The short answer to this question is yes. Bed bugs are one of the toughest pests for non-professionals to handle. Not only are they increasingly resistant to chemical pesticides, but they’re also some of the most talented hiders on the block. Getting rid of bed bugs would be one thing if they only lived in your bed. However, the fact that bed bugs can live pretty much anywhere they want in your Kittitas County house makes tackling an infestation a whole different ballgame. Below, we’ll talk about some of the most common methods homeowners use to try to get rid of infestations and why they’re not usually effective. Then, we’ll discuss what you can do instead.
Common Bed Bug Treatments
There are lots of remedies people use to try to get rid of bed bugs. Some of the most common include:
- Mattress Steaming And Vacuuming: Extreme temperatures do kill bed bugs. Steaming your mattress will subject the bed bugs in it to high heat, which will kill them. After steam cleaning, vacuuming the mattress can get rid of bed bug bodies and any eggs.
- Isopropyl Alcohol: Spraying isopropyl alcohol with a concentration of 90% or more will kill bed bugs on contact. Don’t spray a light coating on your whole mattress. Spray where bed bugs hide, like in crevices and under the buttons.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Diatomaceous Earth or DE will shred bed bugs when they crawl across it. Spreading a thick layer of DE across your mattress will kill the bed bugs that walk around on it. You can then vacuum up the bodies and DE.
- Bed Bug Bombs: Aerosol sprays, also called bombs or fumigators, are another way homeowners try to get rid of bed bugs. This is a treatment that’s easier to use around the whole house.
Issues With Home Remedies
The obvious problem with the first three remedies we discussed above – steaming, alcohol, and DE – is that they only treat your mattress. Bed bugs can hide all over your house in crazy spots like inside appliances, underneath light switch covers, and they can even get under the keyboard keys in your laptop. You can’t steam your whole house, so killing the bugs in your mattress doesn’t do anything but make room for the ones hiding between your carpet fibers.
Bug bombs might get your whole house, but they’re typically ineffective because:
A. You need to make direct contact with bugs to kill them.
B. Bed bugs have developed known resistance to many over-the-counter (OTC) pesticides. That means even bombing your house may reduce the bed bug population, but it won’t eliminate it. If you don’t eliminate it, it will eventually grow to the same size before – or even bigger.
Another big problem is that bed bugs are easy to contract. If you got them once, you could get them again, especially if you travel or secondhand shop without taking precautions. Even the most careful travelers and antique shoppers can still make mistakes. That’s why it’s important not just to seek professional help for an existing bed bug infestation but to have ongoing preventative treatment. If you have quarterly or bi-annual service appointments, you can nip an infestation in the bud before it spreads all over your house.
Here at Prosite, our bed bug control process includes a thorough inspection of your home to identify all problem areas and develop a tailored bed bug control treatment plan that ensures the entire infestation is eliminated. Give us a call at (509) 478-1925, or visit our contact page to get started today!