Bed bugs: just hearing the words is enough to make most homeowners squirm. These pests are some of the most difficult to exterminate once they take up residence in your home. However, it is possible to treat them yourself.
Identify the Issue
Bug bites are pretty common at night and are usually the result of a mosquito or a spider. Bed bug bites are unique in that they commonly occur in a line rather than just one single bite, and unlike mosquito bites, they tend to burn. Another tell-tale sign of bed bugs is a sighting of the tiny light brown bugs themselves or their molted skins. It’s important to act immediately as soon as these signs are spotted to treat an infestation before it grows out of hand.
Clear the Bed
First thing’s first—remove all linens and pillows from your bed, sealing them in large plastic bags until you can wash and dry them in hot water. Give your bed frame and headboard a thorough inspection, then move any other furniture in your room to check for bed bugs, vacuuming on, in, and around everything to remove bugs that might be present.
It’s wise to remove all washable items from your room and any surrounding rooms that share walls with the infected room and treat anything that can’t be washed with non-toxic sprays, such as diatomaceous earth.
Treat Affected Areas
While mattresses do tend to be the epicenter of a bed bug infestation, it’s possible for bed bugs to take up residency really anywhere, including sofas, carpets, and other furniture, so make sure you treat everything effectively. While it is possible to wrap your mattress in a bed bug proof cover to eliminate a bed bug problem, it can take up to 400 days to effectively starve them, meaning you can’t remove your mattress cover at all before then.
A steamer can be used to treat the mattress and remove the bugs, but can be very time consuming—the best option may be to dispose of your mattress and buy a new one depending on the extent of your infestation. Or try these 6 home remedies to get rid of bed bugs.
Repeat
After the initial treatment of your room and belongings, if you continue to find bed bug bites on yourself or members of your family, you’ll need to repeat the treatment every 7 to 10 days. Depending on the severity of your infestation, it can take months to fully exterminate these bugs from your home. It’s important to be thorough in your repeat treatments, as failing to do so can extend the length of time it takes to rid these nasty creatures from your home.
Need Some Help?
While treating a bed bug infestation yourself is possible, it takes a lot of time and money. If you find yourself needing some help battling bed bugs, it’s always best to contact a pest control specialist, like the experts you’ll find at Sage Pest Control. We have extensive knowledge of how to best treat bed bug infestations, and the proper products to do so.