Bed bugs are larger (about 1/5 of an inch long) than dust mites and, therefore, more easily seen by the human eye. Unlike dust mites, these blood-sucking, vampire-like insects bite. Bed bugs have become an epidemic in New York City, where they have invaded even the cleanest and most posh apartments and hotels.

When feeding, bed bugs prick the skin of their victim to insert saliva causing itchiness and swelling. Bed bugs typically feed for up to ten minutes at a time. As the little leeches fill with blood, their color changes from brown to red.

Doing away with bed bugs can be challenging. Under ideal conditions, these pests can survive for a year or longer without a meal. Fortunately, a vapor steam cleaner can eliminate bed bugs easily from clothing, furniture and bedding. Vapor particles are so small they can reach nooks and crannies—and other difficult areas—chemical pest-control methods cannot. With a vapor steam cleaner, bed bugs have nowhere to hide and are a thing of the past.