Pest Control Solutions For Bed Bugs

No one wants bed bugs, but once you’ve got them, they can be hard to eliminate. You can get bed bugs in a variety of ways; they can come in through the cracks from a neighboring apartment, they can get in your luggage while staying in an infested hotel room, and they can even be picked up from used clothing or furniture.

While you may not know how you got them, you should be aware of how to get rid of them. There are a few solutions that you can try yourself, and you also have the option of calling a professional.

Before you make any decisions, let’s talk about your choices. Keep reading to learn about pest control solutions for bed bugs.

• Traps

You can make simple traps from double-sided tape or Vaseline. Apply the Vaseline or tape around the legs of your bedposts. Traps can be useful for most areas, but using Vaseline or tape to your mattress can get quite messy, not to mention, you may get some weird looks if you have quests.

• Powder

One of the cheapest and easiest ways to get rid of bed bugs is to use a special powder intended to kill bed bugs. 

To use the powder, you’ll have to remove all bedding and wash all sheets and blankets in warm, soapy water. If you can’t do laundry right away, seal your bedding in a plastic bag until you can wash it. 

Vacuum now, and vacuum often. Be sure to empty the vacuum after each use, sealing the bag and throwing it away in your outside garbage can.

If you have furniture that is infested, discard it. Be sure to destroy the furniture so that no one else wants to claim it as their own. Arrange to have the furniture picked up and sent to the dump as soon as possible.

For areas around your bed, pull your bed out a few inches from the wall, and make sure no bedding touches the ground.

Next, take the powder and cover your bed, as well as any furniture left in the house. Make sure to get in all the little nooks and crannies, as well as the bed spring under your mattress.

• Encasements

Encasements are probably the most involved and expensive solution. Encasements seal your box spring, mattress, and even your pillow(s) to guard against bed bug infiltrations. Bed bugs can survive for over a year without a meal, so aside from being expensive and involved, encasements also require a long-term commitment.

• Call a professional

While DIY exterminations can be useful for some mild bed bug problems, they can just as easily take more time, money, and cause more problems than just calling us, the professionals at San Joaquin Pest Control the first time.