Bed bugs can be found in upholstered furniture other than beds; in closets; in dressers; behind wallpaper or loose wall hangings; and in rooms adjoining host sleeping areas. A heavy infestation may emit a foul odor.
To prevent or reduce an infestation, keep clutter to a minimum and regularly vacuum and launder bedding, pillows, sheets and clothing. Apply diatomaceous earth (DE) to new harborages during follow-up inspections. Connect with Bed Bug Control Boise for reliable help.
85% of bed bug infestations are found in beds, so thorough inspections and treatment of these areas should be the first step. Bed bugs are very small and can easily hide in crevices, cracks, and folds, so a careful inspection should include examining the seams of mattresses and box springs, under baseboards, in carpets, and behind wallpaper. Bed bugs also live in upholstered furniture other than beds, especially chairs and sofas. It’s important to regularly vacuum these pieces as well as inspect the seams and corners and to wash or heat-treat them when they are infested.
Other prevention measures include avoiding second-hand items, washing bedding and clothing at high temperatures, encasing mattresses and box springs, treating upholstered furniture with steam or chemical pesticides, and using interceptors. These nonchemical strategies must be combined with a rigorous cleaning and sanitation program, a continuous monitoring/detection program, and ongoing treatment of infested areas.
Professional pest control services are necessary to address serious infestations and to ensure that the problem has been eradicated. Trained pest management professionals have access to effective insecticides that aren’t available over the counter and have the experience to apply them correctly. For example, over-the-counter total-release aerosol foggers aren’t suitable for use against bed bugs because they can spread the insects and their eggs around the home, not kill them.
A bed bug infestation can be extremely difficult to eradicate once it has taken hold. Infestations of this severity often require several professional pest control treatments and the cooperation of a client. Infestations in hotels, furnished apartments, dormitories, homeless shelters, and other institutions must be managed aggressively to prevent the spread of the pests to other rooms or to off-site locations.
Regular inspections and treatment of bed bug harborage sites will help to reduce the size of an infestation, but the nocturnal nature of these insects means they can quickly repopulate after treatment. The key to long-term success is combining pesticide applications with a comprehensive program of infestation prevention, including regular cleaning and decluttering, and sealing up hiding places. In some cases, a heat chamber is an option for furniture that can’t be treated with steam or chemicals because of its design and construction.
Detecting Infestations
Bed bugs are defenseless insects and do not fly or jump, but they can crawl a long way to get from room to room. They prefer to live close to their feeding area, which is why they tend to be found around mattresses and beds. They can also hide in dressers and nightstands, under rugs and carpeting, in cracks and crevices in baseboards and walls, and under couches and reclining chairs.
The best way to find these insects is to regularly check areas where they tend to spend their time. This will give you the best chance of detecting an infestation early, before it becomes widespread. Look for shed skins and dark red stains on bedding, pillows, mattress covers, and sheets. These are all signs of a bed bug infestation.
While you’re inspecting, take note of any suspicious odors in the area. In some cases, bed bugs can produce a foul smell that’s similar to rotting flesh. If you notice this odor, it may be time to call your pest control company.
Once you’ve detected an infestation, you need to make your home inhospitable for the bugs. You should purchase protective covers that completely seal your mattresses and box springs. This will prevent the bugs from escaping and it will also keep new ones from entering. You should also place interceptor traps under the legs of infested furniture. These traps will catch the bugs as they try to escape and kill them.
You should also make sure to vacuum thoroughly, starting in areas around the beds and then moving on to other parts of the house. Use a nozzle attachment and carefully search along seams, creases, folds, and tufts of the mattress. Then, carefully vacuum all other areas, such as the nooks and crannies of your bed frame, headboard, and baseboards. You should also carefully vacuum upholstered furniture, especially the cushions and seams of couches and reclining chairs.
Don’t resort to “bug bombs” or other total release foggers for pest control. These chemicals can be toxic and pose serious health risks. For best results, always consult your professional pest control company for advice on how to treat an infestation and what items can and can’t be treated.
Treating Infestations
If bed bugs are found, the best approach to dealing with them is to engage a professional pest control company for treatment. These companies are the best-equipped to thoroughly check, treat and follow up after a treatment.
Before the treatment, remove as much of the clutter from the rooms where bed bug infestations are suspected. This includes books, magazines, clothing and other items that are often found in these places.
Vacuum the area thoroughly, paying special attention to mattress seams and cracks. Make sure to remove the vacuum bag and dispose of it in a garbage receptacle outside. Also, make sure to vacuum any furniture that is close to the bed, especially if it has a crack.
Wash all bedding, clothing and other fabrics that can be washed in hot water or dried in a high heat setting (such as a household dryer at the highest setting for 30 minutes). Be sure to dry any sheets, pillowcases, comforters, etc. immediately after washing in order to kill any surviving bed bugs and eggs.
Place a bed bug interceptor under each leg of the bed (available in home stores and online). These are small plastic traps designed to capture any bed bugs that try to crawl up the legs of the bed. Inspect and clean the interceptors daily, replacing them as necessary.
Use a spray, powder or insecticide that is registered for use on bed bugs and labeled accordingly. The EPA provides a search tool to help locate a registered product. In general, the least toxic methods are preferred to avoid exposing family members to harmful chemicals.
Infestations that cannot be treated with the above measures may need to be removed and disposed of. Heavily infested mattresses, for instance, are typically not salvageable and must be discarded. Similarly, heavily infested furniture should be wrapped in trash bags and marked so that other people are not likely to pick it up and bring the bugs into their homes. This is particularly important since bed bugs are skilled at hitchhiking from one home to another. To avoid this, do not take used furniture from a store or from someone else’s house.
Post-Treatment Maintenance
Identifying bed bugs and arranging for treatment are just the beginning of managing these tenacious pests. Proper post-treatment maintenance is vital to long-term control and prevention of recurrence.
The first step in post-treatment maintenance is to carefully examine the treatment area. The inspection should be conducted using a hand-magnifying lens to better detect bugs and their eggs. Look for dark spots of dried bug excrement, light-colored shed skins (which can be easily mistaken for dust) and aggregations of hatched bed bug eggs. Also, note the presence of a foul, rotting or bloody odor that can be indicative of a serious infestation.
Once an infestation has been identified, the suspected area should be quarantined in order to prevent unintended spread. This should include blocking off access to the infested room, bedroom or home. It should also include limiting access to other rooms or areas of the property, as well as limiting the number of people allowed to visit the affected areas. This will help to prevent the unintentional movement of infested furniture, bedding or clothing to other locations.
Prior to the day of treatment, declutter and organize the living areas to make them less attractive hiding places for the pests. Remove items from closets, under beds, in drawers and other hidden areas and double bag them (remembering to keep the bags closed until the contents can be carefully treated, cleaned or inspected). Clear surfaces will allow the pest control technicians to reach all areas of the home during treatment and will reduce the amount of time needed for the treatment to be completed.
Be sure to carefully read and follow all pesticide label safety directions. It is important that everyone in the home understands and follows these directions to minimize exposure to chemicals. It is also crucial to not attempt DIY treatments, as these can have the opposite effect and actually exacerbate the problem.
Vacate the premises during treatment and stay away for 4 hours or more, depending on the type of pesticide being used. If you need to take children or pets out of the treatment area, plan for them to stay at a friend’s house during this time. Finally, be sure to properly dispose of any infested furniture or second-hand goods that are being removed from your home. These should be placed in a dumpster or clearly marked as infested so that others will not unknowingly bring them into their homes.
