Mattress Vancouver

Attention Foreign Students Studying in Vancouver.

Before you move into a furnished home there are three things you should consider about the mattress you will be sleeping on for the next three to twelve months:

1. Its Condition – What is the age of the mattress? Are the springs in good condition? Does the mattress have a disturbing odour? When you remove the sheets, are there stains covering the surface?

2. Mattress Size – When you lie down on the bed, are your feet sticking out over the end? Is there enough room to stretch out? Is the bed an appropriate size for the room it’s in?

3. Bed Bugs – Is the mattress currently in a building that is on record with the Vancouver Bed Bug Registry? Did the mattress come from another location that may have had a bed bug issue? Is their evidence of bed bugs along the seams of the mattress?

If any of these questions cause you concern, discuss them with your landlord, home-stay parent or placement supervisor. If you need to buy a new bed, a Simmons Mattress Gallery professional can help recommend the perfect mattress for your Canadian lodging.

Your time abroad should be spent in comfortable setting. Consider a new mattress.

The recent discovery of bed bugs in a Vancouver library book has embarrassed the city’s lending service and reopened the inquiry into how prolific the bed bug problem is in our city.

The bugs were found in a book borrowed from the Mount Pleasant Library.

Since the incident, the library has done a thorough search of their stacks. Their work has turned up no evidence of further infestation. It may have only been the one book, stored near an infected mattress or couch that acted as a temporary home for the critters – unlucky for the library.

The fact that the bugs were found in an item other than furniture or clothing illustrates how prolific the problem is in our city. Bed bugs are everywhere, but those infected are keeping their mouths zipped.

Unlike a public library, homeowners can silently try to deal with bed bug issues without the prying eye of the public. Victims call a pest control service, they move to a hotel for a few days or go on a ‘vacation’, they buy all new mattresses and when they get back, the Taylors will ‘still’ be sending little Jenny over for play dates. A convenient solution with little-to-no public humiliation.

Until there is a strategy to wipeout the bugs for good, private pest control will be the public’s best option.

After publishing our Mattress Maintenance article last week, Simmons Mattress Gallery received some interesting questions from our readers. We thought, instead of answering them individually, we could share a few in a blog post.

1. “If I am unhappy with the support my box spring is providing, is it appropriate to add a layer of [plywood] between my foundation and my mattress?”

-NO! Absolutely not. If your foundation is so bad you need to beef it up with plywood, it’s time to buy a new bed set. You should never have to add anything to your bed set. Sorry to be so blunt, but your bed is not a sandwich.

2. “How do I prevent picking up bedbugs when I’m traveling?”

-Bed bugs are making a resurgence around the globe. Travelers can easily spread these annoying creatures. One way to minimize your chances of collecting bed bugs is to always store your luggage on a table or countertop. It may not be aesthetically pleasing to have your suitcase piled on the table, but the chance of bug collection dramatically decreases when you elevate your personal items. It is also a good idea to do a quick check of the mattress itself. Remove all the bed coverings and do a quick surface check. Bed bugs like the folds of the mattress, so always examine the hem lines just below the pillow top

3. “My neighbour is offering to sell me his deluxe mattress of three years. What is an appropriate price to pay?”

-Zero. If it is a deluxe mattress, then there should be no reason why your neighbour would want to part with his bed after three years. He/She has probably damaged it. Either that, or it is not as deluxe as he/she claims. If you want to improve your sleeping conditions, purchase a ‘new’ mattress from a mattress dealer. If you want the best sleep possible, purchase a Simmons.

“There are three red bites on your neck and your sheets are spotted with copper marks.

During the day you quiver at the very thought of returning to your bed.

Your friends avoid you and your family stops calling.

The night brings no rest.

Eventually the stress consumes you.

You look for answers from the most unlikely sources.

You’ve heard stories of their carnivorous lifestyle, but doubt their existence.

Has Twilight become reality?

No. There is no denying, you, have bed bugs.”

Bed bugs are now considered an epidemic in Vancouver’s West End. A problem for years in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, the bugs have migrated west, proving that expensive cluster living is just as at risk as the poorest housing project.

The bugs have three main methods of travel. The first, and most common method is through luggage or daypacks. The bag may be dropped for a few minutes or stored for a few days in an infected area. When the article moves, the bugs move with it. This is easily done at a hotel, where unsuspecting guests leave their luggage open. The bugs are attracted by the human scent and dead skin. They make their way into the bag and are eventually transported to another location.

The second method is through clothing and or bedding. The bugs do not live on humans like lice; they prefer to make their homes away from the host. They establish themselves in an area and then return to the body to feed.

The last method of travel is through wiring. The bugs can move through apartment complexes using the electrical wires that connect each unit. Shockingly, they can also follow the wires outside to a neighbouring complex.

While the bugs do feed on the blood of humans, they are not considered a health risk and are incapable of spreading disease. They do, however, propose a danger for people living with immune deficiency. Early detection is key. Here is what to look for:

1. Bed Bugs (the actual insect) – oval shaped, with a flattened red body the size of a lady bug

2. Dark Spots on your sheets

3. Copper Stains on your mattress or bedding

4. Bite marks that come in threes

Once infected, you can try and contain the problem yourself, but your best option is to hire a professional. Vancouver Bed Bug Control Inc. is one of the companies working in Vancouver that specializes in bed bug removal. In the past they used beagles to sniff out the unwanted insects for early detection, but they have now switched to a cimex case baited with human pheromone.

If you are set on doing the work yourself, make sure you have a powerful vacuum, the tools to dismantle your furniture, and the will to throw away infected items such as children’s toys and pillows. Start with the vacuuming, then wash all your clothes and bedding, then vacuum again, inspect all your furniture, vacuum again and then use a spray product on areas that you have discovered to be infected. Then vacuum again. Good luck.

If you are renting, the fees surrounding the treatment of these pests may be subsidized or paid in full by your landlord.

If you are merely concerned about infection, here are some preventative measures you can take:

1. Inspect your luggage after a trip abroad before bringing it into your house.

2. Do not drop your day bag on the floor or furniture of another residence.

3. Do not buy second hand furniture or mattresses.

4. Repair holes or cracks in your drywall.

5. Purchase a bed bug mattress cover package that includes a box spring cover, a mattress cover and multiple pillow covers.

Vampires may only exist in teenage-romance novels, but bed bugs are very real. Stay informed. Here are some helpful websites:

The Bed Bug Registry

http://bedbugregistry.com/location/BC/V6E/Vancouver/1100-Jervis-St/

Health Link BC

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile95.stm

Vancouver Bed Bug Control

http://www.vancouverbedbugcontrol.com/

For complete peace of mind, consider purchasing a brand new mattress set from Simmons Mattress Gallery. We can outfit you with all the components you need to start fresh. Come stop by our locations in Vancouver, Victoria, or Coquitlam. Or visit us online at simmonsmattressgallery.ca.