The last thing you want to think about while you’re lying in bed at night is bed bugs.
Bed bugs are unfortunately fairly frequent.
In reality, one in every five Americans has encountered a bed bug infestation at their house or knows someone who has, whether at home or in a hotel.
Customers in and around California’s San Francisco Bay Area may count on Smith’s Pest Management for bed bug control.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to get rid of bed bugs without hiring an exterminator and when to hire a professional.
Let’s get started.
What Exactly Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs (scientific name cimex lectularius) are little, flat, invasive insects that feed exclusively on the blood of sleeping humans and animals.
Do you know how to spot bed bugs?
These unappealing insects are red-brown in color and range in length from 1mm to 7mm.
While they depend on blood to be alive, they may spend months without eating.
Because a healthy female bed bug may produce up to 500 eggs in her lifespan, a major infestation can develop in a matter of weeks.
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What Draws Bed Bugs to Your Residence?
Many people think that bed bugs like filthy environments and are drawn to it.
This is why many people feel that staying in a cheap hotel guarantees bed insect infestation.
That, however, turns out to be a prevalent misperception.
Dirt and rotting do not attract bed bugs.
They can exist in any setting as long as they have the one thing they need to survive: food.
Blood.
Bed bugs, unlike mosquitoes and ticks, which both feed on blood, cannot fly or survive on their hosts.
They must instead conceal near their food supply and wait for a meal to become available.
Bed bugs are very adaptive as a result.
As long as they get frequent blood meals, they may dwell anywhere from the cushions of a couch to the carpet of a library.
That’s why you have bed bugs in your residence!
With that in mind, here are some of the most common reasons for bed bugs:
- Buying and bringing secondhand furniture into the house. Luggage, handbags, backpacks, worn sofas, and other items may all bring bed bugs into your home.
- In a multi-unit setting, cross-contamination may occur. Bed bugs may spread from room to room in apartment buildings and motels.
- A hotel, resort, or hostel has contaminated you. Bed bugs might enter your house via your clothes or baggage.
- You have new guests in your house. Guests may visit your house and bring bed bugs with them without your knowledge.
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4 Signs Your House Is Infested With Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are little, about the size of a pinhead, and might be difficult to detect at first.
Keep an eye out for the following indicators if you suspect you have a bed insect infestation:
- Bug evidence, such as shed skins or black droppings in mattress seams or other things.
- Bite marks, welts, or lumps on your body when you first get out of bed.
- Your linens or pillows have little blood spots on them.
- An unpleasant musty stench in your room or around your bed that some people compare to “locker room stink.”
While discovering bed bugs may be distressing, recognizing them is the first step toward treatment.
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How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in 5 Easy Steps Right Now
It’s time to take action after you’ve discovered a bed insect infestation.
To get rid of the pests, follow these steps:
Step 1: Determine which locations are contaminated.
Because bed bugs breed fast, it’s critical to discover them before they reproduce.
With that in mind, look for bed bug indicators in the following areas:
- Your mattress and box spring’s seams.
- Between your bed frame and headboard, there are cracks.
- Between your sofa’s cushions and along the seams of the cushions
- Where the carpet meets the wall, at the carpet seam.
- In the joints of sofas, accent chairs, and futons, for example.
Use a flashlight to thoroughly inspect each area.
Look for little black or rusty droppings, live bedbugs, or light yellow eggs.
You should also inspect your nightstand, dresser drawers, and closet if you detect symptoms of bedbugs in any of these areas.
Step 2: Keep the pests at bay.
Once you’ve discovered an active bed bug infestation, you must confine it to prevent it from spreading.
Suctioning live bed bugs with your vacuum is a fast and simple technique to confine them.
- Vacuum your mattress, the insides of your drawers, the seams and joints of your furniture, your carpets, and any other areas where you’ve detected evidence of bed bug infestation to contain live bedbugs.
- When you’re done, wrap your vacuum canister’s contents in a plastic bag and toss it away.
- Wash and dry damaged linens, clothes, and other fabrics in hot water and on a high-heat setting in your dryer after vacuuming all affected areas. If you can’t wash or dry anything (such a sofa cushion), use steam to eliminate bed bugs instead.
Keep in mind that this will only pick up live bed bugs and will not eliminate the problem.
If eggs are left behind, they may hatch and spread a subsequent infestation.
Step 3: Get rid of the bed bugs.
Now is the moment to finally get rid of the bed bugs for good.
This is how:
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3 Homeopathic Treatments
1. Use heat or cold to kill bed bugs naturally.
Temperature is a good approach to kill bed bugs in a mattress or other vital location.
With this in mind, grab any contaminated bedding or clothes and wash it for 30 minutes in extremely hot water.
After the wash cycle is completed, dry the clothes in your dryer for at least 30 minutes on the maximum heat setting.
Alternately, place the concerned objects in a freezer that is at least 0°F.
Allow for four days to ensure that all bed bugs have died.
Pros: Non-toxic, simple, and efficient
Cons: Not all objects or materials are feasible.
2. Apply steam
Use a steamer on beds, sofas, and other locations where bed bugs hide to kill bed bugs without using an exterminator.
Pros: It’s safe, simple, and effective, and it may be used as both a prophylactic and a bed bug cure.
Cons: Requires the use of a steamer, which not everyone possesses, and may cause harm to some materials or textiles.
3. Protect the mattresses
Invest in bed bug-proof coverings for your mattress and box spring.
When fully zipped, these covers will keep bed bugs out while also killing those that are trapped within.
They also serve as a barrier, preventing bed bugs from attacking you as you sleep.
Pros: Economical, non-toxic, and easy to use
Cons: Does not rid the mattress of bed bugs.
3 Standard Bed Bug Treatments
1. Use a pesticide first.
If home cures don’t work to get rid of bed bugs, pesticides are an option.
Bed bug pesticides such as pyrethrins and pyrethroids are widely utilized.
When it comes to insecticides, they have a minimal toxicity to pets and humans and are quick-acting.
Insects are also killed with a little dosage.
However, some bed bugs are resistant to these treatments, which is a disadvantage.
In such situation, you (or your exterminator) may need to employ pyrroles like chlorfenapyr or neonicotinoids, which are synthetic forms of nicotine.
Pros: Effective and quick-acting, making it perfect for bed bug control in households and hotels.
Cons: Harsh chemicals may be present, which some people may not want in their homes.
2. Make use of a desiccant
Desiccants are chemicals that kill insects by removing their protective covering.
The bugs will dry up and perish without this covering.
Silica aerogel and diatomaceous earth are two common desiccants. Desiccants have a high death rate, and bed bugs cannot develop resistance to them.
Pros: It’s quite safe, effective, and simple to use.
Cons: Can be untidy, and pesticides need more frequent reapplication.
3. Use a bug bomb.
What rapidly kills bed bugs? Bombs containing bugs.
Bed bug foggers and bug bombs are both effective and easy to use.
They are, however, very hazardous to both humans and pets, and you will have to leave your house while they operate.
Pros: Effective and quick-acting
Cons: Hazardous, very poisonous, and unable to penetrate cracks and crevices where bed bugs hide, therefore may be less effective than insecticides applied directly to the skin.
Step 4: Observe the impacted regions.
Bed bug infestations may last for weeks or even months.
Check the infected area once a week for a few months to make sure your treatment is working.
Treat the area again if you discover fresh symptoms of bedbug activity.
Step 5: Employ the services of a bed bug exterminator.
Hiring a professional exterminator, such as Smith’s Pest Management in San Jose, CA, is the quickest and most efficient approach to get rid of bed bugs.
Our specialists will assess your bed bug infestation and devise a strategy to eliminate all pests and restore your home’s peace and tranquillity.
How Do Bed Bugs Get Rid of Pest Control Experts?
You may employ a professional exterminator like Smith’s if DIY bed bug management isn’t an option.
The approach our team uses to get rid of bed bugs is as follows:
1. Examine the property and devise a management strategy.
We begin every pest control operation with an examination and advice. To discover bed bugs and identify inspections, we first investigate the impacted regions of your house and property.
Our technicians will build a bed bug control strategy based on the results of the examination. We’ll also talk about bed bug treatment charges with you so you can plan ahead.
2. Implement therapy
Following that, our pest control professionals will begin treating your bed bug infestation. We have a variety of bed bug treatment solutions available, including:
Treatment with Heat
For significant infestations in residences or hotels, heat treatment is suitable. These treatments are non-toxic and safe for both humans and dogs, and they will completely eliminate the infestation in only one visit. We boost the interior temperature of your house to a level where bed bugs cannot live during heat treatments. This approach also penetrates walls, making it ideal for eradicating bed bugs on a sofa or other difficult-to-reach areas.
Treatment with Steam
Steam treatment works in a similar way as heat treatment, although on a smaller scale. These treatments are ideal for less severe infestations and clients looking for a non-toxic option.
Treatment with chemicals
Chemical treatments work well for mild infestations identified early or for infestations that need spot treatment. To completely remove bed bugs, these treatments usually need one to two follow-up visits.
Options for Prevention
Preventative devices such as mattress encasements are available to assist you avoid bed insect infestations. Preventative techniques, when used in combination with other approaches, may help keep your home free of bed bugs.
Is Bed Bug Extermination Effective?
Adult bed bugs are unable to withstand skilled elimination. Even yet, it’s worth noting that bed bug eggs aren’t always killed by elimination.
As a result, following the first eradication treatment, we suggest conducting periodical bed bug examinations.
These inspections will detect freshly hatched bed bugs and, if necessary, conduct follow-up treatments to eradicate them.
How Much Does Bed Bug Extermination Cost?
The cost of bed bug removal varies according to the technique utilized and the degree of the infestation.
Bed bugs are more costly to eradicate than other pests such as fleas because they can go without food for lengthy periods of time (up to 400 days) and are tough to eradicate.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs in Your Home
In terms of pest management, avoiding an infestation is always preferable than dealing with one afterwards.
With that in mind, here are some tips to prevent bed bugs out of your house:
- Keep an eye out for bed bugs on your clothing. Keep your bag on a suitcase stand rather than on the floor while staying at a hotel. When you go home, wash all of your clothes and dry them in a hot dryer.
- When buying secondhand furniture, be cautious. Before bringing any new or secondhand furniture inside, examine any seams, joints, tufts, and below cushions.
- To keep bedbugs out of your mattress, box springs, and furniture, cover them with a plastic or hypoallergenic cover.
- Remove any debris that may encourage bed bugs to hide in your house. Pick up papers, magazines, clothing, and other objects off the floor, and clean nightstands and dressers on a regular basis.
- Vacuum your mattress and flooring on a regular basis. Wash all bedding, clothes, and textiles in hot water at least once a week.
- Seal gaps around baseboards, electrical outlets, light sockets, and furniture with caulk to keep bed bugs away.
- In hotels, hostels, and guest rooms where you sleep, look for bed bugs.
