Bed Bug Do’s & Don’ts (2024)

FAQs

Bed Bug Do’s & Don’ts? ›

Don't use rubbing alcohol, kerosene or gasoline. These chemicals may cause fires. Don't try to kill bed bugs with room foggers or “bug bombs.” The mist released by these items just does not reach the places where bed bugs hide.

Don't use rubbing alcohol, kerosene or gasoline. These chemicals may cause fires. Don't try to kill bed bugs with room foggers or “bug bombs.” The mist released by these items just does not reach the places where bed bugs hide.

Bed bugs will not go away if you sleep in another room. Instead, they will follow you and create new colonies wherever you move. Remember: Always stay in the same room while your home is being treated for bed bugs.

If the bed bug treatment was conducted by using heat, you are safe to sleep in the room immediately after the room's temperature has lowered to a comfortable temperature and once a post treatment cleaning has been done.

Bed bugs are like vampires, they feed on the blood of humans and other mammals like dogs, cats, rodents and etc. Since bed bugs can go a significant amount of time without eating it is strongly recommend that if you decide to vacate your home that you do so for an extended period of time.

Tea tree oil, renowned for its antibacterial properties, is like a natural bug repellent that bed bugs can't stand. Peppermint oil, with its invigorating minty freshness, overwhelms their acute senses. And eucalyptus oil, known for its refreshing aroma, is a formidable deterrent against these tiny intruders.

Do continue to sleep in your bedroom after identifying a bed bug infestation. If you move rooms or start sleeping on the couch you run the risk of contaminating these other areas of your home. Similarly, avoid taking your bedding from the location of the infestation to other rooms of your home.

Most times, clothing, bedding and furniture from a home with a bed bug problem can be treated and do not need to be thrown away. If you decide to dispose of items, they should be carefully sealed in a plastic bag or container first so the bed bugs don't spread.

You shouldn't have to throw away any of your possessions during a bed bug infestation. Everything can be salvaged with proper treatment in place. Instead of tossing your clothes and bedding, you should try washing them in a hot water wash. High heat washing and drying consistently kills bed bugs and their eggs.

Why am I still getting bit by bed bugs after treatment? ›

Bed bugs may have lived through the treatment or were not quite dead (“walking dead”). It is possible that during the application the bugs were not exposed to enough chemical or heat, causing the customer to find them 7 to 10 days after the treatment was completed.

Q: Do I have to wash and dry all the fabrics in my entire house? A: No. Bed bugs tend to hide as close to the bed as possible, so only launder the fabrics in the immediate area – your bedding, and clothing in dressers near the bed. Hanging clothes in closets can usually be left there, but wash anything on the floor.

Don't count on bed bugs to go away on their own. In theory, they can. In practice, they don't unless several highly specific circ*mstances occur. Your best bet is professional bed bugs treatment.

Bed bugs are averse to slick surfaces like glass, plastic, and polished metals and stone. They can, however, grasp and cling onto textiles and porous materials like wood. Bed bugs are positively thigmotactic; that is, they prefer to be in crevices versus out in the open.

Pyrethroid products are often mixed with other types of insecticides; some of these mixtures can be effective against bed bugs. Look for products containing pyrethroids plus piperonyl butoxide, imidicloprid, acetamiprid, or dinetofuran.

Various methods may help a person get rid of bedbugs. This can include stripping and isolating the bed, and then encasing the bedbugs. Encasing involves encasing the mattress and box spring in fabric. Laundering in hot water and placing fabrics in a freezer may also help to kill bedbugs.