3 Tips For Dealing With A Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bugs are tiny oval shaped insects that live on blood and typically infest things such as mattresses, box springs, and headboards. These pests typically survive by biting people while they are sleeping and feeding on their blood. Unfortunately, bug begs can easily enter a home in luggage, clothing, or used mattresses or upholstered furniture. When an infestation becomes severe, it can be very difficult to eradicate these little bugs, so it is best to start treatment at the first sign of bed bugs in your home. If you have bed bugs in your home, take the following steps:
Begin Washing Household Items
While bed bugs typically live in or around a bed, they can quickly spread through the house and find new hiding spaces. Once you discover bed bugs, it is essential to be diligent about washing all bedding, curtains, linens, and clothing on the longest setting your washer has in water that is hot as possible. Some people like to repeat this process several times to ensure that the items come out of the wash bed bug free. Everything should then be dried on the longest cycle a dryer has at the highest heat setting.
Consider Replacing your Mattress and Box Spring
If you have a serious bed bug infestation, one of the easiest ways to start to get the problem under control is by having your mattress and box spring removed and purchasing a new set. IF this is not an option, you may also opt to buy specially made covers that fit tight around the mattress and box spring and zip closed; these covers prevent any bed bugs from escaping, and they will eventually die.
Hire a Professional Exterminator
Since bed bugs are one of the more difficult pests to get rid of, it is worth the money to hire a professional pest control company to perform several bed bug treatments in your home. A professional exterminator (like those at Arab Termite and Pest Control) will know all of the signs of bed bugs and will most likely to track down their hiding spots. There are several ways that exterminators deal with bed bugs—some use sprays and pesticides, while others use high heat treatments to kill the bugs. If you have pets or kids living in the home, it is important to mention it to your exterminator so he or she can develop a treatment plan that will not negatively effect them. After bed bugs are eradicated from your home, it is a good idea to have the pest control company come back every few months to do an inspection and ensure that no bed bugs have returned.