Get Rid of Bedbugs

Bed bugs are a common and resilient pest that hide in mattresses. They can be transferred very easily and have built up immunity to many insecticides. Their bites leave painful, itchy, red splotches on human skin. Getting rid of them can be a pain, but it is definitely possible. Here is a step-by-step guide for how to get rid of bedbugs:

[dropcap style="square"]1[/dropcap] Investigate the location and the extent of the infestation. Look for the bugs themselves, their eggs, and their light brown, molten skins when locating the problem area. Dark patches of their waste may be present along mattress seams or anywhere they have resided. Removing the gauze fabric underneath box springs must be removed to inspect and treat that area. Cracks and crevices in wooden bed frames are also favorite bed bug hiding spots, so check those as well. Check other pieces of furniture: cushions on sofas and chairs, corners of drawers, along the edges of carpeting, etc.

[dropcap style="square"]2[/dropcap] Dispose of hazardous materials. It might be best to completely discard infested mattresses or box springs because eliminating the infestation is so difficult. If you are looking for an alternative to throwing the mattress away, you can attempt to place a bed bug proof mattress cover over the mattress and stave the bugs to death slowly. Unfortunately, this takes up to 400 days, so you will have to make sure you mattress stays covered for at least that long. This method is not foolproof, so simply throwing out the old mattress is recommended.

[dropcap style="square"]3[/dropcap] Treat your home. It is helpful to use an integrated pest management approach to ridding your home of bed bugs. Bag infected items and put them in the laundry. Use hot water and dry on a hot setting.
For individual items that can’t be laundered, extreme heating or cooling will terminate the bugs. Wrap individual items in plastic bags and leave them in a sunny location for several days. Try to heat them to a temp of 122 degrees. Items that are difficult to clean can also be sprayed with non-toxic bug spray and left in bags for several months.
Steam is also effective at killing bed bugs. You can purchase a steamer or use a kettle, then point the steam directly on the infected areas. Steaming works well for corners and edges of furniture. This should eliminate a great number of the bugs.
Vacuum to remove unseen eggs or bugs. Discard of the vacuum’s contents in a sealed bag. Steam cleaning the carpet also works well.
Repair loose corners of wall paper and cracks in plaster so that the bugs won’t have places to hide.
Consider insecticides. If you do use them, you might have to repeat them to reap the full benefits because of un-hatched eggs.

[dropcap style="square"]4[/dropcap] Prevent a resurgence.
Here are a few ways to avoid this problem in the future:

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[li]Be wary of secondhand furniture, especially beds.[/li]
[li]Examine beds for bug signs when traveling.[/li]
[li]Keep luggage elevated and away from the floor.[/li]
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If you follow these tips on how to get rid of bedbugs, you should be able to keep these nasty insects from ever taking up residence in your home again!