One of the first things people wonder when they discover a bed bug infestation is if there are any home remedies to get rid of bed bugs. Fortunately, there are many of these options available. Some of the most common home remedies for bed bugs include:
Consumer Grade Products: Consumer grade products can be used to kill Bed Bugs and when done correctly, can be particularly effective. More often than not self treatments are done incorrectly, and cause the bugs to spread to other areas of the home and imbed themselves deeper into hiding. This is caused by the low percentage of active ingredients in the consumer grade products vs the Professional grade products. A un-successful treatment from this type of product causes the bugs to be harder to locate and treat moving forward, and inevitably more expensive.
Vacuuming: Vacuuming is a very effective solution. You do have to be persistent in your efforts, and vacuum a minimum of every few days. Make sure you are thorough and vacuum your mattresses and soft furniture such as couches and chairs very well. Make sure to dispose of the bag each time you vacuum. Bed bugs can crawl out of the vacuum if not disposed of properly by placing the bag from the vacuum into a garbage bag and then tying it up to ensure they can not escape. Doing this avoids the risk of spreading bed bugs to other people or back into your home.
There’s a reason people say they clean ‘top to bottom.’ This works when you’re vacuuming for bed bugs, too. Start on higher surfaces and then move down, in case bed bugs run away from where you are cleaning. Make sure you pay special attention to floors, carpet, and cracks in the walls. After vacuuming, take the vacuum outside and remove the bag or canister and empty its contents far away from your home.
After you’re done vacuuming, it’s also helpful to run a stiff brush along the edges of the mattress and other pieces of furniture. This will help loosen any bed bugs or eggs that are still clinging on because the vacuum didn’t get them.
Vacuuming isn’t always an option as sometimes, these machines simply don’t reach into certain areas. When that is the case, steam cleaning is a good option. These machines can be rented and are very effective in getting rid of bed bugs. Steam cleaners can reach far past this point, which will kill any bed bug the steam hits. To avoid damaging your furniture, always check the manufacturer’s instructions and be sure to follow them.
Although some have found these home remedies to be effective, it’s best to leave a pest control problem to the experts. At Pointe Pest Control, we will eliminate your bed bug problem once and for all, so you can get the good night’s sleep you need.