The Do’s and Don’t of treating Bedbugs

It’s a gross subject that I bet you thought you would never be researching, but here you are!

Listen, it has nothing to do with how clean you are. We have helped people with rented out homes to hoarders and to people in the finest neighborhoods. Bed bugs don’t respect economic status or how clean you keep your home. The fact is that if you ever stayed at a hotel, short term rental or even had visitors from out of town stay a few days… you are susceptible.   

According to the CDC, everyone is susceptible to encountering bed bugs, but frequent travelers who share sleeping spaces are at the highest risk. These tiny pests feed on the blood of humans and animals, though they do not transmit diseases. Signs of their presence may include bite marks, which can take up to two weeks to appear, or may never show at all.

Bed bugs use an anesthetic and anticoagulant before feeding, so their bites often go unnoticed. During the day, these nocturnal insects hide in seams of mattresses and box springs, headboards, dresser tables, behind wallpaper, picture frames, electrical outlets, and in clutter around beds.

How do you know if you actually have bed bugs?

To detect bed bugs, you can look for their shed exoskeletons, check mattress folds and seams, and reduce bedroom clutter. Rusty-colored spots on mattresses or furniture, indicative of blood-filled fecal matter, are another sign. Additionally, a sweet, musty odor could signal their presence. It's advisable to inspect all furniture before bringing it home and to check your home periodically, especially after overnight guests or service people have been present.

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The DONT list

DONT move things out of the infected area.

Sounds like a good idea, but you may be actually spreading the infestation. Moving furniture around disturbs them and they will spread out.

DONT use bleach.

The go to disinfectant is actually a sweet and attractive smell to bed bugs, so you’re well meaning “cleansing” will actually work against you. Bed Bugs are drawn to it.

DONT freak out

Easy to say, harder to do.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you and your loved ones are being bite, but it’s good to know that heat treatments are effective in killing bed bugs.

DONT go broke

Most people will throw everything, but the kitchen sink at these nasty visitors. $50 here, $200 there and they just keep coming back. You can get a whole house treatment, however that can run $2000-$3000. That may be a good solution for you, but for those that can’t spend that much, renting bed bug heaters is the most inexpensive solution.

You will need to treat the infected area for 24 hours. Our recommendation is to treat the adjacent rooms and/or bedrooms. The cost is generally $300 for the first day, $150 for the second day and $75 for the third day.

The DO list

DO use your clothes dryer

Use the high heat setting on cloths and bedding. Heat is known to kill bed bugs. They are slowly dehydrated and suffer a short death.

DO use heaters

Most heaters will not get the infected area to the proper “kill zone” or 130-140 degrees. Renting bed bug heaters will be your best bet.  Our commercial bed bug heaters will take roughly 10-12 hours to reach 120 degrees and a few more hours to reach 130-140 degrees. As long as the “kill zone” is maintained for at least two hours, you will have success.

DO use mint scent

There are several bed bug sprays online that are primarily mint scents. These are marketed as effective and in some ways they are. They repel bed bugs, but make no mistake…they don’t kill them.  Mint sprays will give you temporary relief, but destroys them.

DO use bed bug mattress covers

After heat treatment, a good extra measure is to encase your mattress in a bed bug mattress cover. This will insure that any surviving bug is trapped inside and can never feed again.

Areas we serve: we serve Mansfield, Arlington, Alvarado, Waxahachie, Venus, Midlothian, Desoto, Duncanville, Red Oak and surrounding areas with free delivery within our service area.

DONT go another day living in discomfort and anxiety regarding bed bugs. Live in peace knowing that you have eradicated the issue.

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