Bed Bug Pointers

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If you browse the internet and search for anything bed bugs, there is no doubt that you will stumble upon countless horror stories detailing infestations and rashes, among other things. You will also read that bed bugs are one the hardest insects to get rid of, even though there was a time that they were practically eradicated from our country, due primarily to DDT, banned in the early 1970s because of serious health hazards. If you have bed bugs in your home, don’t give up, there are steps you can take to destroy these blood thirsty creatures. What you need to do is formulate a strategy. This article will give you some ammunition.

The first thing that you need to do is go over your mattress with a fine tooth comb. Pay special attention to the seams and anywhere there is stitching; these areas are favorite hiding areas for bed bugs. Don’t leave your pillows out of the inspection; they hide around the seams of these too. If your pillows or mattresses have any tears in them, bed bugs can be congregating inside. Next, vacuum up the bed bugs with the attachments of your sweeper and then enclose the vacuum bag in plastic or just burn it, do so immediately. Finally, steam clean or wash your mattress and sprinkle diatomaceous earth on it and your box spring. If your mattress had any tears, and if you can afford to do so, buy a new one. As for torn pillows, get rid of them. When disposing of these items, do so carefully. I would clean them before removing them from the room they were in just so bed bugs were not transported to other areas of your home. There are also natural sprays that can be sprayed directly on your mattress. These sprays, along with diatomaceous earth, will effectively eliminate bed bugs.

The next thing you need to do is look through your entire home. Bed bugs can be anywhere. They can be in your rugs, your furniture, and your clothing. Picking up your home and removing clutter will help you to find where the bed bugs are hiding. If you have children, look through their toys, especially stuffed animals. If you have any pets, check out their beds or the areas of your home in which they sleep. You basically need to clean your entire home and wash all clothing in hot water. Anything that can be washed in hot water should be done so immediately. To keep bed bugs from infesting the washed items again, seal them in plastic bags and place those bags in the tub or on metal racks. Bed bugs can’t move well on ceramic or metal. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, sprinkle diatomaceous earth in all the areas you encountered bed bugs. Food grade diatomaceous earth is all natural and perfectly safe for you to use in your home. It will cut through the exoskeletons of the bed bugs as they walk through the white powdery substance. They will dehydrate and die. Lastly, vacuum the powder up along with any dead bed bugs. Diatomaceous earth will keep your home safe from bed bugs by providing a protective barrier.

If you live in an apartment, inform your landlord of your bed bug problem so he can advise the other tenants to be on the look out for bed bugs in their apartments. Bed bugs spread quickly and there is a good chance that the other apartments are already infested. One of the other apartments may even have infected yours. Diatomaceous earth will prevent bed bugs from entering your apartment if you sprinkle it along the perimeter of your apartment and by any air vents.

By cleaning your home and treating it with diatomaceous earth and other natural pesticides, you can effectively eliminate bed bugs from your home.

By: Bradley Skierkowski