How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

If you wonder why you have never caught a bed bug in the act of feeding until you spot the sore bite marks in the morning, there is a reasonable explanation. Bed bug saliva has an anesthetic agent that numbs the bite site and stimulates blood flow to the area. The fact that bed bugs are nocturnal and adept at hiding means that most people discover an infestation after it has already spread. Local bed bugs Toronto news indicate a huge spike in bed bug activity in the city.

Bed bug infestations spread fast. A single female can lay up to 5 eggs a day and nearly 500 in her lifetime. Female bed bugs also mate with their children so there is no such thing as a small bed bug infestation. One female with eggs can propagate a sizeable infestation in a matter of a few months. This is why you are encouraged to take care of your infestation as soon as you discover it.

Toronto struggles with the bed bug issue. This problem is being aggravated by the warm temperature, which peaks from June to October. Bed bugs are pesky and awful insects. While bed bugs are not known for spreading diseases, their bite causes itching allergic conditions that may lead to secondary skin infection,  it is advised to call your local bed bug exterminator immediately before bed bugs completely infested your home. 

In the past, people thought that bed bugs were a social-economic problem that was to be associated with the poor and people living in deplorable conditions. That has been proven wrong. Bed bugs can be found in virtually every place. The problem is compounded by the fact that bed bugs are the best hitchhikers. Bed bugs can hide in tiny crevices which make them comfortably thrive in old furniture and old electronics. They can also be found in public places like bookstores and the public transport. They then get into people’s clothing and hike on a ride to the new home. The insect lays multiple eggs which make them multiply very fast.

While there are many homemade remedies that are said to eliminate bed bugs, but most of them seem not to work. Reason being that most of those solutions try to remove bed bugs by killing them while leaving their eggs intact. There is also the problem of legislation in Ontario that makes it impossible to access effective pesticides to get the job done. So, it is very hard to get rid of bed bugs just using do-it-yourself methods. This challenge can be addressed by engaging professional bed bug exterminators. Professionals have the advantage of having the privilege to access those effective pesticides that are not otherwise available. They also have more experience in handling the bedbug problem. If you live in Toronto, it’s best advised that you get professional bed bug control in Toronto.

Little black droppings and blood stains on the mattress and bedding can indicate the bed bug problem. In this case, make sure you reach out to professional exterminators as quickly as possible. It is better to deal with the problem as soon as possible before it escalates and turns into a bed bug infestation. So contacting your local Toronto pest control company will save you from the agony of many sleepless nights.

Bed Bugs are parasitic insects that feed on your blood and multiplying at a fast rate, these creatures lose no time in growing from a few in number to a full-fledged infestation. Apart from making your nights sleepless, they also and over time create unhygienic conditions. It is a general notion that insects that bite us also happen to transmit diseases.  It is not always true with Bed Bugs. Although these insects are known to carry certain diseases, there is no evidence to suggest that they pass on anything to humans through their bites. However, the fact that they feast on our blood is reason enough to keep them away.

How Do We Identify a Bedbug Infestation?

Bed Bugs are great at hiding and right after they feed on our blood, go back to the tiny cracks and corners where they are able to hide from view. Often, only after signs of a serious infestation arise, do homeowners realize that they have a bed bug problem on their hands. Firstly, Bed Bugs have nothing to do with hygienic or unhygienic environs. A badly kept house is as susceptible to a bedbug infestation as a clean one. Bed Bugs can be transported through clothes, luggage or even old furniture, thereby making your home their own.

Frequent bites, a nasty smell that reminds you of rotten berries and dark spots on the corners of your mattress are usually the most common telltale signs of a bedbug infestation. Calling on the services of pest control experts as soon as you notice any of these signs is the perfect way to deal with these bloodsucking parasites.

Why Hiring Pest Control Services is the Safest Bet

When it comes to Bed Bugs, getting rid of them and then making sure they stay away from are both difficult tasks. While we usually assume that Bed Bugs only infest the area in and around your bed, this may not always be true. Moreover, even a single bedbug left behind is enough to start another infestation.

Of course, even if you have got rid of the last bedbug, adult or nymph, there is always the risk of the presence of eggs that have been laid by the female Bed Bugs. A single female bedbug can lay between 200 and 250 eggs in a lifetime. So depending on the size of the infestation in your home, there could even be thousands of eggs in a single site ready to hatch. The eggs of these parasites are hardy that they are capable of surviving for long periods of time. So the risk of a fresh infestation is always high until the eggs are removed and annihilated.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Home remedies for bed bugs in Toronto are an option for people who want to save money on treating the pests. These home remedies are also non-toxic which can’t be said for most over-the-counter pesticides. There are a few home remedies that you may consider trying for DIY extermination.

Vacuuming

Although not strictly a remedy, thorough vacuuming is actually an effective way to get rid of a small bed bug infestation. Thoroughly vacuum all fabrics, upholstery and textiles including curtains, mattress encasements, box springs, couches and soft furnishings. Move from room to room methodically at least once a week for several weeks vacuuming every possible thing that you can. Put the used vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag and dispose outside after each session. This method goes hand in hand with heat treatments.

Heat Treatment

Laundering your linens and infested fabrics in hot water and spinning in the dryer also kills bed bugs. Make sure that the water is at least 122 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 30 minutes and same for the dryer. Separate your dirty and infested clothes and keep in a sealed plastic bag until it is time to wash. Keep your heat-treated clothes in zip lock bags or sealed plastic bags until you are sure the infestation is gone completely.

The downside of this treatment is although it is effective for removing bed bugs from clothes, it still doesn’t do anything for the pests hiding in your closet, mattress, under wallpaper and wherever else they may have made a home.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is chemical free and is often used for pest control. Its composition causes it to absorb oils and fats from insects which in effect de-hydrate them to death. Locate the infested areas and apply the powder generously. Leave for at least a week and repeat the application as often as possible during this time. Wear a facemask to prevent inhaling the powder and be sure to use food-grade 100% pure diatomaceous earth. The downside of this treatment is it is hard to use on difficult-to-reach areas such as cracks. Most exterminators are also skeptical of its effectiveness.

Home-made Bed Bug Spray

The ingredients for a home-made bug spray are;

• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon oregano essential oil
• 1 cup water

Mix everything in a pan and heat on the stove until boiling. Wait for the mixture to cool and strain into a spray bottle. Spray infested areas including mattresses, walls, bed frames and treat every few days for at least a week or until you don’t see any more bed bugs. Although there are people who claim that this mixture works, there is no series of science to back up the claim.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in a Mattress

The ideal solution, if you have bed bugs in your mattress, is to throw the mattress away. This may not always be possible especially if the mattress is new or you are not in a position to replace it. There is still the possibility of getting rid of the bed bugs and salvaging the mattress with a diligent multi-step process.

Begin by removing the bed linen and put in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash it. You might have to throw away the pillow. Wash the linen in at least 122 degrees Fahrenheit water and repeat with the drier for at least 30 minutes in each case.

Move your bed from the walls. You may choose to purchase interceptor cups designed to go under the bed legs. These cups have attractants and pesticides which ensure that the pests don’t come on your bed in the future. Replace your bedding with blankets or linen that doesn’t touch the ground if necessary.

Use a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment to vacuum the mattress thoroughly paying special attention to the cracks, seams, gaps and indentations. Seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and dispose of carefully. You may spray the headboard and frame with pesticide while being especially mindful of cracks and joints where the pests like to hide. Follow the directions carefully and make sure that the pesticide is safe to use indoors.

Purchase a bed bug-proof mattress protector and leave it on for at least one year. The protector will prevent future bed bugs from infesting the mattress and trap the existing ones so they suffocate and starve to death. One year is the maximum conceivable lifespan of a bed bug without a blood meal. The bed bugs also can’t bite through the mattress cover.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Before They Spread

Bed bugs are a common bother for people whose houses, apartments or premises are infested. They are not social creatures and therefore, don’t create nests. Even though in an infested area they may be found in masses, at most times they are usually alone. They have a flat body enabling them to hide in cracks, crevices and small spaces and are also nocturnal; this, therefore, makes their extermination hard. If your bed is bed bug infested, you may be asking yourself, “how can I get rid of bedbugs?” Below are some easy to follow steps that will help you get rid of them for good.

Remove and clean all pieces of bedding and clothes from the closet (if infested) and wash them in hot water and dry them in a dryer. Be sure not to put them back or mix them with dirty clothes unless the whole place has been cleaned.

All the other items (toys, bags and pillows) should be vacuumed and sealed in air-tight plastic bags for three days. Hard to reach places should be vacuumed too using a hose. Inspection of closets should be done and vacuumed. Rubbing alcohol can be used to kill the bedbug eggs that are visible.

Vacuum the whole room thoroughly, walls included, using a hose for hard to reach places like cracks. Air-tight seal the vacuum bag and throw it. Fill up the cracks with plaster and glue back hanging wallpapers.

As for the bed, spring box and mattresses, check if they are infested. If they are, throwing them might be the best solution. If that’s not a great option, you can also cover them up with an air-tight plastic bag and leave them for a year (life cycle duration of bed bugs).

Clean the entire room and closets, wall sockets etc with natural cleaners or spray them with chemicals (pyrethroids). After ensuring the whole room and everything is clean, put them back. Repeat this routine every ten days until the problem is fully solved. If the problem persists, you can call trusted professional exterminators to deal with the bugs.

Why You Can’t Get Rid of Bed Bugs Without an Exterminator

When people get a bed bug infestation problem, the first resort is usually to buy a bed bug spray in your local home improvement store to solve the issue. However, such a move is fraught with difficulties, and even dangers – from running afoul with regulations and the law to contaminating the house and essential stuff. Therefore, it is prudent for you to trust a professional bed bug exterminator with the work, and here is why:

Approved Insecticide

Professional bed bug exterminators use approved pesticides to flush, dust, spray and vacuum your residential or commercial area, in effect killing the bugs while maintaining the safety of your guests, pets, and family.

Green Steam Treatment

With most of Orlando’s extermination regulations designed to protect the environment, you can never go wrong with a green steam bed bug treatment from the professional exterminator. The method is 100% eco-friendly. The option mixes steam with proven, custom-blended, eco-friendly product mix designed to eliminate bed bugs without harming the environment. The option helps you eradicate the bed bug infestation issue without leaving ecological footprints.

Heat Treatment

Heat treatment uses specially designed equipment to raise the temperature in your home to about 50 degrees Celsius to banish bed bugs without having to use any chemicals. This method kills bed bus quickly and efficiently even in hideouts. The heat treatment option is often used to treat bedbug infestation in schools and hospitals where the use of chemicals is strictly forbidden. But even some residential clients prefer heat treatment as their best option seeing as it is very effective and less hazardous.

Hire a Bed Bug Exterminator

Most people don’t like to hear this but facts are facts; only an exterminator can get rid of bed bugs permanently especially if you are facing a large infestation. It is now common knowledge that these critters are resistant to most over-the-counter pesticides. Home remedies such as cayenne pepper and baking soda are simply not effective and are considered myths in professional pest control circles.

Bed bug removal is often a multi-step, complex and lengthy process. It can take professional exterminator weeks and multiple treatments before he can claim the house is permanently bed-bug free. Neglect to hire a professional at your own peril. There is little chance that you will be able to handle the infestation by yourself.

The first step for the exterminator is to inspect your home thoroughly to find all the bugs, eggs and hiding places. The critter’s negligible height and small size mean hiding spots could be anywhere from under your wallpaper to inside appliances. Fortunately for the exterminator, he has a thorough knowledge of the insects’ habits and is able to sniff out all of the hiding places.

There is also the issue of pesticide resistance. Exterminators have exclusive access to insecticides with potent active ingredients that are not available to the general public. The expert may need to use multiple insecticides and a combination of methods. All the while he will track the progress to make sure that the extermination is going according to plan. The bed bugs cannot hide from an exterminator’s powerful tools. The equipment can project chemicals deep into cervices, cracks and gaps to find and kill all the bugs.

Finally, the bed bug exterminator will make recommendations on how you can avoid a similar infestation in future and help to repair your home so that any bed bugs that might have survived outdoors cannot find their way inside. Ask for a warranty of at least six months before you consent to the bed bug removal service. Call The Exterminators today and find out about our warranties: 647-496-2211.

Article Updated: September 26th, 2018