How to Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Fast
Introduction
There’s nothing in the world more annoying than a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are small, hide in crevices, and incredibly persistent. They often are cited as being resilient, but not if you take care of them properly. When it comes to dealing with bed bugs, pay attention to the details in the instructions. The methods to getting rid of bed bugs have been tried, tested and are true. If you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs fast, follow this advice. The instructions here need to be followed precisely, without skipping over anything.
When we use the word “fast”, we mean it, but only if you work quickly to get rid of the infestation completely. It takes effort, but it is possible. Of course, you can always go the expensive route and hire pest control to take care of the problem for you. However, by doing things yourself, you are equipping yourself with knowledge about how to prevent them from ever coming back.
Three Parts
There are three main parts to getting rid of bed bugs comprehensively: sanitation, removal, and prevention.
Wash All Fabrics
Cleaning all the fabrics is the first thing you need to do when you notice a bed bug infestation. Wash all your sheets, pillows, blankets, bed skirts, rugs, bedside tablecloths, and your clothing on the highest heat setting permitted. For items that forbid washing by requiring you to “dry clean only”, the dryer will work. After the washing machine is done with them, dry each one in the dryer, with the highest temperature setting for a minimum of 30 minutes. This may mean that some of your delicates may be harder to clean, if not impossible. Remember, clothing is replaceable, and if you need to toss anything in the trash, then trash it. Just don't forget to tie the bag and take it out immediately.
Vacuum
While your fabrics are being washed, vacuum your room or house. Make sure your vacuum has a crevice tool for getting under box springs, the edges of carpeting, and every nook and cranny you might find in your bedroom. Vacuum the mattress thoroughly ~ top, bottom, sides, and on both sides of the sewing seams. If you have any tears or holes in your mattress where bed bugs might hide, toss the mattress and buy a new one. Your mattress needs to be in one complete piece, or you‘ll never find every last bedbug. Part of the process of vacuuming means organizing the little messes around the room or house. Clean up the little piles of letters, items, magazines, or anything else where bed bugs like to hide.
Before you vacuum your room or house, head to your grocery store and buy a small dish brush with plastic bristles. Use it as you vacuum your mattress as it will loosen any eggs that are stuck on the mattress. Often the power of the vacuum alone will not pick up these eggs, but the brush can. Brush a small area, then immediately vacuum. Repeat the process on the entire mattress. It sounds like a daunting task, but if you move briskly, a queen size mattress can be done in less than 20 minutes.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning comes next. Steam cleaning is the way professional pest control companies clean your house, and there’s no need to pay more for something you can do yourself. If you do not have a steam cleaner readily available, look into purchasing one. Not only is the price of a steam cleaner a small fraction of the price professional pest control companies charge, but there are numerous other uses around the house where you can put your new steam cleaner to work. Once again, just like the vacuum, get every nook and cranny, using the dish brush when necessary.
Bed bugs are incredibly resilient to chemicals. If you think chemicals are the answer, perish the thought. Instead, bedbugs are weak to heat. It used to cost over $2,500 per room for a professional pest control company to get rid of bed bugs using steam. They would remove any perishables in the room like paper materials and superheat the entire room using steam. There are much cheaper ways, and even vacuuming your mattress requires less work than this professional method.
Diatomaceous Earth
One of the amazing materials that work like a charm is Diatomaceous Earth (often referred to as "DE"). It is non-toxic to humans, pets, and children but is fatal to insects. Farmers mix this into their grain stockpile because it keeps pests from eating it. DE is a soft, gray powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. Here is how it works. The body of an insect is an exoskeleton. They do not have any internal bones; the stiff outer shell of their bodies gives them shape and form. Their insides are soft and well protected by this exoskeleton. To protect their bodies, insects have a waxy outer layer that keeps their insides from drying out. Diatomaceous Earth gets rid of this waxy layer and dries out the insides of the bug. DE is the safest pest control substance known to man. When you look at DE under a microscope, it is very sharp. Some say the powder gets within the joints of the exoskeleton of the bug, producing severe lacerations with each movement, which helps facilitate the instant dehydration of the insects.
Sanitation
After you steam clean your entire bedroom, take some rubbing alcohol and pour it in a spray bottle. Spray your mattress and allow it time to dry, which it does very quickly. Spray the rest of your room; your dresser, closet, hardwood floors, headboard, baseboards, and anywhere else you believe needs sanitation. Most of the process is complete at this point. There is only one major part left: prevention. Before we cover the third step, you need to cycle through the first two stages every couple of days for about two weeks. This gives any remaining bed bug eggs you might have missed time to hatch while you get rid of them.
Conclusion
The third step is prevention. This is possibly the most important step. Once done, keep your room tidy. As you clean your room, try to notice any small holes in the walls, cracks in the baseboards, or any other entrance that bugs might use to enter your home again. Buy some caulk and cover these holes up. Use some common sense and keep your room clean. The best way to get rid of bed bugs fast is to prevent them. If you do get them, now you know how to get rid of them. Follow each step comprehensively, and you’ll be enjoying your house again in no time!
There’s nothing in the world more annoying than a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are small, hide in crevices, and incredibly persistent. They often are cited as being resilient, but not if you take care of them properly. When it comes to dealing with bed bugs, pay attention to the details in the instructions. The methods to getting rid of bed bugs have been tried, tested and are true. If you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs fast, follow this advice. The instructions here need to be followed precisely, without skipping over anything.
When we use the word “fast”, we mean it, but only if you work quickly to get rid of the infestation completely. It takes effort, but it is possible. Of course, you can always go the expensive route and hire pest control to take care of the problem for you. However, by doing things yourself, you are equipping yourself with knowledge about how to prevent them from ever coming back.
Three Parts
There are three main parts to getting rid of bed bugs comprehensively: sanitation, removal, and prevention.
Wash All Fabrics
Cleaning all the fabrics is the first thing you need to do when you notice a bed bug infestation. Wash all your sheets, pillows, blankets, bed skirts, rugs, bedside tablecloths, and your clothing on the highest heat setting permitted. For items that forbid washing by requiring you to “dry clean only”, the dryer will work. After the washing machine is done with them, dry each one in the dryer, with the highest temperature setting for a minimum of 30 minutes. This may mean that some of your delicates may be harder to clean, if not impossible. Remember, clothing is replaceable, and if you need to toss anything in the trash, then trash it. Just don't forget to tie the bag and take it out immediately.
Vacuum
While your fabrics are being washed, vacuum your room or house. Make sure your vacuum has a crevice tool for getting under box springs, the edges of carpeting, and every nook and cranny you might find in your bedroom. Vacuum the mattress thoroughly ~ top, bottom, sides, and on both sides of the sewing seams. If you have any tears or holes in your mattress where bed bugs might hide, toss the mattress and buy a new one. Your mattress needs to be in one complete piece, or you‘ll never find every last bedbug. Part of the process of vacuuming means organizing the little messes around the room or house. Clean up the little piles of letters, items, magazines, or anything else where bed bugs like to hide.
Before you vacuum your room or house, head to your grocery store and buy a small dish brush with plastic bristles. Use it as you vacuum your mattress as it will loosen any eggs that are stuck on the mattress. Often the power of the vacuum alone will not pick up these eggs, but the brush can. Brush a small area, then immediately vacuum. Repeat the process on the entire mattress. It sounds like a daunting task, but if you move briskly, a queen size mattress can be done in less than 20 minutes.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning comes next. Steam cleaning is the way professional pest control companies clean your house, and there’s no need to pay more for something you can do yourself. If you do not have a steam cleaner readily available, look into purchasing one. Not only is the price of a steam cleaner a small fraction of the price professional pest control companies charge, but there are numerous other uses around the house where you can put your new steam cleaner to work. Once again, just like the vacuum, get every nook and cranny, using the dish brush when necessary.
Bed bugs are incredibly resilient to chemicals. If you think chemicals are the answer, perish the thought. Instead, bedbugs are weak to heat. It used to cost over $2,500 per room for a professional pest control company to get rid of bed bugs using steam. They would remove any perishables in the room like paper materials and superheat the entire room using steam. There are much cheaper ways, and even vacuuming your mattress requires less work than this professional method.
Diatomaceous Earth
One of the amazing materials that work like a charm is Diatomaceous Earth (often referred to as "DE"). It is non-toxic to humans, pets, and children but is fatal to insects. Farmers mix this into their grain stockpile because it keeps pests from eating it. DE is a soft, gray powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. Here is how it works. The body of an insect is an exoskeleton. They do not have any internal bones; the stiff outer shell of their bodies gives them shape and form. Their insides are soft and well protected by this exoskeleton. To protect their bodies, insects have a waxy outer layer that keeps their insides from drying out. Diatomaceous Earth gets rid of this waxy layer and dries out the insides of the bug. DE is the safest pest control substance known to man. When you look at DE under a microscope, it is very sharp. Some say the powder gets within the joints of the exoskeleton of the bug, producing severe lacerations with each movement, which helps facilitate the instant dehydration of the insects.
Sanitation
After you steam clean your entire bedroom, take some rubbing alcohol and pour it in a spray bottle. Spray your mattress and allow it time to dry, which it does very quickly. Spray the rest of your room; your dresser, closet, hardwood floors, headboard, baseboards, and anywhere else you believe needs sanitation. Most of the process is complete at this point. There is only one major part left: prevention. Before we cover the third step, you need to cycle through the first two stages every couple of days for about two weeks. This gives any remaining bed bug eggs you might have missed time to hatch while you get rid of them.
Conclusion
The third step is prevention. This is possibly the most important step. Once done, keep your room tidy. As you clean your room, try to notice any small holes in the walls, cracks in the baseboards, or any other entrance that bugs might use to enter your home again. Buy some caulk and cover these holes up. Use some common sense and keep your room clean. The best way to get rid of bed bugs fast is to prevent them. If you do get them, now you know how to get rid of them. Follow each step comprehensively, and you’ll be enjoying your house again in no time!