The Best Treatments for Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are parasitic insects that require the ingestion of blood from humans or other mammals to survive. They are a menace that can spread around a home very quickly if not promptly eradicated. For signs of a bed bug infestation look for red blotches on bed linen, this is an indication of their excretion. Rooms that are highly infested also have a nasty odor because of the smell given off through the bed bugs glands. Does this Spark an idea?
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Vacuuming
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Once bed bug infestation has been confirmed a complete cleansing of all affected rooms must be carried out. The first thing to do is vacuum the carpets, curtains, furniture and any other locations that may be harboring the bed bugs and their eggs. Be very thorough, and check areas like furniture screw holes or any small crevices where the bed bugs can lie in wait until it is time to feed. Disposal of the vacuum bag must be done outside the house.
Hot Wash
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Bed bugs cannot survive sudden changes in temperature, so an effective way to kill bed bugs and their eggs that are in bed linen, curtains or clothing is to wash the items with hot water. The best practice is to use the hottest setting available on the washing machine used, because it will be more effective in eradicating all the bed bugs. For items that cannot be laundered, put them in a tumble dryer at the hottest possible temperature for best results.
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Heat Treatment
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For items like mattresses, sofas or other large pieces of furniture, the best treatment is to steam clean them. It is also advisable to place these types of large items outside so that they are exposed to sunlight for a couple of days. In winter, items can still be placed outside because of the sudden drop in temperature, however it will take longer. Any items that are or may be infested with bed bugs and cannot be treated in any of the above ways will have to be discarded unless treated with a chemical insecticide or pesticide.
Insecticide and Pesticide Treatment
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The final step in a thorough eradication of a bed bug infestation is the use of insecticides and pesticides to remove any last trace of the insects. This procedure should ideally be carried out by a professional licensed pest control service because of the harmful nature of the chemicals being used. Odorless pesticide sprays and insecticide dust is applied throughout infested areas during the treatment. It is important that the treated areas are kept well ventilated and that all people and pets do not go back into the treated areas until the pest control service has given the "all clear."
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References
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