How to get rid of Bed Bugs?

Your bed is your comfort zone – the place you want to relax and have a good night’s sleep after a long hard day. Pesky little uninvited guests is the last thing you need; yes, I am talking about bed bugs. These icky brown creatures that are no more than half a centimeter may wreak havoc on your life. They feed on your blood, leaving red marks on your skin, and occasionally flecks of red on your sheet. If you wake up feeling itchy and notice brown tiny specks crawling over your bed, know that your space has been infested.

The situation is obviously gross, and you must be wondering why this is happening to you. Believe it or not, bed bugs have nothing to do with dirt or filth; hence, having bed bugs in your house does not mean that you are dirty. Bed bugs have existed since the beginning of time, and they are simply attracted to warmth. Bed bugs are common in hotel rooms and used furniture, so beware if you travel a lot. They are sort of a parasite because they live on the blood of warm-blooded creatures, though they do not transmit any diseases.

Nonetheless, you don’t want to share your space with an exponentially growing family of blood-sucking bugs, so here’s how you get rid of them:

1.      Spot and Vacuum

The first step is to identify how far out the bugs have spread. Bed bugs are smart, so they know where to hide and avoid being detected. Their tiny narrow bodies allow them to squeeze into tight gaps, such as cracks in furniture and seams of a mattress. You may need a flashlight and magnifying glass to see them, and once you do, vacuum over. The vacuum waste should be sealed and quickly disposed outside the house.

2.      De-clutter and Contain

De-cluttering the area is necessary if you aim for effective removal of bed bugs. Eliminate or seal all the potential hiding places. Remove clothes and other stuff from the floors/under the bed, close open sockets, glue in/tape cracks, and so on. Remove all the contaminated bed linens/clothing, and contain them in an airtight or zip lock bag. Get bedbug proof covers for your mattress and pillows; zip them all the way, so bed bags can neither leave nor enter. Containing bug infested items from a few months to a year will kill the bugs within.

3.      Clean and Kill

Bed bugs can be killed by exposing them to extreme temperatures. You can soak your linens in hot water for about half an hour and then put them in the dryer at the highest heat setting. If there’s stuff that you cannot wash, enclose it in an airtight packet and place in your freezer at 0° F for a couple of days.

4.      Monitor and Repeat

The above mentioned methods are likely to solve your problem, but the bugs may re-appear if you missed a hiding spot and eggs were laid. You may repeat the cleaning procedures, and monitor your place regularly. If you have bug infested furniture that you want to dispose of, label or dismember it, so that nobody else is tempted to take it home.

5.      Call in a Professional

If the DIY approach is in vain, you need to seek help from professionals. Colorado bed bug exterminators have the stuff that will leave your place bug-free in no time. They perform chemical treatments that kill the bugs and wipe out their eggs on the spot. Home remedies take time and effort, or fail if the infestation levels are out of control. Let an expert take care of this crisis and allow yourself to sleep soundly in bed, starting today.