maintenance matters Reaching A Boiling Point With Bedbugs Dry vapor steam has proven effective at slaying bedbugs in all cycles of life. By: Larry Pinto, Sandy Kraft and Richard Coop S Steam is used selectively by many pest control companies to kill bedbugs. Steam treatment combined with insecti-cide treatment can provide better long-term control than insecticides alone. Properly applied, steam will kill all stages of bedbugs. The use of steam to control bedbugs on mattresses, box springs and upholstered furniture is especially attractive to many suffering from bedbugs because it reduces the reliance on insecticides. People also feel that the treatment is “disinfecting” their beds, although this may not be accurate. As with other physical methods, of course, steam provides no residual activity, and other actions are necessary to control the bedbugs hiding in “unsteamable” areas. There are many brands and types of steam machines available, but not all are suitable for bedbug control. Quality machines come with large tanks for extended operation, variable steam out-put and a selection of attachments and brushes. Choose steam-generating machines that can produce low vapor rates. The steam produced by these machines is sometimes called “dry steam” because there is less water content than the steam from machines with high vapor rates. Dry steam units reduce the risk of water damage and mold growth from the steam-ing process. As a rule, when steaming for bedbug control, the less moisture the better, espe-cially when treating slow-drying materials. Although it is potentially time-consuming, steam treatment for bedbugs is a chemical-free remediation approach. Expert opinion varies on the issue of steam pressure. Some advocate higher working pres-sures of 50 pounds of pressure per square inch (PSI) or more to provide better pen-etration and shorter exposure times. Others recommend that you avoid high steam pressure because it can blow bed-bugs off of the treated surface without killing them, scattering them into untreated areas. Accessories And Steam Heads The best steam heads for bedbug control are those that produce reduced flow rates over a wide area. There are different types of applicator tips, nozzles and brushes, and not all are suitable for bedbug work. Single, narrow tips produce high pressure and tend to blow the bugs away rather than kill them. Use a multiple-jet steam head, a wide steam applicator or a wide brush head. Larger heads cover more area on a single pass and are less likely to blow the bugs away. There is a very narrow zone of effective steam around the steamer head, particu-larly those steamers that are operated at low pressures. Steam that is hot enough to kill bedbugs is too hot to touch. Operators need to place the head in direct contact with the surface being treated. The head must move slowly across the 34 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • May 2012
CMM – Archives May 2012: 34
