Bed bugs are small insects that feed on blood. Of course, having to deal with them is a problem as, in addition to causing skin bites, they also increase the risk of suffering from different diseases. Throwing mattresses would be the most effective option to eradicate them but, for obvious reasons, it is not ideal. The good news is that there are several remedies to end this problem and have a clean and healthy bed again.
On many occasions, we think that the reason we have bed bugs at home may be the lack of cleanliness or neglect in the home, but it is not so. Bed bugs, unlike other insects, are not attracted to dirt, since they feed only on blood.
The reason you have bed bugs at home can be a trip abroad, a stay in a hotel or hostel infested by bed bugs or the visit of a person living with these insects. Bed bugs easily hide in any corner, they can be transported in clothes or in the suitcase and thus transferred to new homes, installed in beds, sofas or closets.
Another fairly widespread myth about bed bugs is their relationship with having pets at home. It is true that dogs and cats can accidentally transport bed bugs or their larvae on their fur, but it is not the most common since bed bugs are not attracted to pets. In addition, bed bugs move little, so it is difficult for them to move on their own from one room to another and even less likely to move from one floor to another. Resource
The bed bug plague can have its origin in the Middle East in caves inhabited by humans. This plague was first seen in Germany in the 11th century.
Before the middle of the 20th century, bed bugs problems were very popular. According to reports from the Ministry of Health, a large number of houses suffered bed bug infestations. The rise in bed bug populations has been connected to the arrival of electric heating, which allowed these insects to spread through hot climates.
Bed bug pests have resurfaced in recent years for various reasons that are not yet clear, but what we know are the contributing factors that may be complacency, increased immunity, the ban on pesticides and developed international travel. The pest control association in the US published that there was a 71% increase in bed bug infestations in recent years.
The bed bug is a flat-bodied, dark-brown, small-sized insect that can be seen with the naked eye. It feeds on blood, mainly people, and its activity is mainly nocturnal.
Although they can remind us of a flea because of their size and bite, these two parasites can be easily differentiated, and it will be essential that you identify which of them has settled in your house to be able to make an adequate and effective treatment.
There are two main features that will help you differentiate fleas from bed bugs, and that is that fleas move with long jumps and also have a very elongated body, unlike bed bugs, which are round and flat and not They tend to move too much. In addition, fleas have a preference for the blood of dogs, cats, and other pets, while bed bug bites usually occur in humans.
The bed bug, as its name indicates, lives in the bed mattress, since it is the place of the house where we spend more hours in a row during the night, at which time it needs to feed.
Even so, you can also hide in other corners of the house such as bed bases, furniture near the bed, small cracks in the wall and baseboards and even in your own clothes. Their small and flattened body allows them to take refuge in especially small corners, so it is very difficult to locate bedbugs without carefully exploring furniture and clothing. If you want to learn how to eliminate bed bugs effectively, it is imperative that you first locate where your bed bugs are hidden.
The main problem caused by a plague of bed bugs is undoubtedly the annoying bed bug bites it causes. Bed bug saliva results in an allergic skin reaction and leaves characteristic stings in line, especially in the legs and arms. In the same way, as with mosquitoes and other insects, bed bugs do not bite all people equally, and it may be that not all family members are directly harmed by this pest.
No, bed bugs have to crawl to reach their food source, so they prefer unpainted floors and no carpets, as they provide a better grip. They can travel at a rate of one meter per minute or so, according to Stephen Kells, a bed bug researcher at the University of Minnesota.
No, but they are very good at climbing. They can climb wood or metal headboards, although they don't like to shelter in the latter. They have small hooks or skewers on their legs, which allows them to cling to small slits and pores of rough surfaces. Smooth surfaces such as glass or porcelain are its greatest enemies.
In this way, they can climb the sheet that has been hung from the bed or furniture or even the nearby wall to reach their blood meal.
Tips:
Place the bed slightly apart from the wall and nearby furniture such as bedside tables. Try not to store anything under the bed. Make sure the sheets or blankets are well placed and do not touch the floor.
Unfortunately not, since they can still climb them to reach their food, even if they do not use them for shelter. In fact, the only thing that the metal headboards get and put the most interesting things, for the challenge that it entails.
It means that during the inspection you will have to focus on other possible hiding places in the bedroom to locate bed bugs. While when there is a wooden headboard, it is likely that bedbugs have used it to hide.
Is it true that bed bugs only bite at night? The answer is no. They move at night and by day. The truth is that if they are very hungry, they can go out to look for food at any time, especially if they have not eaten for a long time. Bed bugs can be seen both day and night.
Simple answer: no. Unlike fleas, which we know can be installed in your hairy pet's hair, bed bugs simply prefer to approach their victim when they are hungry and quickly return to their hiding place.
Through the gaps in the walls for example, and this, unfortunately, they are doing too well.
Oh, and yes, they can also enter and exit through the door and move through the halls.
If you suspect a bed bug problem, we always advise checking the adjoining rooms both on the sides and above and below, if there are any.
This inspection method, which is called the cube method, is used for both private customers and companies, as it is essential to know the extent of the pest
Each building has its own personalized inspection plan since depending on the structure of the building, bed bugs may or may not have been displaced.
For example:
In a hotel with concrete floors, bed bugs will not be able to move vertically, so the plague is more likely to spread along the same floor, or across the hall. An old hotel with wooden floors will allow bed bugs to travel through pipes and other holes.
They say that the dog is man's best friend, and when it comes to a bed bug inspection, this is quite true.
Having such a developed sense of smell, and having been properly trained, dogs are a very valuable aid in bed bug inspections to detect pest hot spots. They are therefore a very powerful tool when combined with the deep knowledge of the pest that Rentokil Initial technicians possess. In fact, the use of trained dogs makes inspections much faster in any facility, whether private or business, and cause much fewer interruptions.
These trained dogs can smell not only live bed bugs but also their eggs.
Vaporization is one of the simplest and most effective home remedies that can be performed to completely eliminate this pest since bed bugs do not have the ability to withstand high temperatures.
Therefore, a good option is to apply hot steam (120 ºF or more / 48.8 ºC) on the mattress, as well as on sheets, clothes, curtains and other elements of the room.
Vacuuming is one of the most popular methods to eradicate all types of insects and mites, especially because it helps to access those cracks or spaces where bed bugs are hidden.
High temperatures can also help eliminate these insects hidden in the mattress, sheets, cushions or blankets. Prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to high temperatures that will eradicate the root problem since these insects are very sensitive to high temperatures.
From heat to cold. These insects can also be eliminated in the cold but it is more difficult since they need to be at temperatures of -17 C for at least two hours. This can be used for small items that once washed you can put in a freezer such as cushions or sheets. The mattress cannot be disinfected with this method, if you take it out in the open with –17 degrees it will freeze, in the end, it is more worth using other methods.
Peppermint oil is known to be a homemade insect repellent for small insects. Therefore, this home remedy can be useful to keep bed bugs away from the room, garden and pets. Another option is lavender oil, having an effect similar to the previous one.
We have included the 5 best bed bug kills sprays according to the sales rate in our review today. There are both chemically artificial and organic active components so that they provide alternatives. Each of these products is great in their own way, so instead of giving them an assessment, we will give you a detailed description of each of them, so you can choose one that best suits your needs.
Not to mention the fact that the manufacturer claims that its spray is completely natural, we cannot consider it totally organic if it contains, for example, synthetic chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). The kills bugs contain active components such as sodium lauryl sulfate, geranium oil, distilled water, citric acid, ethyl lactate. It is a good thing that some active components are natural, but nevertheless we cannot call this totally natural spray.
The manufacturers promise that the spray will kill bed bugs once it comes in contact with them, as soon as possible, it will not leave any stains or any artificial odor, but is it really so? Yes, some users are able to get rid of bed bugs quickly with their help. They talk about "determining results" in their reviews. Others share that the spray does not work at all or simply paralyze the insects. The lack of smell is also debatable since some customers do not complain about this, while others say the smell is worse than chemical sprays. You can also read all about customer reviews on your own and make your own judgment. For our part, we recommend using this spray combined with other treatments as a means of compensation.
This is yet another bed bug killer for ~ $21.97. The manufacturer provides information regarding the spray tests which took place in 2010. According to the result, 99% of bed bugs died in 11 minutes during the test (the different group approaches ranged from 6- 50 adult bugs and other insects), so this is a decent result for the natural spray kills bed bugs by Killer Green.
Price: ~ $21.97
How does this spray differ from the others? The manufacturer claims that this ~ $ 8.97 bottle is not only capable of killing bed bugs, their eggs, ticks, dust mites, fleas, and lice, but also pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs.
Price: ~ $ 8.97
This great bottle costs ~ $ 17.95. First things first, let's mention the active components, which are: 7% sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), 13% peppermint oil, and 1% sodium chloride. Peppermint oil is the main ingredient, which is great. The manufacturer bravely states that this product exterminates bed bugs in less than 10 seconds.
The mint smell is strong and may seem too invasive. Some of the clients tried to disguise the content and smell of the spray by adding alcohol, for example, and noticed that its effect improved. This spray will hardly be useful during a massive bed bug infestation unless you are able to locate all bed bugs at home. We recommend using it in a small-scale infestation.
Price: ~ $ 17.95
The active component of the spray is deltamethrin.
In fact, the reason why we really like this spray is that it comes with a large volume and is really thrifty (what experienced users appreciate most). You can read all customer reviews as proof.
Price: ~ $ 20.19
For our part, once again we would like to remind you that the insecticides must be combined with measures to prevent infestation, as well as remove and clean the infested beds, sheets, and other places of shelters, as well as non-chemical techniques, such as steam or heat application.
