Bed bugs are one of the most annoying insects to have in your home since they crawl on your bed and disrupt sleep. They are not known to transmit diseases but can cause intense itching, leading to subsequent skin infections and issues. As a result, they should be the first insect you eliminate in your home. There are several methods for bed bug treatment, some of which may necessitate the assistance of outside professionals and pest control experts.
If you’re fed up with the annoyance of bed bugs in your house, use our step-by-step “how to get rid of bed bugs” tutorial. In this post, we’ll look at why bed bugs are drawn to your house, the different types of bed bug infestations, and why you should hire a professional pest control service.
What attracts bed bugs to your home and how they enter the home?
Bed bugs, like cockroaches, are drawn to your home for food, shelter, and water. They’re attracted to you by your body heat and the carbon dioxide you emit. Bed bugs hide in the cracks and crevices of box springs, headboards, and bed frames, waiting for you to fall asleep so they may feast on your warm blood.
It’s worth noting that bed bugs can also be discovered outside of the bedroom. They’ll also eat at any time of day or night. They’re not waiting for you to fall asleep so much as they’re waiting for you to become inactive. As a result, bed bugs can bite you at any time and in any place, including the movie theater, a cab, or public transit.
Hitchhiking is a skill that bed bugs have mastered. People or their things, such as handbags, suitcases, or coats, are commonly used to convey them. Any place where you might have sat is a potential breeding ground for bed bugs. Additionally, people who travel or have visitors may be at a higher risk of contracting bed bugs.
You can basically bring a bed bug home from any public place you can think of. The following are just a few of the many sites where bed bugs can be found:
- Airports
- Common sitting areas
- Theaters
- Restrooms
- Storage rooms
- Libraries
- Clothing shops
- Hotels
How to kill bed bugs?
Bed bug treatment takes a long time since they are good hiders. As a result, hiring bed bug control experts are your best option; if you want to do the treatment yourself, follow the step-by-step “how to get rid of bed bugs” guide below:
Identify bed bug infestation areas
One of the first questions that may arise in your mind is “how to check for bed bugs?” They are so tiny that it may be difficult for you to locate them, so the best way is to find them directly in the following areas:
- Near mattresses
- Bed cracks
- Boxes
- Loose wallpapers
- Furniture boxes
- Near paintings and other artifacts
Preparation for bed bug treatment
The next step is to prepare bed bug treatment once you’ve finally discovered the bed bug infestation spots. It entails relocating all books, furniture, clothing, and other belongings that are in close proximity to the infestation site. This ensures that the bed bugs do not hide in any other items while the treatment is being carried out. As they can bite you and cause red patches on your skin, use gloves and preferably clothing that covers you completely.
Get all of the tools you’ll need for the treatment, such as medicine to kill bed bugs, vacuum cleaners, chemicals, etc. When you’re ready, use one of the ways mentioned below to get rid of bed bugs.
Kill the bed bugs
There are various do-it-yourself ways to get rid of bed bugs, a few of which may require bed bug medicines, while others need simple equipment. A few methods which do not require medicines to kill bed bugs are as follows:
- Bed bugs cannot sustain intense heat or cold, so you may put the bed sheet or clothes in the washing machine with hot water. A 30 minutes hot wash will remove all the bed bugs from the clothes, bed covers, and sheets.
- Use a vacuum machine to suck all the bed bugs from the couch, furniture, paintings, artefacts, etc. Using a vacuum machine is a highly effective do-it-yourself method to get rid of more extensive bed bug infestations.
- Use steamers on couches, furniture, mattresses or other hidden areas. As bed bugs cannot sustain steam heat, you can easily kill them without using any medicine.
These are a few non-medicinal ways to kill bed bugs, although they may not be particularly effective because even a single bed bug left behind can grow into a large army. You can use pesticides and bed bug medicines to kill bed bugs, but make sure you use gloves and a face mask.
Chemicals and medicines to kill bed bugs
Using chemicals and medicines is a faster way to get rid of bed bugs, as they kill them instantly. Some of these medicines may be harmful to the human body, so ensure that you are wearing gloves and a face mask and that there are no pets and babies near the bed bug treatment area.
- The most commonly used bed bug remedies are pyrethrins and pyrethroids. However, because some bedbugs have developed resistance to them, it may not be effective in other circumstances.
- Another chemical that breaks bed bug cells and kills them instantly is pyrroles.
- Neonicotinoids are an efficient bed bug treatment that disrupts the neurological system of the insect. This chemical is effective against bed bugs that have developed resistance to other pesticides.
- Desiccants are chemicals that eat away at the bugs’ protective outer layer. The most common desiccant is neem oil, so spray neem oil on bed bugs, and it will instantly kill them.
Bed bug control services
Hiring a professional pest control service is always advisable, especially in the case of bed bugs since they are so tiny that it may take a lot of time to locate them and kill them. Also, some bed bug medicines may be harmful to you, so booking a professional service provider ensures that everything is done safely. MyGate home services is a professional home services provider that can help you get rid of bed bugs effectively. Following are the various advantages of booking MyGate home services:
- It is very easy to book bed bug control service using the MyGate home services application, where you can find all the service details.
- They send verified professionals whose details are shared with you in advance.
- You do not need to bring anything; the team will arrive with all essential equipment and bed bug medicines.
- They sanitize and clean the area thoroughly before departing, so you don’t have to waste time on after-service tasks.
Conclusion
Getting rid of bed bugs is not a one-time task; you must thoroughly clean bed sheets and covers every week to ensure that no bed bug remains alive. Also, try regularly vacuuming areas near furniture and boxes to avoid bed bugs. One should also check the infested area to ensure that no new bed bug infestation is being built. If there is any, follow the same procedure again.
All the best! Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.
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