Dealing with a bed bug infestation is no fun at all. Although bed bugs don’t carry disease, they are a terrible nuisance. In addition to bites that can itch something awful, the presence of bed bugs can lead to a lack of sleep and even insomnia. There are a few things that you can do to prevent bed bugs and a few ways that you can get rid of them; however, odds are you won’t be able to completely eliminate them without the aid of a bed bug specialist.
Preventing a bed bug infestation – There’s a common misconception that bed bugs are only attracted to dirty areas of the world. This isn’t true: bed bugs can easily travel from one spot to another, which means you can find bed bugs in five star hotels just like you may be able to find them in the slums of a third world country. This doesn’t mean you are powerless to prevent them from infesting your home. There are a few precautions that you can take. Because bed bugs tend to spread the most through travel, you should always be careful about where you stay. Always check for bedbugs where you are staying. You can do this by looking for bed bugs or the small blood spots they leave along the seams of the mattress and along the edges of the box springs. Check the bed’s headboard and any furniture in the room as well. When you get home, put all the clothes that you took with you in the laundry to be washed and dried on the highest settings. Be very careful about buying used furniture as well. You should be especially wary about any wood furniture. Keep your home clean in order to take away potential hiding spots for bed bugs. You should also consider using caulk to seal holes around your baseboards and molding.
Getting rid of bed bugs – If your home does become infested with bed bugs, then there are a number of things you can do to get rid of them. Just remember that completely eliminating all bed bugs as well as their eggs is a tough task, one that a bed bug specialist is better trained to do. First of all, you can use rubbing alcohol to spray any bed bugs on sight, thereby killing them instantly. Upon finding bed bugs, immediately take all the clothes and sheets in your home and wash them at a minimum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit in order to kill any bed bugs. Use a vacuum cleaner and methodically go around the house vacuuming every part of your floor in order to suck up bed bugs and their eggs. Be sure to vacuum your mattress and box spring as well. Remember to dispose of the contents in the vacuum in a sealed trash bag. Another good idea is to steam clean your carpets in order to kill off any remaining bugs and eggs.
Hiring a bed bug specialist – A bed bug specialist is trained to completely eliminate all bed bugs. Cat’s Eye King International Inc. uses an integrated pest management plan in order to do so. This plan begins with the bed bug specialist inspecting your home in order to get a clear picture of your infestation. The affected area will then be cleared and all clutter will be removed. A heat treatment will be applied to the area in order to kill all bed bugs. Non-chemical pesticides are preferred, and pesticides with chemicals are only used if absolutely needed.