If you’ve discovered that your apartment or house is infested with bed bugs, don’t panic! There are several excellent bed bug treatments available that can help get rid of the infestation.
There are many ways to treat and kill bed bugs. The top five bed bug treatment recommended by pest control experts are:
- Vacuuming
- Thermal steam treatment
- Non-toxic bed bug spray
- Mattress covers
- Diatomaceous earth
Vacuuming
Once you realize you have a bed bug infestation, you’ll want to get rid of as many of them as possible right away. One excellent way of doing so is to thoroughly vacuum the bed, mattress, and room. Start with the bedroom: check your mattress and box springs carefully and vacuum thoroughly. Remember that bed bugs burrow deep and hide; dig deep into crevices and be sure to vacuum every potential hiding place. Don’t forget to get the floor and carpets surrounding the bed, and all the bedding as well.
Once you’re finished, seal the mattress with an impermeable cover to starve and kill off any remaining bugs that may have evaded your vacuum cleaner. Then seal the vacuum bag and trash it in a closed garbage can outside the house. You don’t want to let a single one of the pests to escape and return to your apartment or house! Machine wash your bedding with laundry detergent with the temperature set to the hottest settings. Wash the curtains as well; as bed bugs may have leaped onto them while you were vacuuming.
Thermal Treatment
Thermal treatment is another effective form of bed bug treatment. Choose a dry steam cleaner that uses high temperature and low level of vapors. You want to limit the amount of vapor coming out of the steamer to prevent molds from growing on treated areas. No sense in exchanging one pest for another!
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You should also ask about the temperature of the steamer whether it is able to produce a minimum 200 degrees Fahrenheit at the tip. A high temperature at the tip is required so that it will be able to kill off all bed bugs and their eggs hidden deep inside the mattress, whereas most conventional steamers don’t produce such intense temperatures that will penetrate deep within the mattress to reach the hidden bugs.
Begin the treatment with your mattress, and steam every inch at very close range. Be sure to cover every crack and crevice with steam. Do the same with pillows, cushions, and bedding. The high temperature steam and heat will kill most of the bed bugs. Thermal steam is generally not considered a complete bed bug treatment; ideally, you should follow the steam treatment with a further treatment of insecticides and a bed bug proof encasement to prevent a re-infestation inside the mattress.
Non-Toxic Bed Bug Sprays
The best bed bug sprays should be non-toxic, rather than relying on poison that can be harmful to humans or pets living inside the house. They use natural enzymes to kill the bugs, which are safe for humans and animals. It’s not difficult to find non-toxic bed bug sprays that are used commercially by pest control exterminators. One such insecticide is Steri-fab bed bug spray that is virtually odorless and completely harmless to humans and pets… except for bed bugs!
Similarly, treatment with sprays alone generally may not be sufficient to end an established bed bug infestation alone. One should always combined the treatment with thorough vacuuming as well as steam treatment to get the desired results in exterminating bed bugs.
Bed Bug Proof Mattress Covers
Impermeable mattress covers are another great way to go if you are looking to protect yourself and your family members from bed bug bites. You can find covers that are 100% impermeable bed bug proof encasement with 360-degree zippers. Once sealed, bed bugs or dust mites get trapped and neither can get in nor get out; and will perish inside the encasement.
Ideally, a bed bug mattress cover should be left on for at least a year before removing it to be wash again since bed bugs can survive even without any food for several months.
Diatomaceous Earth
Yet another effective treatment for killing bed bugs is Diatomaceous earth. This is a natural sedimentary rock that crumbles easily into a fine powder. The powder is highly porous and an effective natural insecticide that works to dehydrate the waxy cuticle of the bugs that covers the exoskeleton, causing them to asphyxiate and die. It can also be used to kill fleas and roaches other than bed bugs. This is generally considered another “partial” treatment; it should be used in tandem with other bed bug treatments.
Diatomaceous earth also works very well as a defense perimeter when sprinkle around the bed frame for bed bug prevention as well as for killing bed bugs.
