Over the past few decades there has been an increase in problems with bed bugs, which has increased the attention of individuals to eliminate this invasion. Apart from getting rid of these pests, people are also looking for options on how to prevent the infestation from happening in the first place.
Fortunately, you can eliminate bed bugs. Removing these pests can take considerable time and effort, depending upon the stage of the problem.
Here are some simple steps that you can follow in ridding your home from bedbugs:
1. Identify Every Infested Area in your Home
If your home has a bedbug problem, be quick in finding these menace insects before they grow in number. It is easier and cheaper to remove a small infestation than a comparatively bigger one. However, smaller infestations are harder to detect.
Bedbugs can easily squeeze into tiny places such as seams of a couch or mattress, folds of curtains, etc. You should search for the infestation in places like:
- Inside the cracks of bed frame
- Inside baseboards
- Near mattress’s tags and box spring
- Between furniture joints and couch cushions
- Under posters and paintings on the walls, and loose wallpapers
Using a magnifying glass and a flashlight will help in detecting bedbugs while you look for them in these areas.
2. Contain the Infestation
As soon as you identify the bedbugs in your home, it is critical to keep them contained if you want to get rid of them. An easy and quick way of trapping bedbugs is using a vacuum. Vacuum all the possible hideouts of these tiny pests, including beds, carpets, dressers, furniture items, etc.
Seal the vacuum content tightly into a plastic bag and throw it out, and don’t forget to thoroughly clean the vacuum after using it. Also, ensure to seal all your affected clothes, linens, curtains in plastic bags till you wash them.
3. Preparation for Bedbug Treatment
Before starting to treat your home, doing a little preparation work will increase your chances of success. Ensure all your carpets, linens, drapes, clothes, or any other hiding places of bedbugs are cleanly washed.
After that, get rid of hiding places of these pests such as magazines, books, clothes, or anything else that’s lying under your bed or on the floor. Don’t move items of an infested place to other clean areas in your home, as bedbugs can easily spread there.
Seal every open spot where bedbugs can hide, caulk any crack in your furniture or baseboard, fix open electrical outlets, glue down loose wallpapers. Make sure your bed is placed at least 6 inches away from the wall, which will not allow bedbugs to climb on it.
4. Kill the Bedbugs
Bedbugs can be easily killed with high heat, 46°C (115°F), or intense cold, less than 0°C (32°F). Here are some ways of treating bedbugs using temperature methods:
- Wash your clothes and bedding for 30 minutes in hot water then put them in the dryer for 30 minutes on the highest heat setting.
- Use steamers on couches, mattresses, or any other place where bedbugs can hide.
- Pack the infested items in sealed bags and put them in a freezer at -17°C (0°F) for 3 to 4 days.
After cleaning your home with all visible bedbugs, make the place inhospitable for their return. Use bedbug-proof mattress covers and box spring.
If these methods don’t work, there are chemicals available in the market that can help in killing bedbugs. Ensure to read the directions and be cautious while using them.
5. Regularly Monitor Infected Areas
Bedbugs are hard creatures and can take time to wipe out of your home. Before believing that your treatment has worked, ensure that the infestation hasn’t returned. Frequently check and examine the infested areas every week for any signs of bedbug activity.
You can use bedbug interceptors for spotting surviving bedbugs in your home; place them under your bed, couches, or any other furniture items and bedbugs hideouts. These devices will trap these insects before they climb their way up in your life again. You should monitor these interceptors for about a year to be completely sure of bedbug removal.
Conclusion
Although bedbug problems are not considered as big as other pest issues, it can still prove harmful if not treated properly. You can use the above means of getting rid of these irritating insects, and if the problem goes out of hand, there is professional help available. Pest Off provides pest control services that will help you to eliminate your bed bug problem.
About The Author
Nicole Hinton
Nicole is a freelancer & passionate blogger. She has 4+ years of experience in digital marketing and specialize in content writing, content marketing and organic search engine optimization. She has worked with many brands from Canada as well as the USA. Currently, she manages content marketing team of freelancers and doing their business efficiently.
