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Did you know that this time of year can be considered “bed bug season?” It’s not an official title or anything like that, but bed bug problems do kick up a notch during wintertime. That’s because humans are integral to the bed bug transferring process.
A person with bed bugs might leave their home with hitchhiking bed bugs on their personal items – such as purses, backpacks or winter coats. And since most people are wearing winter coats right now, the potential for interacting with bed bugs is high. All it takes is a little bad luck in a high-traffic area, and you could be bringing bed bugs home with you tonight.
So what happens if you end up with these critters in your home? Let’s discuss the extermination process.
- This Isn’t Going to be Easy
If I had to rank it, I would say bed bugs are one of the most difficult pest problems to get rid of. Part of the issue is size – bed bugs are very tiny. And since they also prefer to stay hidden, that makes it difficult to locate them all. So regardless of how you choose to handle this issue, understand that it will be a challenge.
- Two Real Options: Treat it Yourself or Hire a Professional
Normally, this decision comes down to money – do you want to spend the money for professional help or not? But for bed bugs, it’s a little more complicated than that.
Because of the difficulties in treating bed bugs, doing it on your own is very time consuming. Bed bugs have a tendency to burrow inside materials to hide, which means you might have to take apart pieces of furniture just to get to them. As for clothing and linens that have bed bugs on them, they need to be washed in hot water or at least put in the dryer for 30 minutes on high heat. Depending on how widespread the infestation is, that could mean a ton of washing for you.
- Professional Help is More Reliable and Thorough
So what’s the professional method? Structural fumigation, just like treating termites. Your home will be inundated with pesticide gas, in order to permeate every nook and cranny of the home. That will ensure every bed bug gets killed, regardless of where they’re hiding. And many pest control companies will offer a guarantee, which means you won’t be on the hook for follow-ups if the problem doesn’t go away.
Of course, you’ll need to vacate your home for 2-3 days during the process. But you should return to a house that’s completely bed-bug-free.
