If pests have been ruining your sleep, then you’ve got a bedbug or mosquito problem for sure. Mosquitos can be contained by using a net, but the challenges posed by bed bugs are on a whole new level. These critters are stubborn, great at hiding, and manage to return just when you thought they were gone. Baby bedbugs are almost invisible, and the adults lay eggs in locations that are hard to trace.
A common misconception about them is that seeing bedbugs is a sign of poor hygiene. However, bed bugs also inhabit clean homes; it is just clutter that gives them good harborage spots. Bed bugs look quite similar to bat bugs and carpet beetles. The way to distinguish them is to observe their appearance and keep your nose out for the distinctive musty, sweet odor they have. Once you are sure you have to eliminate bedbugs, here are some tips to get rid of them.
The most preferred method of killing bedbugs is to find and squish them by hand. While it certainly won’t eradicate them, it does help. The most effective way is to use an old credit card and run it on the corners and the side of your mattress. This will drive them out, and you can kill them.
Similarly, placing sticky double-ended tape around the mattress will trap them, as you try to drive them out. This makes it easier to kill the bed bugs before they scurry away. After the bedbug hunt, it is advisable to use hot soapy water to wash off any stains, blood, residue, eggs, and feces left by them.
Vacuuming is an effective method of quickly getting rid of most bedbugs and bedbug eggs. Using your vacuum cleaner to suck up all the bed bugs saves more time while hunting and killing them. And as a bonus, you can also suck up all the hidden eggs in unreachable areas. Be sure to dispose of the bag immediately as they could crawl up to other areas of your home.
Areas that you need to vacuum when you’re suffering from a bed bug infestation are the baseboards, electronic appliances like your television, and other appliances in which they can seek refuge. The most common dwelling areas of bedbugs are your beds (obviously), couches, bed frames, and dressers.
If you own a canister variant of vacuum cleaners, make sure to empty the contents into a plastic bag, seal the bag and throw it away. Make sure to kill all the remaining bedbugs in your vacuum cleaner as well. While it is an excellent tool to collect bedbugs, the critters can make a home of the vacuum cleaner as well.
During the process of squishing or using your vacuum cleaner, make sure to dismantle your bed frame. Bed frames are known to be the major hotspots where bedbugs dwell. You can eliminate most of the bedbug population invading your home by clearing out your bed frame.
Another way to get rid of your bedbug infestation is by putting all the affected material through the laundry. Collect all your linen and dirty clothes and seal them in plastic bags. This prevents the bed bugs from spreading to your other clothes and parts of your home.
In terms of setting up your washer or dryer for eradicating the bedbugs, you will need to put it at the highest temperature that your fabrics can withstand. If you have dirty clothes or apparel that cannot be washed like leather, you need to put them in the dryer for 30 minutes at the highest temperature the garments can withstand. You can also approach a professional dry cleaner. This method is highly effective when your bedbug infestation is nascent and limited to your clothes and apparel alone.
An effective but long method, freezing is one of your options in order to get rid of bedbugs. What you do is take the clothing infested by bedbugs and place them in your freezer for four days. The cold temperatures of your freezer will freeze out your bed bugs and also kill the bedbug eggs. Keep in mind that only specific fabrics can handle the freezing process.
You could invest in mattress covers to kill off all the bedbugs hiding on your mattress. The cover once laid on the mattress will starve the bed bugs of nutrients. They will also prevent the bugs from escaping to other places in your home. When purchasing the mattress covers, look for the ones specifically marketed for bedbugs. Once the two weeks are up, you can remove the covers and have your mattress washed.
This is the most effective method to get rid of bedbugs. We do not recommend using pesticides on your own. They are very powerful chemicals and could cause respiratory problems and it can even be fatal if improperly used. While basic pest control spray is okay to use, do not attempt to use anything more powerful.
It is wiser that you leave the use of insecticides in your home to the professionals. Calling in the professionals is the most effective way as they will spray the necessary amount of insecticide to get rid off your bedbug infestation. You will likely have to vacate your home for a few hours after the insecticide is applied. This is because the fumes are dangerous to humans.
Professional pest control can almost guarantee good riddance of your bedbug infestation. If there are survivors after a session of insecticide spraying, you can always opt for another session to get rid of the bedbug stragglers.
Now getting professionals would cost much more than the other DIY solutions mentioned in this article. So you need to make sure you’re getting the bang for your buck. But how can you tell a good and worthy pest control agency from the bad?
Well, why not have actual users of the pest control services answer your queries?
Yes, that is possible on Consumera.com! Here you can read reviews on the top pest control agencies in the United States, alongside their features and a rating from 1 to 5. Once you have shortlisted a company, you can simply ask for a quote. After that, you will be one step closer to a bedbug-free home.