Thoroughly vacuum rugs and floors, including seams of mattresses and box springs. Also, vacuum non-washable furniture cushions, nooks and crannies of wood furniture, and around heating units.
Clean and wash sheets and clothing regularly, drying them on the high heat setting. Caulk cracks where daytime hiding places may exist. Call Pezz Pest Control experts today!
Vacuuming
Thorough vacuuming is an important step in bed bug prevention. Use a special attachment that is designed specifically for mattresses and other fabrics, as well as a crevice tool to get into corners and seams. Make sure you vacuum up every last bit of dirt, dander and shed skins that may be hiding in your mattress. Then immediately dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed garbage bag outside your house. Vacuuming is most effective before a full outbreak, and you should do it regularly.
When vacuuming, pay special attention to rugs and floors near the bed. If you can, remove furniture from the room and vacuum underneath it as well as around the baseboards. You should also vacuum upholstered furniture, such as sofas, armchairs, and bed frames. If you can, focus on areas where you suspect you may have been bitten.
Vacuuming is most effective before — or in conjunction with — professional treatment. It can help kill the bugs and make it easier to treat the infestation. It can also help prevent the spread of bed bugs to uninfested parts of your home, as they tend to return to the areas that are treated.
In addition to vacuuming, it is a good idea to wash all sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water and dry them on the highest heat setting. This will destroy any eggs and will kill any bed bugs that are hiding in the linens. You should also wash clothes and other items that are infested with bed bugs. You should also consider encasing your mattress and box spring. This will prevent bed bugs from crawling up through the mattress.
Experts do not recommend throwing away beds and other furniture if you have a bed bug infestation, as this can spread the bugs to other rooms in your house. However, if you have to discard furniture, be sure to fully seal it in heavy-duty plastic bags before putting it out on the curb. If you are planning to purchase used furniture, ask the seller how they plan to deal with any bed bug problems that may be present.
Encasement
A mattress and box spring encasement keeps bed bugs trapped inside, where they can’t reach your bedding to feed. Encasements are available in a range of materials, from thin cotton to thicker bug-proof fabrics. They also come in different sizes and colors, from light to dark, so you can find one that matches your bedding and décor. Using an encasement in combination with other preventative treatments (such as vacuuming, decluttering, and K9 or thermal treatment) can help you quickly get rid of a bed bug infestation.
These tiny insects are remarkably resourceful and can survive for months between feedings. Plus, they reproduce prolifically; an adult female can lay up to a dozen eggs a day. It’s no wonder that many infestations take over a home before residents are aware of the problem.
Even when people do recognize a bed bug infestation, it can take weeks before the PCO finishes treating the house or apartment building. In the meantime, residents need to continue inspecting, cleaning, and decluttering to prevent the bugs from spreading to other areas of the home or neighbors in a multifamily unit.
In addition to regular vacuuming, residents should declutter their rooms to limit hiding places for the bugs and make it easier to treat an area. This includes getting rid of clothes, books, papers, and other items lying around the floor and under furniture. Keeping rooms clean can also prevent bed bugs from moving in and out of the room as they search for a new feeding source.
When you do move items from an infested area to a clean one, make sure you put them in garbage bags and seal the bags well. Residents should also avoid buying second-hand furniture or mattresses, especially if they live in an apartment building because bed bugs can easily spread between apartments through air vents and other openings.
If you’re in a hurry to get rid of your bed bugs, a lint roller can help suck up any remaining eggs and shed skins. Don’t forget to run any infested clothing, towels, or bedding through the dryer in the hottest setting for 30 minutes to kill bed bugs and their eggs.
Interceptors
Bed bugs, scientifically named Cimex lectularius, are very small parasites that live in secluded areas and hide in small cracks and crevices. They are smart enough to survive without a host for extended periods and travel easily from suite to suite in apartment complexes, hotels, and multi-family homes. They can also hitch rides in suitcases, backpacks, and purses from infested locations, or can be brought home from clothing and furniture stores and even second-hand stores.
If you think that you have a bed bug problem, be proactive. Vacuum and clean regularly, focusing on areas where the bed bugs hide, including underneath and around the mattress, box spring, and frame; the sides and back of the headboard; and baseboards. Use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment to get in and out of seams, crevices, and folds. Vacuum all upholstered furniture, including chairs and sofas. Vacuum rugs and carpeting and use silicon caulk to seal cracks and crevices.
Install interceptor traps under the legs of your bed and other upholstered furniture. Sprinkle a bit of talcum powder on the bottom of each interceptor dish to keep bed bugs from climbing up the side of the trap. Place one under each of the four legs of your bed and any upholstered furniture that you suspect is infested. Make sure to check and clean the interceptors every week, reapplying talcum powder.
If your mattress, box spring, or furniture has stains or marks on it, wash and heat treat those items to kill any bed bugs that may be hiding inside. The hot temperature from the dryer will also kill any eggs. It is important to thoroughly vacuum and disinfect any infested areas, as well.
If you move into a new apartment or hotel, ask the owner what they do to prevent and deal with bed bug infestations. You should also ask your neighbors if they have had any problems. If you buy used furniture, ask how the store handles them, and be sure to bring plastic bags to seal any items that can’t be washed or put in a clothes dryer.
Heat Treatment
The most effective treatment for a bed bug infestation is heat. It’s also the most expensive option, and you’ll need to clear out your home to make room for it. But the pest control operators we spoke with said they’ve seen incredible results with it, and it kills all stages of the bugs (eggs, larvae, and adults). A professional heat treatment is a good idea if you have an extensive infestation or have tried other methods without success.
To get ready for the heat treatment, declutter your space, especially near your bed. Clean or throw out items like rugs, books, and papers, and vacuum thoroughly. If you’re going to discard furniture, fully seal it in heavy-duty garbage bags before disposing of it. It’s best not to move infested items between rooms, as you could spread the bugs. If you do, caulk cracks around baseboards, and make sure the new room is large enough to hold your bed away from the walls so it’s hard for the bugs to crawl up.
Once the PCO starts their heat treatment, open all closet doors and cabinet drawers in infested areas to help the hot air circulate and reach all corners. You’ll need to check these spaces throughout the process, as they can still harbor bed bugs and their eggs.
You can also use a lint roller to pick up any bed bugs, their eggs, or shed skins you find. This is a quick way to make a small pile of these things disappear, but it won’t work as well as vacuuming or encasement.
It’s also important to be careful when you return home from any outing. You can pick up bed bugs in your luggage or on clothing you’ve shopped in, so always carry a lint roller in your bag and be mindful of where you sit or rest during the day. Also, avoid buying new furniture, mattresses, or bedding until you know your infestation is completely gone.