How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Using Natural Measures
How to get rid of bed bugs may be of concern to a lot of people because bed bugs, along with cockroaches and rodents, are among the most dreaded and feared pests, and anyone can introduce them into their homes.
However, bed bugs can infest any home, everyone must understand how to deal with them appropriately; after all, they are a natural part of the environment.
Bed bugs have made a comeback in recent years. Because of the extensive use of insecticides such as DDT, bed bugs were practically exterminated in the United States.
Furthermore, conventional pest management methods have evolved to apply pesticides indoors only when essential.
Previously, hotels treated guest rooms with pesticides to avoid bed bug infestations.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Easily
Although bed bugs do not contain poisons or venoms that might cause health issues, their bites can only cause a lot of irritation and suffering, making these blood suckers an insect you cannot live with.
Scratching and breaking the skin because of irritating bed bug bites might result in a secondary infection. Aside from the bites, bed bug populations can grow swiftly if not eradicated.
That is why it is critical to contact a professional pest control company, such as Terminix, as soon as you see any signs of bed bugs. The different measures to take to get rid of bed bugs are stated below.
1. Reduce Hiding Spots and Cut Down on Clutter
Consider getting rid of any unnecessary items, such as outdated magazines and newspapers. A cluttered home provides many hiding places for bedbugs, and the more objects you can get rid of, the fewer locations bed bugs may hide.
If you’re wondering what bed bugs are drawn to besides warmth, blood, and carbon dioxide, dark crevices are a good spot to hide before emerging to feast.
- Caulk any cracks or fissures in the baseboards as needed.
- Check for loose wallpaper and fix any wall damage.
- Examine plugs and wall switches for signs of bed bugs.
Because bed bugs can hide under cardboard, plastic bins are less likely to nurture infestations if you need storage.
Clothing and accessories should be kept off the floor. If feasible, discard or give goods you no longer use, taking care to confirm that they are clear of bed bugs first.
2. Clean the Infested Space
Following your initial bed insect check, your expert will most likely urge you to keep your sleeping area tidy. Here are a few examples:
a). Floors should be completely cleaned and vacuumed. Bed bugs can conceal themselves in carpet threads. Several rounds of vacuuming will aid in the removal of bed bugs from your carpet.
b). When finished, throw the vacuum bag in a trash bag and double-bag it in an outdoor bin.
3. Be Mindful of Your Bed
When you see telltale evidence of bed bugs on your mattress or bedding, you may feel queasy and question, “Should I throw out my mattress after a bed bug infestation?”
Fortunately, a bed insect infestation does not need the disposal of your entire mattress. Here’s how to clean your mattress for bed bugs if your expert suggests it:
a). Remove your pillowcases, sheets, mattress covers, and other items and wash them in hot water (please follow the manufacturer’s directions).
b). If the manufacturer’s instructions allow it, dry the products on high heat.
c). Use a plastic bag instead of carrying these goods to the washing machine. Then discard the plastic bag because it may contain live bed bugs, and you do not want to re-infest clean objects.
d). To make it more difficult for bed bugs to settle behind wallpaper or on any window treatments that may contact your bed, pest control technicians recommend relocating your bed at least six inches away from the wall.
e). The clutter beneath your bed might be a haven for bed bugs. Check under your bed for unnecessary items and dispose of them. To keep the infestation from spreading, keep items you want to keep in the same room.
Professional treatment is required for the most effective bed insect mattress cleaning. Following treatment, your pest control specialist will advise you to cover your mattress and box spring with special encasements. To reduce tearing, make sure they have zippers and are of high quality.
4. Clean all Exposed Laundry
If you’ve left your clothing in baskets without putting it away, you may invite bed bugs. Even clean laundry might provide an appealing hiding place for bed bugs.
If bed bugs have taken up residence in your home, curtains, and bedspreads can also harbor them.
- Clothing and bedding should be washed and dried at the highest temperature recommended by the manufacturer. Seal clean goods in new plastic bags after transporting them across rooms in sealed plastic bags.
- Remove and clean cloth window coverings and hardware if possible, then put them in plastic bags.
- All bed linens, including pillowcases, sheets, comforters, and mattress pads, should be washed and dried at the highest temperatures recommended by the manufacturer. Once clean, seal in plastic bags.
Keep in mind that simply cleaning your laundry will not get rid of bed bugs. Consult a specialist to develop a more detailed and comprehensive answer to your problem.
5. Use Steam or Heat Treatment
If you can expose bed bugs to high temperatures, you might kill them. That is why ironing or steam-cleaning bed linens might be beneficial. Read the label first to ensure it is possible without destroying the item.
However, this will only work on bugs that live in places that can be heated. The bulk of their hiding locations are not ironable or steam-cleanable.
To assist in managing a bed bug infestation, professional pest control firms may utilize industrial steamers to heat-treat entire homes.
6. Give the Experts Access
What gets rid of bed bugs? Professionals in pest control. Give them your complete cooperation and allow them access to closets, walls, and spaces around furniture.
As a result, they should be able to treat your bed insect infestation properly. Don’t wait for the problem to escalate. To get rid of bed bugs swiftly, you need a skilled specialist to identify the pests and spot signs of infestation.
Terminix can provide potent, personalized treatments to help eliminate bed bugs where they reside and breed.
What are the Major Causes of Bed Bugs?
Do you know what are the main causes of bed bugs? Bed bugs are little, flat insects with an oval form and a brownish color that feed on the blood of humans and warm-blooded animals. Their flat bodies allow them to fit into tiny places about the width of a credit card.
These pests can go with you in your luggage or clothing. They can hide in cracks and crevices around your sleeping locations, such as mattresses, box springs, bedside tables, and other areas around sleeping areas.
Inspect your surroundings for bed bug activity if you stay away from home. When you get home, examine your suitcase and clothing, then quickly wash everything in warm to hot water and dry it on high heat.
These monsters make no distinctions. Bed bugs are drawn to warm-blooded animals that can provide them with food as a blood meal. If a human or animal sits still long enough for a bedbug to feed, the bed bug will take advantage of the situation.
How to Check for Bed Bugs?
By detecting bed bugs early, you can prevent a minor infestation from becoming a big infestation. The following are the most prevalent indicators of bed bugs:
1. Bed bugs shed empty shells (molted skin).
2. Bites from bed bugs on your skin.
3. Tiny feces marks on or around your bed.
If you look closely, you may discover concentrations of these bugs in and around your bed. Bed bugs, on the other hand, are difficult to detect since they like to remain hidden. Bed bugs are found near where people sleep. They can hide in the following places in your home:
- Seams and piping on mattresses
- Spring mattresses
- Cracks in the headboard or bed frame
- Couch and chair seams
- Appliances
- Behind the strewn wallpaper and splattered paint
Because of their compact, flat size and form, these pests may fit into the smallest of crevices, making bed bug removal extremely difficult.
How Do Pest Control Experts Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
Pest control professionals employ a variety of inventive procedures to ensure that all bed bugs die or are permanently removed from your house. Professionals are aware of these bugs’ tenacity and potential resistance to particular insecticides.
A pest control professional will visit your house, assess the amount of the infestation, and devise a bed bug treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Bed bug control isn’t something you have to do on your own. Our skilled Terminix technicians are always available to assist you in protecting your home.
Terminix can provide effective, specialized treatments to help eliminate bed bugs where they reside and breed. Bed Bugs are tiny insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals.
Cimex lectularius is the most prevalent bedbug in the United States, although numerous additional species prey on various mammals and birds.
They are sneaky creatures that may readily enter houses on soft materials such as bedding, furniture, and clothing. But with the right approach, you can eradicate them.
