How Is Pest Control Used for Bed Bugs

Bed bugs. Just the name is enough to give us the heebie-jeebies. These little pests are out for blood, literally. While a bed bug bite may not be life-threatening, they are annoying. They itch and can cause you significant discomfort. Plus, it is rarely just one bite. Bed bugs usually mean a bed bug infestation. That means one bite turns into two, and two turns into many. That is why handling bed bug problems promptly and effectively is so essential.

Why Bed Bugs are a Hassle to Handle Yourself

The first thing to realize is that bed bugs are excellent hiders. While we call them bed bugs, they rarely live in your bed. Bed bugs in your home head to soft surfaces, such as bedding, clothing, and fabric furniture or drapes. However, they live in cracks and crevices. They come out to hunt and feed, then scurry back into their hiding places. That is one of the reasons that many people identify bed bugs from their bites rather than from seeing them in their homes.

At Flick, we recommend DIY solutions when they are practical. We understand saving money, and if you can handle a problem yourself, we try to give you valuable guidance for it. Bed bugs are not a DIY problem. They are one of the most challenging pests to get rid of. They spread quickly and can infest multiple properties. To make matters worse, they are not harmed by most insecticides. So, we suggest hiring a professional to care for your bed bug problems.

What if You Cannot Afford a Pest Control Company

We understand that some people believe they cannot afford to hire a pest control company. If you live in an apartment, we suggest you contact management for help. Because bed bugs move quickly from apartment to apartment, they need to get in professional pest control. They also need to coordinate extermination efforts. If they do not, then you will just get reinfested.

If you live in a standalone house, you can try to tackle bed bugs on your own.

First, figure out where your bed bugs are hiding. Usually, bed bugs hide in bedrooms. They also hide in places where people sit or sleep. So, think about furniture and rooms where people nap. Recliners and sofas are popular spots. If you have identified them in one room, assume other sleeping rooms are infested. Bed bug infestations may start in a single room but spread throughout the home.

You may have heard that you must throw away your bed if you have bed bugs. That is not true. A bedbug infestation is rarely so bad that you must throw away your mattress or bedding. Plus, any new beds or bedding you get will be reinfested if treatment fails. You want to stay in your bed if you are sleeping at home. If not, the bed bugs are just going to follow you into another room.

How to Keep Your Bed Safe

So, you want to make your bed safe to sleep in. Vacuum your mattress and box springs. Double bag your bedding and then wash and dry it in hot water and high heat. Discard the bags. Discard your vacuum bag or thoroughly clean the canister. Then buy bed-bug-proof encasements for your mattress, box springs, and pillows.

Next, thoroughly vacuum your floors. Also, try to vacuum crevices and cracks in your room, such as your baseboards and bed frames. Then, you want to apply insecticide sprays or dust that work on bed bugs. It is essential to follow the directions. You might think using more insecticide will give you better results. It will not, but it can put you, your pets, and your family at risk. You can also place your bed on interceptor cups designed to keep bed bugs from climbing up the bed’s legs and onto the mattress.

Be ready to repeat these steps. Vacuuming can help remove bed bugs, but you will never get them all. Plus, bed bug eggs are difficult to remove. However, frequent vacuuming can help you’re your removal efforts. You want to get into every tiny crack, even if it means taking furniture apart. Applying diatomaceous earth dust can desiccate bed bugs while being non-toxic to your family and pets.

We are Here to Help

If your DIY efforts are not successful, contact us at Flick. We have access to a wide range of pesticides not approved for public use. We can combine insect growth regulators, pyrethrins and pyrethroids, desiccants, boric acid, biochemicals, pyrroles, and more to customize a solution specific to your bed bug problem.