After positively confirming the presence of bed bugs, your next question will undoubtedly be "how do I get rid of bed bugs" or "how can I get rid of bed bugs quickly." Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple, and it depends on where you live. For example, if you live in a detached home, your chances of completely removing bed bugs are much higher than for people who live in apartments or high-rise buildings because of the surrounding units, which may also be infested with bed bugs.
The first option is at all possible should be to call a reputable pest control company in your area. The company you select should not be a fly-by-night company or a company without experience treating bed bugs. Reputable and experienced companies have protocols that they follow for pest control. They are more likely to offer a guaranteed service that can successfully eliminate your bed bugs. This is one instance where you want to be very careful when selecting the lowest bid since it may end up costing you more in the long run. Pest control companies are also not going to contract directly with renters. So if you live in an apartment or a high-rise building, you will need to contact your landlord or the building management company.
Step #1: Get rid of clutter.
Clutter provides a ton of places for bed bugs to live and breed in. The less clutter you have and the more organized your home is, the easier and more effective bedbug treatment will be.
Please also discard all unneeded items and organize what you are keeping into small piles, limiting bed bug hiding spots and giving yourself plenty of space to start vacuuming and cleaning.
Step #2: Vacuum
Vacuum your home. Vacuuming removes bed bugs, dirt and small objects that bed bugs use as bedding and shelter. Vacuuming thoroughly will move you closer to bedbug eradication - and will also help you locate possible areas where bed bugs are hiding. You must vacuum each room as though “that” room is heavily infested.
Vacuum furniture, flooring, bed frames, mattresses, box springs, baseboards, curtains and any other areas that you can reach with your vacuum nozzle.
If you cannot get down on your hands and knees (required for tight areas suitable for use with small nozzle attachments), have a friend assist you or hire someone locally to complete what you are not capable of.
Be sure to use a bag type vacuum with a throwaway bag - or carefully empty shop-vac style units into a trash liner capable of securely holding the collected contents.
As soon as you are done vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be tied shut in a trash bag and discarded outside of the home.
Also, avoid using vacuum attachments that have brushes or bristles. Instead use the open end of the hose.
Step #3: Launder fabrics and clothing
Wash and dry clothing for 30 minutes or a full cycle at the hottest setting the fabric will allow. Putting your clothes and fabrics in the dryer on high heat is one of the easiest ways to kill bedbugs. Since bed bugs are sensitive to heat, if you put your clothing and bedding in the dryer on high heat, this will kill bed bugs.
Tips:
Keep cleaned clothing separate from untreated items.
Take the time to wash and dry anything and everything that is washable. When using the dryer, don't pack the stuff in. Keep it very loose. You want every nook and cranny of the clothes to reach lethal temperature and kill the bedbugs. Remember, you are getting rid of a horrible insect that has been drinking your blood while you sleep – take the time to do it right the first time.
Step #4 Contact Sprays.
There are some sprays that do kill bed bugs on contact which can kill adults, nymphs, and eggs fast on contact with 100% efficacy. The only drawback is that you need to see the bed bugs to kill them with the spray. The bottom line is that this spray will work, but it will not lure them out of hiding to kill them.
Step #5: Mattress encasements
If you have bed bugs, pest management professionals recommend encasing your mattresses in high-quality encasements that are designed and tested to keep bed bugs in or out. If you do not have bed bugs, bed bug encasements may be a good preventive measure for keeping bed bugs out of your box springs and mattress.
Encasements are a very simple and highly effective way to deal with bed bugs by trapping them inside and preventing bugs from re-infesting the mattresses and box springs.
If you suspect bed bugs are living in your home, please give EcoShield a call or fill out the form on this page for a free no-obligation estimate.