Bed bugs are pests that are becoming increasingly tricky to eliminate and of all bloodsuckers, they don’t need a host to stay alive. And what’s astonishing about them is that they can live up to more than a year without feeding. Getting rid of them may not be easy but it can be done with proper bed bug treatment.
The market offers a lot of products that claim to kill bed bugs but how effective they are may depend on a lot of things. To begin with, your place may have all sorts of hiding places such as a wall crack, clothing, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpet, drawers, clutter and many more. All these have to be treated accordingly and buying a single chemical spray may not mean an end to these pests for good.
Kill with a Pill?
Word of a pill that can kill bed bugs might have circulated and for victims of nightly bites, this bed bug treatment may sound interesting. Reportedly, the Eastern Virginia Medical School did a research about a certain drug used to kill parasites; the same drug that is used as an active ingredient in heartworm vaccine for dogs. The study was said to have explored the probable effect of the drug to bed bugs if it is added to a pill. But because of the issues surrounding its use in humans, the chance of making the pill available is still being debated by scientists involved in the study.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
There is no getting rid of their accumulation permanently because their transport from place to place is really easy. Their presence may be within the neighborhood or in an apartment building. A visitor or a used furniture purchase could also be a reason for them to enter a home. Still, an effective bed bug treatment is to observe the following.
Prevention
- They are called bed bugs but they don’t just stay in beds. They live in wall cracks or behind a portion of detached wallpaper and it is advisable that beds don’t touch parts of the house where they may be present.
- Because they love staying in cracks and holes, fill these in with sealers.
- Purchase beds with legs made of materials that bed bugs find difficult to climb such as metals or glass-like substance. Also, find a bed material that does not make an ideal nesting place.
- If possible, shy away from second-hand furniture because they make a very good transport vehicle.
- Schedule a regular appointment with a reliable exterminator and a regular spring-cleaning.
Bed Bug Treatment
- An effective means for bed bug treatment is to have a professional treat a room and other things infested with the insects.
- For a mattress where bed bugs are present, try wrapping it with vinyl cover and seal openings with duct tape. This will stifle the insects inside.
- Treat all fabrics like curtain, clothing, bed covers and sheets, pillow cases in boiling hot water. Shampoo and vacuum parts of the house with rugs and carpets and have them treated.
Bed bugs love to breed in areas that are cluttered and left untouched for a long period and on cloths so try to keep a clutter-free home. After a purchase, try to keep mattress plastic wrap intact as much as possible to avoid bed infestation. Seal dirty clothes in plastic bags if they can’t be washed immediately and keep clothes in plastic wardrobes for added protection after washing. In cleaning infested areas, use a hard-bristle brush to free surfaces of attached eggs. An ideal way to clean is to use a vacuum cleaner and make sure to seal and dispose the bag immediately.
Keeping an organized home that is free of clutter will certainly help keep these critters away. The less clutter, the cleaner and well-maintained a home is, the more effective any bed bug treatment will work.
