Most people experience a sensation of deep disgust at even the thought of bed bugs. An infestation in your home can mean painful bite wounds and a lot of sleepless nights, especially for individuals who are allergic to insect bites.
Although you can get rid of bed bugs without having to fumigate, the problem needs to be dealt with swiftly. Hiring an exterminator to fumigate is not always the most economical option. Moreover, you may not even need an exterminator to deal with the issue. Here are some methods for dealing with bed bugs without fumigation, as well as how to tell when you do need to call in a professional.
Check Everywhere in the House
It is tempting to want to throw out all your mattresses and bedding to get rid of bed bugs, but restrain that impulse for now. It is not going to solve the problem. You need to begin by checking every potential hiding place where bed bugs tend to hide, breed and nest. Check all the following locations:
- Tops of curtains.
- Dresser drawers around the edges.
- Inside dressers with the drawers removed.
- Inside shoes.
- The underside of bedside tables.
- The fabric of easy chairs and sofas.
Bed bugs will always try to stay as close as possible to their primary food source (you), so wherever you are dormant/holding still the longest is where they will look to nest. If you find the infestation is so severe that they are crawling in the walls and coming out of wall outlets, you may need to call in an exterminator to fumigate the entire house.
Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Without Fumigation
The Dryer Treatment
Take everything fabric that you can put in the dryer and run it through a cycle. One trip through the dyer is all it takes to kill bed bugs living in fabrics. Keep your load sizes small to ensure the heat is sufficient to kill off the bugs living in the fibers of your curtains and bedding.
Vacuuming
A vacuum is your best friend when it comes to eliminating bed bugs. Strip all the bedding off your mattresses and vacuum them on every side. Run bedding through the dryer while you are vacuuming, then put it back on the bed. Vacuum your curtains, furniture and every other potential hiding place throughout your home where a bed bug could hide. You do not want to miss any and have the population regain a foothold later.
Chemical Warfare
Get a large jug of rubbing alcohol and spray it on bedding and furniture where the vacuum cannot reach. Two weeks of regular spraying will decimate the bed bug population.
Steam
To deal with the eggs left behind by bed bugs eliminated through other means, use a steam wand or steam cleaner to mop up any potential survivors. Vacuuming and rubbing alcohol will not eliminate eggs, but the steam will.
All in all, it is well worth giving these low-cost options a try before investing money in fumigation and regular treatments by an exterminator for up to six months. If you see bed bugs crawling out from the walls or finding bed bug feces around wall outlets and molding, fumigation may be your only solution. New Jersey homeowners know they can count on Abarb Pest Services to eliminate their bed bug problem quickly and permanently. Contact us today for more information.
