Have you been trying to get rid of bedbugs for a while now? Do they keep coming back no matter what you do? Are you sure you got rid of them completely in the first place? Do you have pets that go to play in the park? Do your children have sleepovers? Do you often have houseguests? Do you travel often and stay the night at hostels and in hotel rooms? Yes-Bedbugs are nasty; especially the newly hatched ones those are thirsty for human blood and are never satiated. The most important aspect of getting rid of bedbugs is exterminating them completely by eliminating all eggs, nymphs (newly hatched baby bedbugs) and live adult bugs. It is not a difficult proposition provided you put adequate planning and effort into it. You have to meticulously as well as incrementally eliminate all forms of bedbugs (eggs, nymphs and fully grown bugs) from your home. In this guide, we provide the ultimate bed bugs solution:
The ultimate bed bugs solution
Here is a list of steps you should include in your bedbug elimination plan
- Wash and dry (at high temperature either in the machine or out in the sun) all sheets, pillowcases, curtains if washable, clothes, towels, hankies, and every (yes-every!) piece of cloth and fabric.
- For those pieces of clothing and other fabric that cannot be washed or machine dried, label them appropriately and send them over for dry cleaning.
- Vacuum floors, walls, mattresses, bed boxes, corners, seams and pillows. Do not leave any area of the house untouched or un-vacuumed. Vacuum all furniture and upholstery.
- Bedbugs can’t survive extreme hot and cold temperatures. So, machine-dry or freeze items that can’t be washed or dry-cleaned.
- After vacuuming, spray bedbug dust in all cracks and crevices and vacuum again to dispose of the debris.
- Seal the contents of the vacuum cleaner in a garbage bag and get rid of the bag.
- Get sufficient quantity of a good bedbug spray and spray in every inch, nook and corner of the house.
- Be sure to spray in all sockets and every crevice in the house where a bug might crawl into and stay hidden.
- Do not forget the springs in your bed, your luggage, suitcases, your car seats and mats.
- Shampoo your pets with specific shampoos meant for that species of pets.
- Wash up yourselves and ensure your children clean up too.
- Collect all bedbugs in the bathtub and / or the shower and discard any bugs that might have washed out.
Some pointers
- You might be concerned about the chemical properties and toxicity of the bedbug spray and dust you use. In that case, make a DIY spray or dust from organic, non – toxic compounds. This will keep your young children and pets safe from accidental or playful / intentional inhalation or consumption.
- When buying products for exterminating and completely eliminating bedbugs from your home and life, read the list of ingredients both active and inactive to ensure they do not emit noxious fumes or are otherwise toxic.
- Make sure your pets do not consume any of the products you procure for getting rid of bedbugs.
- Ensure all your clothes, every other piece of fabric in the house is well washed, machine dried or dry cleaned before you wear them again and make sure they have had no contact with the products / chemicals used to eliminate bedbugs.
- If bedbugs bite you or your children, see a doctor and get some topical medicines to prevent excess itching and scratching.
- Do not panic if very young children are bitten. Simply inspect the skin and the child’s bed and find out if it indeed is a bedbug.
Some products available in the market for getting rid of bedbugs
There are several natural and chemical products available out there to fight bedbugs
- Bedbug spray
- Bedbug powder
- Bedbug Mist and
- Bedbug dust
The natural ultimate bed bugs solution is typically made of fungi, leaves, plant extracts, and essential oils. The chemical or synthetic products are made of alcohol and d-phenothrin, which maybe harmful when accidentally inhaled or ingested. Whether the all-natural harmless option or the synthetic option is best in your case depends on the level of infestation. Also, some people are allergic to essential oils. So, if you are looking to make your own spray or dust, make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients you intend to use.
