How to Get Rid of The Bugs

No-one wants their home infested with bed-bugs. Here's some tips on how to get rid of bedbugs from your home and prevent re-infestation, without calling in professional help.

Get rid of clutter.

• Bed bugs love cluttered areas to hide and breed in. The less clutter you have and the more organized your home is, the easier and more effective bedbug treatment will be.
• Throw away all unneeded items and organize what you are keeping into small piles, limiting bed bug hiding spots and giving yourself plenty of space to start vacuuming and cleaning.

Vacuum your home. Vacuuming removes bed bugs, dirt and small objects that bed bugs use as bedding and shelter. Vacuuming thoroughly will move you closer to bedbug eradication - and will also help you locate possible areas where bed bugs are hiding. You must vacuum each room as though “that” room is heavily infested.

• Vacuum furniture, flooring, bed frames, mattresses, box springs, baseboards, curtains and any other areas that you can reach with your vacuum nozzle.
• If you cannot get down on your hands and knees (required for tight areas suitable for use with small nozzle attachments) have a friend assist you or hire someone locally to complete what you are not capable of.
• Be sure to use a bag type vacuum with a throwaway bag - or carefully empty shop-vac style units into a trash liner capable of securely holding the collected contents.

Clean all fabrics. Bed bugs are very sensitive to heat. One of the easiest ways to kill bedbugs in your clothing and bedding is to dry your items on high heat. Dry your clothes as normal then add an additional 30 minutes. The items should be very hot to touch everywhere: inside pockets, under collars, behind buttons, etc.

• If your fabrics can handle it, clean all of your bedding, clothes, curtains and dressing, sheets, pillow cases, pillows, bed skirting, luggage and other garments on the highest heat possible. Bedbugs are very flat-as flat as one sheet of paper. If you can fit a piece of paper in the crack, then a bedbug can get in there. Be meticulous!
• Keep cleaned clothing separate from untreated items.
• Take the time to wash and dry, anything and everything that is washable. When using the dryer, don't pack the stuff in. Keep it very loose. You want every nook and cranny of the clothes to reach lethal temperature and kill the bedbugs. Remember, you are getting rid of a horrible insect that has been drinking your blood while you sleep – take the time to do it right the first time.

Lightly spray insecticide onto all areas where bed bugs may be present. A light misting is usually sufficient and this process should be repeated in seven days, and again monthly to help prevent re-infestation.

• Using insecticide, thoroughly mist and clean all household items including tables, sofas, couches, bed frames, cabinets, wall units, molding, wall and window dressing, chairs, shelving and all other objects since bed bugs can hide virtually anywhere.
• Spray down your entire kitchen, bath, mattresses seams and bedding, box spring, mattress, woodwork, fixtures.
• Remove all he light switch coverings and electric socket coverings and carefully spray exposed areas as well as any cracks and surrounding woodwork.
• Turn all wood furniture upside down and remove any removable parts like table legs and spray as well.
• Lift large decorative vases and spray the bottoms where bedbugs like to lay their eggs.
• Bed bugs have the ability to squeeze into the smallest of places and special inspection of all cracks and crevices should be performed.

Steam fabric and furniture. Steaming bed bug hiding areas is one of the most effective control applications available. If at all possible, do not skip this step of the treatment process.Bed bugs - and their eggs - cannot tolerate steam. Steam has the ability to travel deeply into areas that are out of reach, killing bed bugs in their nesting areas and stopping population growth in its tracks.

• Be sure to use a unit that has a high temperature setting with a strong vapor flow. Adjust settings so that the steam does not blow the bed bugs away. You want the steam to flow over the bugs and eggs in a fashion similar to “fog” like that of a fogger used as Halloween props. The slow moving heated steam will cover a large area and kill on contact.
• Always opt for dry steam which will allow for faster drying times and will reduce the possibility of garment or object damage. Steam each and every crevice in your property, getting down on the floor and utilizing any included attachments to steam even the smallest of hiding areas.
• Steam inside of and behind baseboards, small holes in walls or flooring, carpets, bedding, furniture, curtains, inanimate objects, fixtures, cabinets and any possible non-electrical area that you can reach. An intricate search for all bed bugs and bed bug routes must be performed in order to be 100% effective. You only need to steam treat once and the more meticulous you are - the better the results.
• Read your steam unit instructions thoroughly and become familiar with the operation and how it produces steam. Take your time and be sure to steam everything and everywhere that is within reach. Bed bugs hide behind wall pictures, under lamps and even inside of drawer handles so your treatment must be thorough.

Properly caulking all cracks and crevices will prevent bed bugs from finding their way back into your home and make your maintenance treatments easier. The final - and one of the most important - steps in preventing re-infestation of bedbugs is caulking.

• Apply caulk to every possible crack and crevice that bed bugs can squeeze through. Be sure to check ceilings, floors, outlet covers, piping entry and all other areas that are susceptible to travel by bed bugs. Check your caulk applications after a few days for shrinkage.

Keep it up.Proper weekly and monthly follow up treatments will help prevent re-infestation while treating for any bed bugs you may have missed during your initial stage treatments.

• Keep your property clean and clutter-free to avoid providing hiding spots for bed bugs.
• Remember to inspect any items that enter your home such as furniture, books, or clothing. Keep a watchful eye out for starter infestations which may consist of only 1 or 2 bed bugs. *Change bed linens weekly and be sure to wash bed linens in hot water (at least 98 F).
• Regularly check with other family members to see if they are experiencing any bite signs or rashes which may be a signal that bed bugs have arrived again.
• Vacuum weekly to remove dust and debris that may have accumulated and lightly mist all cleanable surfaces and objects with insecticide.
• Stay on schedule with your regular monthly maintenance treatments.