Using a combination of tactics, bed bugs can be controlled. These tactics include thorough inspection, washing infested bedding and furniture with high heat, encasements, interceptors placed under bed and sofa legs, vacuuming frequently and removing clutter.
Fumigation is an effective treatment for severe infestations. It is similar to whole-room heat treatment and requires the same precautions. For professional help, contact Bed Bug Control Boise.
Bed bugs are tiny insects about the size of an apple seed. They have a flat body with six legs and a brownish-red or black color. These insects can be difficult to detect with the naked eye, but a trained inspector may be able to spot them using a magnifying glass and flashlight.
Infestations can be difficult to detect as the pests hide in small crevices, often near seams and piping of mattresses, box springs, headboards and bed frames. They can also be hidden in the cracks of furniture, drawers and even behind wallpaper and paneling.
To help prevent bed bug infestations, vacuuming your carpets and mattresses and washing linens in hot water on a regular basis can reduce the amount of dirt, dust and debris that attracts these insects. It is also a good idea to seal cracks around baseboards and light sockets with caulk. Travelers can also help prevent an early bed bug infestation by checking the bedding, clothing and luggage in hotel rooms, Airbnbs, hostels and other public spaces for signs of these pests.
Currently, there are no commercially available products that can reliably detect bed bug pheromones or fecal matter. Nevertheless, technology that has been developed for other insect species may eventually find use in detection of these insects.
A thorough inspection is the only way to know if a home or business has a bed bug infestation. This includes inspecting the mattress, bed frame, headboard and footboard, as well as all the crevices of the surrounding furniture. Inspecting other areas of the room is also a good idea, including dressers, nightstands and closets where these pests can hide. In addition, double bag any items in the infested area of the house that cannot be removed for treatment, such as toys and personal belongings. This will make it easier to treat the entire area and avoid re-infestation of untreated areas. This step is especially important if the space being treated has been previously treated for bed bugs. It is not uncommon for a treatment to fail to fully eradicate these pests and the infestation to return.
Prevention
If you suspect bed bugs, start by taking steps to prevent an infestation. Bed bug infestations get worse and more difficult to manage the longer they are allowed to continue. Remove clutter from rooms and keep items away from walls to eliminate hiding places. Vacuum carpets and rugs and clean upholstered furniture with a vacuum cleaner attachment. Remove any infested furniture and have it picked up by your local trash collection agency as soon as possible. Place infested materials in a plastic bag and put them in your outdoor trash container. If you can’t discard the items, double-bag them to make sure that the bed bugs and their eggs do not escape.
When cleaning, wash all clothing and linens in hot water and dry them on the high heat setting to kill any bed bugs or their eggs that may be hiding. When removing and replacing items, be sure to replace the covers on mattress and box springs with tight-fitting, zippered covers that prevent entry of the bugs and their fecal marks. Purchase and use encasements that are specifically designed for mattresses and box springs. These can be purchased online or at some major mattress retailers.
Seal any cracks and crevices that can harbor bed bugs with silicon caulk. This will help to isolate the beds and limit their spread throughout the home. Purchase interceptor traps to place under the legs of beds, sofas and plush chairs to catch the bugs as they attempt to travel to their host. Sprinkle interceptors with a little talcum powder to keep the bugs from sticking to them. Inspect and clean the traps every week and wipe them down with a cotton ball dabbed with talcum powder each time.
Before leaving your home, inspect luggage and clothes in a bright light for bugs, eggs or fecal marks. Launder all luggage and clothes upon returning home from a trip to kill any live bed bugs or their eggs that may be hiding inside. When purchasing used clothing or furniture, examine them carefully for signs of bed bugs, including fecal marks, shed skins and dark spots.
Treatment
Bed bugs are difficult to control once they invade a home. Fortunately, they are not highly contagious and can be eliminated with diligence. The first step is to remove all clutter that may hide bed bugs or bed bug eggs, including clothing, books and newspapers. Vacuum all floors and carpets, paying special attention to the spaces between boards, baseboards and light fixtures.
Next, wash all linens and clothing in hot water and dry them on high heat to kill any bed bugs or eggs. Stuffed animals, shoes and other items that can’t be washed or dried should be placed in sealed plastic bags until they can be treated or discarded.
During treatment, it is important to isolate beds and other areas from other rooms in the house to avoid spreading the infestation. It is also important to keep children and pets away from infested areas so that they do not pick up the pests during cleaning or treatment.
Most common consumer and professional pesticides are moderately effective in controlling bed bugs, but they must be used with care and careful application to work well. Aerosol “bug bombs” and foggers mainly kill the bugs that are exposed to them, but do not reach those hiding in crevices of headboards and box springs, behind baseboards and under carpet edging.
Specialized mattress encasements can starve and suffocate the bugs to eliminate them. This is a long-term solution that requires the encasements to be kept on the mattresses for about eighteen months, or two years. Alternatively, moat-style traps can intercept the bugs as they travel between their hiding places and your bed. Sticky pads placed under the legs of furniture can also capture the pests, but can be messy. Desiccants can also be useful, but are not as effective as a commercial insecticide.
If all else fails, it is possible to treat a severe bed bug infestation with heat, but this can be a messy and time-consuming process. Clothes, bedding and other items can be put in black plastic bags and heated in the dryer on a high heat setting to kill the insects. This can be a do-it-yourself project, but professional heating treatments that use special equipment to raise the indoor temperature can be even more effective.
Recommendations
To prevent an infestation, it is important to inspect your home for bed bugs regularly. Look for black/brown spots (dried blood or feces) and white spots that resemble eggs (they are hard to see). Also, consider purchasing interceptors to place under the legs of your bed, couch and plush chairs. These are designed to trap the bugs and prevent them from moving during your sleep. Check the interceptors every 1-2 weeks to make sure they are effective.
Clean your linens, curtains and drapes frequently. Wash them in hot water and dry on the highest heat setting. Launder your mattress and box springs as well as pillows, duvets, and stuffed animals at least once a week. Infested items that cannot be washed or dried can be steamed, heated or frozen using specialized equipment.
Vacuum your beds and the area around them daily, making sure to include windows and moldings. Be sure to empty the vacuum bag into a plastic trash container and dispose of it immediately in an outdoor garbage container.
Eliminate clutter against walls, as these are ideal hiding places for bed bugs and their eggs. Donate or discard items that are no longer needed and organize and store remaining clutter.
Examine your furniture carefully, including dressers, nightstands, and cabinets. Look at all sides and the top of each piece, paying special attention to corners, edges and cracks. Especially look inside drawers, underneath metal furniture drawer slides and in the gap between a bookcase and wall. Also, examine wicker furniture thoroughly and use a crevice tool to inspect all gaps and crevices, such as between the folds of curtains or along curtain hems, and around window and door casings and frames.
If you find signs of an infestation, contact your pest control professional right away. If left untreated, the problem will only get worse and you may require more extensive treatment. Professionals can offer heat or steam treatments to destroy the bugs and their eggs, as well as crack and crevice and spot treatment, depending on your situation.
It is also important to note that many of the pesticides sold at home improvement stores, supermarkets and pharmacies are ineffective against bed bugs. Even professional granular and aerosol insecticides need to be applied correctly in order to be effective against bed bugs.