To stop bed bugs from taking over your sleep, you need a plan that starts at the bed itself. A high-quality mattress encasement (protective cover) won’t kill bed bugs by itself, but it’s one of the fastest ways to cut off their favorite hiding place and control bed bugs while the rest of your treatment methods go to work.
Why Mattress Covers Matter in a Bed Bug Infestation
When bed bugs enter a home, they gravitate to the bed—especially the mattress and box spring. In many cases, most of the population hides in the mattress, mattress seams, box springs, and bed frames. Once you’re asleep, they seek a blood meal and feed. By encasing the mattress and box spring, you trap bed bugs inside the cover so they’re trapped inside and cannot feed; over time, both young bedbugs and adult bed bugs die off. While an encasement won’t get all the bugs across the home, it helps control bed bugs at the source and prevents spreading bed bugs to other furniture and other items.
How to Choose a Reliable Bed Bug Mattress Encasement
Full encasement. Pick a cover that wraps the entire mattress (and ideally a second encasement for the box springs). Confirm the size before buying so it fits tightly.
Tightly sealed. Look for reinforced fabric, a sturdy zipper with a zipper stop, and taped seams. Any rip, gap, or broken zipper lets live bed bugs slip in or out.
Lab-tested & safe. Choose encasements that have been third-party tested for bed bug containment and durability and are free of harmful chemicals. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes, safer solutions and integrated pest management (IPM) should be prioritized.
Non chemical methods friendly. Mattress encasements pair perfectly with non chemical methods like laundering, steaming, and vacuuming.
Protective covers you can keep on long-term. Most pros recommend leaving encasements on for at least a year because bed bugs can survive months without feeding.
Step-by-Step: Using Mattress Encasements Within IPM
There are a few ways to fold encasements into a complete pest management plan:
Carefully inspect. Check for fecal spots (tiny reddish brown stains), shed skins, eggs, and live bugs around mattress seams, piping, bed frames, headboards, baseboards, electrical outlets, and cracks and crevices—even the floor near the bed.
Launder soft items. Wash sheets, blankets, and stuffed animals in hot water and dry on high heat in a clothes dryer/hot dryer. Move items in a sealed plastic bag (or sealed bag) and return them the same way so you don’t re-infest clean items.
Vacuum & steam. Vacuum the mattress surface, frame, and surrounding infested areas with a crevice tool. Use a steam cleaner on seams and cracks to remove bedbugs and eggs.
Install encasements. Encase both mattress and box springs with bed bug–rated mattress encasements/protective covers. Zip fully and secure the zipper end so nothing can escape.
Set monitors. Place interceptor traps under bed legs to detect remaining activity and help get rid of stragglers over time.
Dust & seal. Lightly apply diatomaceous earth (labeled for indoor bed bug use) into inaccessible cracks and crevices, and seal cracks with caulk. Keep the bed pulled slightly from the wall and use a suitcase stand when traveling to avoid hitchhikers.
Targeted treatments. Depending on severity, a pest control company/pest management professional may apply insecticides (indoor products labeled for bed bugs) or perform heat treatment/whole room heat treatments with special equipment—often the quickest way to eliminate bed bugs across infested items.
Dispose correctly. When you vacuum, immediately throw the vacuum bag into a plastic bag and discard outside. If discarding furniture, label it “bed bugs” so others don’t take it.
How Long to Keep the Covers On?
Keep encasements in place for at least a year—long enough to starve all the bed bugs that were sealed inside and to ensure no hidden pockets remain.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Bug bombs (total-release foggers) rarely reach hiding spots and can spread the problem.
Don’t use outdoor pesticides indoors, and don’t misuse chemicals—always follow labels or hire a professional exterminator.
Avoid dousing items with rubbing alcohol—it’s flammable and not a reliable solution.
Don’t rely on a closed car on a hot day to sanitize belongings; heat is uneven and unsafe for many materials.
Don’t “seal” stains with spray paint—that doesn’t get rid of an infestation.
Be wary of used furniture; carefully inspect and treat or avoid bringing it in.
Don’t forget clean clothes piled by the bed—store them in a sealed bag until treated.
Will a Mattress Encasement Alone Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
No single tool solves a bed bug problem. A quality encasement helps control bed bugs in the bed area and makes ongoing detection easier, but you’ll still need a complete IPM plan—monitoring, sanitation, mechanical removal, and, when needed, professional treatment methods—to rid of bed bugs home-wide.
Contact Us – Bed Bug Exterminator Dallas
Dealing with bed bugs can be one of the most stressful experiences a home or business owner can face — but you don’t have to go through it alone. At Bed Bug Exterminator Dallas, we’re here to help you eliminate bed bugs quickly, safely, and effectively, so you can get back to sleeping peacefully and living comfortably.
Whether you’ve just discovered a few bites, spotted signs of activity, or are experiencing a full-blown bedbug infestation, our experienced team is ready to step in with proven solutions. We specialize in professional bed bug control for both residential and commercial properties throughout Dallas and the surrounding areas. Our highly trained technicians use advanced treatment methods — including heat treatment/whole room heat treatments, targeted applications, and integrated pest management — tailored specifically to your situation.
When you reach out to Bed Bug Exterminator Dallas, you’re choosing a team that’s committed to results, transparency, and your peace of mind. We take the time to listen, answer your questions, and design a plan that works with your schedule and budget. From the first phone call (214) 220-8835 to final follow-up, we’re by your side every step of the way.