Bed Bugs in my Bed?

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I have many great memories of my growing up years. I remember my mom or dad tucking me into bed at night and kissing me on the cheek. As they left the room they would look over their shoulder and say something like, “Sweet dreams and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” This silly statement may have caused you to stir with laughter. The truth of the matter is that some individuals stir at night and not from laughter but from actual bed bug bites! Bed Bugs are all too real for millions of families’ worldwide. What can you do to safeguard your family from bed bugs?

Did you know that you could bring bed bugs home with you from your vacation? They can be a little souvenir that bummed a ride on your suitcase or in your favorite pair of pajamas. Little Suzie from next door could bring them home from school or Lisa may leave them in your home after she supposedly comes in for the weekly house cleaning.

Make no mistake about it. Bed Bugs can make their way into your home a hundred different ways. Where do they reside once they enter your home? Mattresses and furniture are the most known about place of residence, but they can be found in your clothes, linens, blankets, and even on garments you have hanging in your closet. And yes, these critters bite you in your sleep. The invasion of the bed bugs! They are all over the place, but especially prevalent in apartment complexes and hotels and row homes where families live in close proximity. There are thing that you and your family can do to protect yourself from these disgusting blood sucking creatures.

If you are just coming home from a vacation wash all your clothes in hot water and put them in the dryer on hot for thirty minutes or more. Also, go through your suitcases and duffel bags searching every nook and cranny for bed bugs or evidence that they were there, like their fecal waste of dried blood. If you don’t know what a bed bug looks like, go on the internet to your favorite search engine and find out. Another area of concern may be articles of clothing and other items you buy at flea markets. If you do encounter bed bugs, how to get rid of them becomes the question?

One way to get rid of bed bugs is to pay an insect exterminator who specializes in these particular bugs. This option can be very expensive and the process may have to be repeated because the likelihood of them missing some is high. Eradicating Bed Bugs from you home can be a tedious process usually requiring the help of all family members and the return of exterminators several times. Exterminators also use poisonous chemicals that are harmful to you and the environment. Always consider a green all natural alternatives to conventional chemicals.

There is a safe green alternative to kill bed bugs; steam. Bed bugs can not live in very hot temperatures, usually temps of 120 degrees and higher kill off the majority of insects. The excessive amount of heat will cause the bed bugs to die, as well as their eggs. The high levels of heat associated with steam, go deep to kill off the bugs you can’t see. Unfortunately, steam will not penetrate the walls of you home deep enough to eradicate all Bed Bugs. Re population will occur almost immediately. Professional exterminators are a toxic and environmentally unfriendly approach to killing Bed Bugs. Consider a green all natural approach. There are many products on the market that are safe and effective against Bed Bugs.

Consider using Diatomaceous Earth or DE as a Bed Bug barrier. Diatomaceous Earth dust is safe and consists of fossilized remains of tiny diatoms. The dust will act as a barrier to the Bed Bug keeping them at bay and away from you and blood they crave

After you treat the infected areas, you can use a vacuum sweeper weekly to suck up the dead bed bud bodies reapplying the Diatomaceous Earth regularly. This process may have to be repeated for a few months to ensure the complete elimination of bed bugs from your home.

This green method is safe for the environment and safe for people. It is not safe for bed bugs!

By: Bradley Skierkowski