Can Vacuuming Help With Bed Bugs?
Vacuuming does not necessarily kill bed bugs, but it can reduce their numbers in the home. Bed bugs would much prefer to live in the bed and bedding than in a vacuum cleaner bag. However, even vacuums with HEPA filters will let some of them out. Therefore, you should seal your vacuum bag after each use, and dispose of it properly.
Vacuuming is more effective when bed bugs are not disturbed. They have a sticky coating on their bodies that makes it difficult to be easily sucked up by a vacuum. They are also difficult to vacuum due to their egg clusters, which are coated in a cement-like substance.
While bed bugs are often visible on the surface of a bed, they can also hide in the box spring, tufts, and inside folds. This is why it’s vital to vacuum as often as possible. Even a single vacuuming cycle is not enough to completely eliminate bed bugs. You need to clean the vacuum bag thoroughly and dispose of it outdoors.
Another important step in the process of preventing bed bugs is to buy a vacuum that is dedicated to this purpose. A vacuum that has a HEPA filter is more likely to kill bed bugs. However, this is not guaranteed.