How to get rid of bed bugs at home can be a complex process.  But there is no need to worry as there are various ways to deal with this problem.

Bed bugs are parasites that like to feed off of the blood of humans and warm-blooded animals.   These parasites have been infesting human civilization for thousands of years.  Although infestations were mostly eradicated in early 1940s and 1950s from North America, there has been significant growth in occurrence since 1995.  Nowadays, these blood-sucking pests have become a growing nuisance for homes throughout the U.S. and in most parts of the world.  This is the big reason for the growing question of how to get rid of bed bugs at home?

Bed bug infestations may not be totally wiped out but there are some known solutions on how to get rid of them.  However, there is no guarantee to a quick solution to this problem but a combination of inspection, chemical and non-chemical treatments, and close post-treatment monitoring should be adopted for effective control of bed bugs.  This article will help you understand more about bed bugs such as common places of infestations, how to detect infestations, and the process on how to get rid of bed bugs.

Common Places of Bed Bug Infestations

Buildings, homes, hotels, condominiums and many other dwellings can become infested with bed bugs.  Since they are thin and flat, they easily creep and thrive in cracks and crevices in the wall or floors.  They can also be found in the folds and creases of mattresses, chairs, soft furnishings, and even on the sides of picture frames, tables, beds, electrical sockets, and so on.  Sometimes, travelling can pick up bed bugs too.  Wherever these parasites may thrive, it has been observed that they tend to gather in dark areas which are shielded from sunlight.

How to Detect Infestations

Your home can be infested with bed bugs and you don’t even notice it.  There are tell-tale signs of bed bug infestations that you should look out for in your home.  Some obvious signs of infestations are blood stains and dark spots on your mattress or sofa.  The blood stain could be a result of you rolling over an adult bed bug full of blood.  The dark spots are stains left from the parasite’s fecal matter.  Also, if you notice empty skins of these insects around your bed or other soft fixtures, chances are you have a bed bug infestation and are now asking yourself how to get rid of bed bugs at home.

An infestation can also be identified through a bite pattern on the skin of the host.  If you see a linear group of three bites, then it is possible than there are bed bugs lurking around your home.  Some bed bug bites will leave a single mark but most of the time they bite in this pattern since they are intermittent feeders.  A serious bed bug infestation will leave an area with a sweetish, buggy smell but sometimes this is not noticeable.  The odor can be compared to coriander, almonds, cilantro, or rotten raspberries.

Steps on How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs at Home

Treatments on how to get rid of bed bugs at home can vary but it is necessary to remediate bed bug infestations as soon as possible.   Start by conducting a thorough inspection around your house.  Look at your mattress closely and look for the signs.  If you see holes or rips, this could mean that the parasites are breeding and thriving inside the mattress.  Check your furniture, floor, and walls – the popular hiding places of bed bugs.  Once you have confirmed an infestation, the next step on how to get rid of the bed bugs is to implement a chemical or non-chemical treatment to get rid of the bed bugs.

1.  Chemical Treatment – Chemical sprays or insecticides can be applied into the cracks and crevices of your floor or wall, infested box springs, bed frames, mattresses or furniture.  To ensure effective treatment, always make sure to follow the label instructions of the insecticide you are using.  You may also call in professional pest exterminator to do the job for you as they are more knowledgeable and have the right kind of insecticide solution and tools for any degree of bed bug infestation.  If you have heard of insect growth regulators (IGR’s) registered for use on bed bugs, use it and apply it to the parasites appropriately.  This insect regulator works by mimicking insect growth hormones and stopping its development into the next growth stage.  This process will eventually lead to deformation and death of the parasite.

If you decide to use pesticides, make sure that you choose those that have been historically proven to be effective.  Excessive application of these chemicals however, has resulted in insects’ resistance to the pesticides and over time, concerns on the negative health effects of the chemical have been raised.  Extreme care should be taken in using insecticides as they can be very hazardous and toxic especially around children and pets. 

2.  How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs at Home With No-chemical Treatment – To get rid of bed bugs without using harmful chemicals, you can start by removing all your beddings and soft furnishings.  Have them laundered thoroughly at high temperature.  Vacuum all furniture inside and out to get rid of bed bug eggs and nymphs which with our naked eyes can be very hard to spot.  Follow it up with a stem cleaner, if you have one, to kill any remaining eggs.  Now for the cracks where these insects bury themselves, clear them all out and seal them.

In this whole cleaning operation, don’t forget to vacuum all corners of the room including picture frames, tables, magazines, and other things in the area.  If you leave these things out, there just might be bed bugs hiding in them that will soon multiply.  Lastly, dispose highly infected items. Once you have applied a chemical or non-chemical treatment, ensure monitoring of further bed bug activity.  This will ensure success to your control procedure.  If you still find some bed bugs, implement additional control measures until your home is free of the parasites.

Bed bugs are tough insects and after treatment, they can still be seen alive for up to 2 weeks but now in small numbers.  All in all, good housekeeping, general awareness, and the appropriate bed bug extermination treatment are crucial on how to get rid of pesky bed bugs in your home successfully.

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If you’d like to know more specifics about how to get rid of bed bugs at home, simply click here to for a full report from bed bug expert Michael Romner.