How to Kill Bed Bugs

Are you bugged by bed bugs? Do you find that, after airing out your bed linens and trying all kinds of things, you still have these pests creeping over your skin? Do not despair. Following some simple methods will help you kill bed bugs once and for all. However, if the infestation is severe, consider enlisting the services of a professional exterminator.

1. Hot Water

Bed bugs can not survive in hot water. Wash everything that is infested—or that could have been infested—with hot water. This will get rid of any minor infestations.

2. Vacuum

Thoroughly vacuum your living space. If your bed bug infestation has happened due to travel, vacuum your travel bag and everything else that you had taken on your trip. Be thorough, because hatchlings can move even through tiny stitch holes.

3. Sunlight

Place any items that cannot be vacuumed or washed in hot water in direct sunlight. This will not only kill bed bugs, but will also prevent their eggs from hatching.

4. Avoid Sprays

Sprays and other pesticides have limited impact on bed bugs. These are just a waste of money since the only pesticides that work on bed bugs are the ones that work in direct contact with them. The aerosols have little or no effect.

5. Protect Your Mattress

Buy a mattress encasement. This will form a casing around your mattress so that bugs can not get out and will starve to death. However, this will not be effective in cases of severe infestation.

6. Get an Exterminator

The best way to get rid of bed bugs is by making use of a professional exterminator. This might be a bit more expensive than sprays and other methods, but this is the most effective method to get rid of them permanently. Exterminators would usually use steam to kill bed bugs in places that you are more likely to touch. In other places, they use steaming with chemicals to flush them out.

When choosing a professional exterminator, keep the following in mind.

The Right Exterminator

Approach only qualified pest-control companies. There are numerous people who claim to offer new and less expensive approaches to exterminate bed bugs. However, there is no guarantee that these will work and that you will get your money’s worth. The best companies to go with would be those who are in the market for at least five years.

The Right Methods

Ensure that the exterminators use effective bug control methods and pesticides. If heat is going to be used, remember that bugs die only when the temperature is at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not let pest control companies drain your pocket and then use methods such as bug foggers or bug bombs. These do not work.

Follow-Up Service

Exterminators are quite costly. Ensure that when you get an exterminator, you get one that provides follow-up services as well. These follow-up visits are critical in complete bed bug elimination.