Are Bed Bug Mattress Covers Effective?

(Step 7 of 9 in the Bed Bugs Killer Ultimate Guide - Updated March 10, 2020)

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Are bed bug mattress covers effective? Yes, if you understand their purpose and use them properly. The role of bed bug covers is to:

If you're following the steps in this guide, you already:

Here is the next step in your treatment plan:

Use Only Bed-Bug Proof Mattress and Box Spring Encasements

You need to keep these items covered for at least a year (minimum). So, this is not the time to purchase the cheapest encasement product, especially if you have detected bed bugs. Make sure that the label of your mattress protector says it's "bed bug proof." Not all mattress covers are, so make sure that the one you purchase has been tested and certified for this purpose.

Look for covers that have been tested to prevent entry, escape, and bites. This means that bed bugs can't penetrate the cover to bite you. If it's zipped completely, they also can't get in or get out. It's that simple. Do this right and whatever is trapped inside will die inside.

Also, look for fabric that is breathable. You're going to sleep on this, so your bed bug encasement needs to be comfortable. With breathable material, you'll sweat less. Avoid vinyl covers, which are less safe, hot, and noisy to sleep on.

Try to get encasements for your mattress, box spring, and pillows. If you can only afford to buy one, it's probably best to encase your box spring. Bed bugs are more likely to attack it first. A treatment test by pest control professionals discovered 42% of bed bugs on box springs and 15% on mattresses in the apartments they treated.

Watch the video as entomologist Jeff White demonstrates the proper way to install a bed bug mattress encasement.

Can Bed Bugs Bite Through Mattress Covers?

No, bed bugs can't bite through bed bug–proof mattress covers. Plain mattress covers don't offer this protection. So, it's essential that the covers be labeled as "bed bug proof" to protect yourself.

Will Mattress Covers Kill Bed Bugs?

Do Bed Bug Mattress Liners Work?

But ... And here's why we recommend that you combine the with a cover to make them effective. Liners are still contact killers; they require touching by the bed bug to kill. So bed bugs underneath the mattress or box spring won't die unless they touch the liner. Encasement covers trap bed bugs inside, dead or alive; liners don't. Encasement covers surround the entire mattress or box springs; liners, like fitted sheets, don't.

Do you need a liner for your mattress cover to be effective. Absolutely not.

So why would you buy this? Mattress liners are good for people who aren't comfortable with the thought that bed bugs are still living inside their mattress covers. They offer peace of mind. And, for treating the mattress and box spring, they can be as effective as contact sprays.

ActiveGuard liners are EPA-approved, and they fit mattresses, box springs, and sofa beds. They come in king, queen, full, and twin sizes.

How to Wash Bed Bug Mattress Encasements

You don't. Encasements need to stay in place, without being removed for any reason, for at least one year. Removing them to wash them defeats the entire purpose of encasement.

However, most manufacturers recommend that you wash these covers before using them to remove starches, odors, and other issues associated with production. Generally, their recommendations are the same:

If at the end of one year, you want to leave the encasement on (recommended for preventive care), you can remove it long enough to wash it. Follow the same washing instructions.

Which Bed Bug Mattress Cover Is the Best?

Today, there are many mattress and box spring encasements on the market that are specifically meant to protect against bed bugs. And among the top brands in the marketplace, there really is not a lot difference. So, which one should you choose? Well, there are a few criteria you should insist on in any cover you buy. Beyond that, it's a matter of personal preference.

Here are the must-haves:

Mattress Encasement Comparisons

The top-rated encasement brands are:

These are all 6-sided (4 sides, top, and bottom) covers that fully encase the mattress.

Small Degrees of Separation

The ratings for the mattress encasements in our table ranged from 72% to 80% with 5-star approval. The Plush Deluxe and Sleep Defense System brands were the two highest rated. SafeRest and SureGuard were rated only 1% lower, so there was not a significant difference in customers' feedback on these covers. AllerSoft and Linespa were at the lower end of the rankings. The rest were in between. We left one common brand, Protect-a-Bed, out of the table because we found too many complaints about the covers tearing easily. They were also rated poorly, well below 60%.

Mattress Safe and Healthy Sleep were not rated. They are included in the table because their covers have been lab tested and certified as bed bug–proof.

The most common complaints about some of the covers were that they were too hot (poor breathability) or too difficult to get on. But, many others said they had no problems with discomfort or installing these same covers.

Still, a few differences do stand out:

Failure to close the zipper fully is the most common reason that bed bugs escape a mattress encasement unless it's torn or damaged. A secured zipper is essential. All the brands except Linespa detail the designs and extra steps they have taken to ensure that zippers stay closed on installed bed bug covers.

Ideally, you should cover your mattress, box spring, and pillows to provide the most protection against getting bitten. Some of the brands don't offer all three, but you do have the option to mix and match brands to get what you need.

Not All Claims Are Lab Tested

All claimed to be bed bug–proof, but only SafeRest, Sleep Defense Systems, AllerSoft, Mattress Safe, and Healthy Sleep indicated that they had actually been lab tested and certified. Generally, if a company has spent money testing a product, they brag about this in their packaging and marketing copy. Since they did not, you can probably assume that the other companies did not test their claims.

So, Which One?

Your choice should come down to personal taste and budget. We recommend staying away from the Utopia brand, despite Amazon's recommendation. A company should stand behind a bed bug cover for a lot more than 30 days. We'd also recommend eliminating brands whose claims were not certified by lab testing.

SafeRest and Sleep Defense Systems are both highly rated by customers. If the length of the warranty matters most to you, SafeRest offers 10 years and Sleep Defense 5 years.

If the material matters most and you tend to overheat during the middle of the night, SafeRest's cotton terry surface might be most comfortable for you. Sleep Defense is a polyester surface.

Both offer full sets, with covers for your mattress, box spring, and pillows. Both offer a wide range of sizes, with the edge going to Sleep Defense Systems.

Again, let personal taste and your budget be your guide. Either of these brands should protect you and last.

If you need an encasement for a crib or toddler's bed, SafeRest and Sealy offer lab-tested covers. SafeRest offers a 10-year warranty. Strangely, we could not find a warranty listed on the Sealy brand. We have requested information on their warranty and will update this if they respond. For now, our recommendation is SafeRest.

How to Measure Your Bed to Get the Right Encasement Fit

Each encasement size also offers variations in height. Encasements can cover pockets ranging from 4 to 18 inches. So, when making your decision, be sure that you choose a cover made to fit the height of your mattress.

Because the problem is bed bugs, you might not be able to return your covers if you buy the wrong size. That makes it even more important that you get the right fit.

Bed-Bug Infested Mattress Disposal

But suppose you've decided that your bed is so far gone that it's not worth saving. You just want to get rid of this mattress and box spring and start over. It's probably not necessary if you're willing to follow the treatment plan laid out here. But if you're more comfortable chucking it and starting fresh, there are a few things you need to do for proper disposal.

First, consider how you're going to get the bed out of the house without spreading the problem to other rooms or your neighbors. Carrying it uncovered is out of the question. You need to wrap the bed and the bed bugs inside, using an escape-proof seal or cover, such as plastic wrapping. For less than $10, Amazon offers a roll of pre-taped painter's plastic that covers 48 inches by 30 yards (90 feet). That should be enough to double wrap every mattress in your household if needed. Your local hardware store will also carry painter's plastic.

Next, where will you leave it? And for how long? You want this sitting outside for as short a period as possible. The longer it sits, the more time bed bugs have to escape and re-enter your home or someone else's. Try to coordinate with your local trash pickup, and set it outside on their pickup day.

Last, take action to discourage others in desperate need of a bed from taking home your infested mattress. Be sure to mark it as "infested," so no matter how long it sits there, others know to avoid it. Don't spread this pain to anyone else.

Bed Bugs Love Couches and Chairs, Too

Couches and chairs are attractive to bed bugs for the same reason that beds are: your warm body spends extended periods of time on them. Whether you use your couch or chairs to enjoy TV or take naps, any bed bugs in the house will soon be attracted to the carbon dioxide you exhale while sitting there. Or, they might simply hitch a ride on your clothing as you leave your infested bedroom.

If you find bed bugs in your couch, or you want to ensure that you don't, you can get a bed bug cover for it, too.

Even if you don't have an infestation now, bed bug covers are a great way to protect your chair or couch from ever being invaded by bed bugs.

Next: Monitor So You'll Know When They're Gone

So, are bed bug mattress covers effective? Yes. Buy covers for your mattress, box spring, and pillows if you can. Look for brands that have been lab tested and found bite-proof, entry proof, and exit proof.

OK. You've completed the first round of your treatment process. Way to go! But remember, eradication usually means 2 to 3 treatments spaced every 7 to 10 days. In the meantime, you'll want to monitor to see how effective your efforts have been. You'll also get evidence of where you need to focus during the first follow-up treatment.

In the next step, we'll look at how to monitor to get the best feedback.

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