Bed bugs are becoming an infestation in the United States. Recently there have been many occurrences in motels, hotels, and people’s homes. Traveling by plane from other countries, people are bringing these pests home with them. Staying in infested motels and hotels people can unknowingly bring home unwelcome “guests” in their suitcases.
Bedbugs can live for up to a year without a blood host. They prefer to cluster together in hiding spots. Beds are most popular with bedbugs, hence their name. This is where the host is for a long time during the dark of night when the bedbugs will come out and feast. They will remain as close to the host as possible.
Bedbugs don’t like extreme heat, so steaming the bed, mattress, drapes, around pictures on the walls, in the closet, in the suitcases, and around the entire room, concentrating on any cracks and crevices where the bugs may hide is best. Make sure to do the entire bed, tearing off the liner of the box spring to treat that area also. This steam cleaning is an integrated approach to pest control.
If you are intent on tossing out that infected mattress, you will need to cover it with plastic before taking it out of your home. Otherwise you will infect other areas of your home with the bedbugs that will drop off the mattress as you drag it from room to room. Bag all the linens in the room before removing them from the room to launder.
If you feel this is too much to handle on your own, consult a pest control specialist. Using a small pest control company may not be the answer. Try a nationally known company for best results.
2 responses so far ↓
1 sue // Mar 9, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I have been infested with bed bugs, my house is unfinished slump block. I have professionally treated the entire unit twice and still see activity. What can I do?
2 Rosie // Mar 9, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Did you use an exterminator or did you treat the house by yourself? Bed bugs can be very hard to get rid of. Most exterminators will not give any warranty with their service. Did you wash all your clothing, linens, curtains in hot water? Heat will kill the bed bugs. Did you check behind pictures, behind all the furniture, under the furniture? Did you pull out the drawers of the dressers and check underneath? Did you check the inside of the dresser once the drawers were pulled out? You have to check everywhere! Unfortunately, it’s not any easy job, which is why professionals charge so much to get rid of bed bugs. An exterminator can spend at least 2 hours in just one bedroom getting rid of these pests. You have to clean everything. Get yourself a steam cleaner and use that on every surface in the room. Also check other rooms, because you may have taken the bed bugs with you into those other rooms and not realized it. Just because they are called bedbugs doesn’t mean they limit themselves to your bed! They will stay as close as possible to their host- YOU! Please respond to this comment so I know what you have done. I may have some other ideas of what you can do. I need to contact my personal source for more information. I also advise you to purchase a zippered bed covering for the mattress instead of tossing it out. Mattresses are too expensive. A covering can be bought at the larger department stores just as Sears or J.C. Penneys. The cost might be a bit high, but you should be able to find one. Be wary when you sleep at someone’s home or in a motel or hotel. Check the mattress for any debree (looks like crumbs) which will mean there just may be bedbugs in that room. Never put your belongings on the floor, including your purse or suitcase as bedbugs will hide in there. Remember that they like dark places.
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