Getting rid of bed bugs can be tricky, but with patience and consistency you can do it. However, it is important to remember that the best way to get rid of bed bugs is with the help of a professional. Depending on the size and severity of the infestation it could take up to 4-6 weeks for a professional to completely eliminate them from your home.
Identifying and Locating Infestations
Before you can get rid of bed bugs, you must inspect all the areas of your home where they are known to infest. This includes all the cracks and crevices in furniture, baseboards, walls, and electrical outlets. You also want to check the tufts of mattresses, bed frames and box springs for live bugs and skins from molting nymphs. You can also use a flashlight to carefully inspect the edges of baseboards for droppings and fecal material spots left by bed bugs.
The next step is to treat the Bed Bug Removal infestation with a combination of pesticides and encasements. Using these techniques, you will be able to control bed bug populations and prevent them from re-infesting your home.
Chemical Treatments – There are many different pesticides available that are registered to kill bed bugs. Make sure to read the product label and follow the directions.
If you choose to use a chemical pesticide, it should be applied only to areas where bed bugs are known to exist. This should include mattresses, bed frames, boxes springs, the mattress seams and cracks of all recommended treatment areas, and baseboards.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) – DE is a safe, natural substance that kills bed bugs. This can be used as an alternative to pesticides or can be added to your chemical treatment as a preventative measure.
Heat and Cold – Bed bugs die when exposed to extreme temperatures. By using either steam or cold to treat a bed bug infestation, you will significantly reduce the population and set up your chemical treatment for success.
Bedbugs are very hardy and if they survive the first round of chemical treatment, they can often return. This is why it is important to integrate a chemical treatment with encasements and vigilant monitoring for future infestations.
Vacuuming – Keeping your home vacuumed daily helps to reduce bed bug populations by eliminating dust and debris. It also helps keep the air in your home clean and fresh, which will prevent them from hiding in cracks and crevices.
Laundering – Wash bedding and other clothing that may have been touched by bed bugs at least weekly in hot water. This will eliminate the oils that bed bugs release during their feeding sessions and help to dry out their excrement.
Using Bed Bug Dusts and Aerosols – There are several different dusts and sprays that are used for bed bug treatment. These products can be used to cover the tufts of mattresses and beds, and other recommended treatment areas such as nightstands, chests, dressers, couches, and chairs.