Bye-bye, Bed Bugs!
Here are some common ways of getting rid of bed bugs yourself:
Hoovering
At the first sign of bed bug bites, run the vacuum throughout your house, which is a good first step to destroying bed bugs. Some people believe that vacuuming can cause bed bugs to be dispersed thereby making it harder to find and destroy them. The experts, or the exterminators, would, of course advise you against doing anything yourself and just leave the rather unpleasant task to them. There is sometimes good reason to heed their advice, however. When you do decide to do it yourself and choose the vacuum as your ‘weapon of choice,’ avoid using the brush attachment. There is a danger that, instead of the bed bugs being pulled into the hoover bag, they might get snared in the brush’s bristles. For the hard-to-reach eggs of bed bugs that settled in crevices, corners and cracks, a scraper could do the job. Bed bugs that have been taken into hoover bags can still break free, so be careful when removing the bag. It would be wiser and safer to dispose of the hoover bags when you are done. Be a conscientious neighbor: seal your vacuum bags properly so the bed bugs cannot escape.
Washing & Drying
One way to kill bed bugs is to subject them to high temperatures (at least 125F).. Even at the slightest sign of bed bug bites, put all your clothes and sheets in the washer and dryer on the highest temperature dial. Be careful with your dry clean clothes. Just put them in the dryer, not in the washer.
Heat your Home with a Dry Steamer
Subject bed bugs to temperatures above 120F and they’ll be toast. Proof of this is the number of exterminators who make use of dry steamers in their line of work. If you’re thinking about purchasing your own dry steamer, they usually cost $300 or more. Be aware that wet steamers as opposed to dry steamers can create too much moisture, which will cause mold to grow in your mattress and around your home. The best thing about dry steamers is that they can be used on just about any surface, including both wood and fabric.
Mattress Encasements
Your mattress or box spring cover should fit your bed snugly. The cover will protectively encase your mattress or box spring. These covers ensure that no bed bugs can get into your mattress or box spring. They also ensure that any bed bugs already in your mattress or box spring cannot come out. If there are bed bugs in your mattress, then make sure you zip up the mattress cover securely. Sometimes bed bugs can slip through the spaces around the zips; secure its edges with a masking tape. Leave it zipped, do not open it for at approximately a year. Starve the bed bugs to death.
Use chemical sprays
Insects should be killed by insecticides; pests should be killed by pesticides, and so on and so forth. That is the general belief. However, chemicals are not always the best option when it comes to bed bugs. Some bed bugs are now resistant to many pesticides. Even DDT may not be able to kill all bed bugs. Using non-synthetic insecticides are no better; in fact, they perform even more poorly. You do not really expect some natural product to accomplish what DDT couldn’t, do you? When using pesticides or other chemicals, make sure to follow the directions indicated on the packages. As added precaution, wear protective gear when handing and spraying pesticides.
Go to the Experts
You should consider hiring a professional exterminator as they can save you a lot of time and hassle. Inquire about their rates and their usual treatment procedures. If an exterminator proudly guarantees that he can purge your home of bed bugs in one go, rethink your choice of hired professional. Don’t trust them! One treatment is not enough; bed bugs and their eggs are hard to get rid of and would require at least 2 treatments. Sometimes 3 or 4 treatments might even be needed. You should always ask the pest control service to provide a guarantee in case they didn’t get rid of all the bed bugs.