Once bed bugs have made their home in yours, it is difficult to evict them. These pesky parasites are incredibly resilient and will put up a big fight as you try to kill off an outbreak. There are ways, however, to eradicate a bed bug infestation. Battling bed bugs requires early intervention, patience, and extensive treatments. Read on for some tips on how to get rid of bed bugs yourself.
Signs of Bed Bugs
Inspect sheets, comforters, mattresses, box springs, bed frames, piles of clothes, and towels with a flashlight. Look over every surface for evidence of bed bugs. Strip your bed as you go, placing everything in large black plastic trash bags. Here’s what to look for:
- A rash on your skin that looks like a mosquito bite, but swells, burns, and spreads more.
- Light-brown exoskeletons from molting bugs.
- Specks of blood from when they bite you in your sleep.
- Smell of dried blood (which often resembles rotting raspberries).
Once you’ve determined that there is a bed bug presence, follow these steps to get rid of bed bugs:
Banish Your Bedding to the Outdoors
Put the black trash bags full of linens, clothing, and towels outside into direct sunlight, preferably in 80F+ degrees and leave them there until sunset. Heat should kill the existing bugs. If it’s cooler than that outside, put your things straight into the dryer for a longer time than usual. Now wash (in hot water) and dry everything and toss the trash bags in an outdoor trash can. Mattresses and box springs are difficult to tote outside, so they often require chemical treatments. These are less effective, though, and the mattress and box spring are often ruined. Prevent new mattresses and box springs from being ruined by covering them with a bed bug-proof pad to starve them.
Clean Areas of Infestations
Give every room a thorough cleaning by scrubbing every surface with a stiff brush (this cleans off the eggs) and vacuuming. Vacuum every carpet multiple times to ensure you get every bug. Then use an attachment to vacuum every inch of the room (including furniture) several times over to ensure every spot has been covered. Toss vacuum cleaner bags in outside cans immediately.
Put personal items made of fabric like throw blankets and pillows, stuffed animals, and slippers into black trash bags with insecticide strips. Keep these bags outside for a few days, as well.
Spray
Cover every inch of your cleaned home with a residual liquid, aerosol, or dust insecticide. Concentrate on potential points of entry, like baseboards, molding, windows, door frames, baseboards, furniture (especially beneath chairs and beds) to kill any eggs or bed bug stragglers.
Can’t Seem to Get Rid of Bed Bugs? We Can Help
The pest professionals at Green Pest Solutions have dealt with the dreaded bed bug before. If all else fails, or if you want to take some preventative measures to stave off another outbreak, please consider giving us a call to schedule a free consultation. Contact us today at 877-636-9469.
Bed Bugs Facts and Checklist
Bed bug bites can lead to skin rashes, allergic reactions, and psychological symptoms, not to mention a sense of uneasiness as you close your eyes at night. Rest easy after you read this handy guide to the most common species of bed bugs and know how to identify and control them.
