Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects that can leave itchy red spots or rashes on your skin. They can also be incredibly hard to get rid of once they start to infest your home or hotel room.
There are a number of ways to kill bedbugs at home. These steps may not work for all infestations, but they are a great way to start killing them before you need professional help.
Vacuuming
One of the most effective ways to kill bed bugs is through vacuuming. This is a tried and tested method that can be used to suck up both adults and eggs in an infestation, reducing the number of these pests.
Vacuuming can also help to reduce the amount of dander and other allergens that accumulate in our homes. It is a great way to improve our physical and mental health.
It’s important to be very careful when using a vacuum, especially in hidden corners and nooks and crannies. The suction of your vacuum needs to be strong so you can suck up the insects without much effort.
Make sure that you vacuum thoroughly and if necessary repeatedly. It is also a good idea to use the edger tool of your vacuum if it has one. This can help to remove bed bugs from wall areas that have nooks and crannies.
Heat Treatment
Heat treatment is one of the best ways to kill bedbugs. It can be used to kill all three life stages (eggs, nymphs and adults) at once, so you won’t have to worry about them coming back.
When done properly, a bed bug heat treatment will eliminate all of the bugs in your home. It also doesn’t leave any residual effects like a chemical treatment can.
To do a heat treatment, the exterminator will use a heater that heats your room to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This kills all of the eggs, nymphs and adults within minutes.
While high temperatures are effective, they can be dangerous for sensitive items, so some care should be taken during a heat treatment to avoid damage.
Before you decide to heat your home, make sure that everything that can be heated is sealed in plastic bags. This includes electronics, plants, candles, soap, food and anything else that could melt or become damaged in the heat.
Insecticides
Insecticides can be a great tool to use when treating for bed bugs. They are often effective in getting rid of the infestation when done correctly by a licensed pest management professional (PMP).
Insecticide products come in many forms. They can be sprays, liquids, or aerosols. Some of these products can be very toxic, so it is important to read the label carefully.
Some insecticides are contact poisons, meaning they need to be sprayed directly onto the bug to kill it. They also don’t work on eggs or bugs that are hiding.
Other types of insecticides are residual pesticides. These work well in cracks and crevices, such as under the baseboards or electrical outlets.
These insecticides include organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids. These chemical weapons act on the nervous system to produce a variety of effects including cholinesterase inhibition, acetylcholine accumulation at neuromuscular junctions and the twitching of voluntary muscles.
Chemical Treatment
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to kill because they develop resistance to many pesticides, and their cryptic lifestyle makes it hard to spot them. Thankfully, there are more effective treatments available than ever before, and we can help you get rid of these pesky pests once and for all.
Chemical treatment involves the use of several different chemical agents throughout the home to eradicate bed bugs. Typically, we will use three types of chemicals: A fast-acting contact insecticide for easy to reach surfaces (like mattresses and sofas), a residual chemical to kill bed bugs on an ongoing basis, and pesticide-based dust to provide a longer-lasting barrier in cracks and crevices in and around the home.
Chemical treatment can take a few weeks to fully eradicate the infestation and requires multiple visits from a pest exterminator. However, it leaves a residual that can help prevent re-infestation in the future.