How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

If you're wondering how to get rid of bed bugs, you've come to the right place. We're the experts in pest control measures, so we can help guide you through a bed bug infestation to get your home free from these little critters as soon as possible. While there might be some DIY methods you can try to get rid of bed bugs, they are persistent little pests. There is a good chance you will require the help of a professional pest control company to get rid of bed bugs completely.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small insects that are known to thrive in the moist conditions found in bed sheets. They feed on their human hosts during the night, so the first sign that you have bed bugs might be large red welts on your body. Bed bug bites are typically seen in a straight line.

Understanding the life cycle of a bed bug can help you to understand how advanced and serious your bed bug problem is. An adult bed bug can live for 6-12 months, which is why two to three visits from your expert pest controller might be required. If any bugs survive the first treatment, they can quickly repopulate.

Bed bug hiding places include furniture and bed frames, as well as mattresses, and bedding. They're also known to hitch a ride on suitcases, which is why hotel rooms are often hot spots for a bed bug problem. There is a myth that a foam mattress will protect you from bed bugs. While they can't live in foam, they will be more than happy living in other crevices close to your bed.

How do you know if you have a bed bug infestation?

Bed bugs like to bite residents, so you might wake up with itchy bites on your legs and body. Bed bug bites can be single bites or more extensive. You might also notice the signs of a bed bug infestation in your bed sheets in the morning. They leave small rusty red marks on light-coloured bedding. They also emit a smell that is similar to almonds, coriander or raspberries. With a more advanced bed bug infestation, the smell might be like rust.

Adult bed bugs shed their skin and leave the casings around, and these are typically found in bed frames and box springs. Bed bug eggs are very small but visible to the naked eye. They are small white dots, about the thickness of a credit card and as thin as a pin point. If you identify bed bugs in your home, it's time to call in a pest control professional. And if you notice the signs of bed bugs in a hotel, you might want to find alternative accommodation.

Where do bed bugs hide?

Bed bugs favourite hiding places include furniture and bedding. They are attracted to the warm and moist environment in your bed, but they also like nearby furniture such as bedside tables, box springs and other furniture found in the bedroom. They are also known to hide in loose wallpaper, light sockets and electrical outlets close to your bed. This is why it is vital to quarantine furniture that you buy second hand, as it could be carrying an unwelcome bedbug infestation.

To do this, you should place the furniture in a plastic container or with its base in a plastic bag. Leave it for a few nights to see if you spot any bed bugs falling out of the furniture. If you do, you can either apply a bed bug treatment, or you might consider getting rid of the furniture. By keeping it in a plastic bag or box – also known as bed bug interceptors – you'll avoid allowing the bed bugs to spread any further.

Now you know how to identify a bed bug infestation and where they like to hide, we can now look at how to get rid of bed bugs.

How to get rid of bed bugs

To kill bed bugs, you'll either need to use extreme cold or extreme heat treatments. This means freezing clothing and soft furnishings while using steam treatment methods on carpets, your bed frame and box spring to eliminate all the bugs.

Washing your bedding at your usual 30-40 degree wash isn't enough to kill bed bugs and their eggs. You'll need to wash at the highest possible heat setting to deal with a bed bug problem. If you have been on holiday and learned that the hotel had a bed bug infestation too late, then freeze the clothes you took with you. To do this, place the items in a plastic bag and place this is a deep freezer. It needs to be very cold to completely kill bed bugs.

In the infested room, you'll need to kill bugs using steam treatments. A steam cleaner will help to get into small cracks where bed bug eggs can thrive. For upholstered furniture, such as an upholstered bedframe, you might need more advanced methods to kill bedbugs without damaging your bedframe.

How do you kill bed bugs?

The best way to kills bed bugs instantly is by using a pest control company. They will use bug bombs to fog a room and eliminate bed bugs. They will die instantly on contact with the bug bomb, but only a professional exterminator should use these methods to treat an entire room. They will use treatments that are approved by the environmental protection agency to ensure you can kill bedbugs instantly.

How to you prevent bedbugs from returning?

There is no way to prevent bed bugs other than through vigilance and following a few simple rules.

• When you return from travelling, never place your suitcase on your bed. Always wash your clothing at high temperatures and keep you luggage out of the bedroom.
• If you purchase second hand furniture, keep it in a quarantine area or use a heat treatment such as steam to make sure it isn't carrying any unwelcome visitors.
• Wash your bedding regularly and look for the signs of a bed bug infestation. Acting quickly at the first sign of bed bugs can make it easier to get rid of bed bugs.
• If you are staying in a hotel and find bed bugs, don't stick around. Find another place to stay and inform the reception team that they need to call in bed bug control.

Final thoughts

If you've come here to find out how to get rid of bed bugs, we hope this article has been helpful. The most common bed bug treatment is to call in the professionals, as this is the best way to get rid of all the bedbugs in your home at once. For more advanced infestations, multiple visits might be required. Get in touch today if you're struggling with bed bugs and need help to control bed bugs in your home or other types of pests.