In fact, they will try to feed on human blood at least once a week to keep up their nutritional intake. If this fails, they will remain dormant for up to 18 months, and will reappear at the slightest opportunity.
Bed bugs can easily enter a home through the fabric, walls, and hallways. They can even escape through the door and infest neighboring apartments. If you live in a multi-unit building, it is best to hire a professional bed bug exterminator to inspect and treat your home.
One way to avoid bed bugs is to purchase an encasement for your mattress. These encasements are large zippered covers that keep existing bed bugs inside the mattress. This keeps them from entering the bed or feeding on your sheets. In addition to protecting the mattress, an encasement will also prevent new bugs from entering your home.