Bed Bugs Pest Control

The mere mention of bed bugs pest control has most people running for a quick and effective treatment method to get rid of them for good.

Bed bug infestations can be annoying and costly inconveniences.  

Although they're gross and will cause you to loose sleep at night, they are mostly harmless and cause no great health dangers to you or your pets.

While bed bug bites can cause allergic reactions for some, they do not transmit or spread disease.

They are, however, a major nuisance and they should be taken care of as soon as possible.

Bed bug bites can cause mild skin irritations and just the thought of bed bugs can bring on legitimate personal anxiety for some people.

Having bed bugs can also result in negative impacts on business operations and reputations especially for hotel and motel owners, laundromats and other common gathering places. 

Bed bugs pest control starts with common sense prevention.

Depending on the severity of the infestations, over-the-counter sprays and traps can help rid your residential or commercial property of bed bugs, but it often takes the services of a pest control professional to completely eradicate bed bug infestations.

 Bed Bugs Pest Control - Where Do They Live And Hide?

Bed bugs are very tiny brown insects who feed on the blood of humans and animals.

Attracted to warmth and carbon monoxide emitted from potential feeding hosts, bed bugs get into residential and commercial properties undetected in a variety of ways including:

• Luggage
• Clothing
• Used couches, mattresses and other furniture

Bed bugs like to hide near the warmth of mattress and box spring piping, seams, and tags.

Bed frame and headboard cracks are also prime breeding grounds and living spaces for bed bugs.

Untreated infestations can spread throughout the room in other warm, tight spaces, such as:

• Chairs
• Couches
• Cushions
• Curtains
• Drawer joints
• Electrical appliances
• Under loose wall paper
• Behind wall hangings
• Under carpet

Bed Bugs Pest Control - Vulnerable Businesses

In addition to getting into your home’s sheets and pillowcases, bed bugs can also infest commercial businesses, causing major negative consequences.

Bad press, poor reviews, and a decrease in returning customers can harm valuable reputations and affect a company’s bottom line. 

Industries and businesses that are especially vulnerable to bed bug infestations include:

• Apartment complexes
• College dorms, fraternities and sororities
• Hotels
• Motels
• Retail stores
• Libraries
• Laundromats
• Movie theaters

Business owners or managers should always be alerted if any bed bugs pest control issues exist so they can be dealt with as soon as possible.

Bed Bug Pest Control - Prevention Tips

Small and elusive, bed bugs can enter spaces as thin as a business card, allowing them to overcome even the strongest barriers and other preventative methods. 

Frequent travelers may be more susceptible to bringing bed bugs home, but there are measures that can be taken to help reduce the risks of bed bugs entering your home and your bed. 

• Avoid used furniture: There is no way to know with absolute certainty that a used couch or bed will be free of bed bugs. Any pre-owned furniture should be completely cleaned and inspected before you bring it into your home. 

• Bed bug monitors: Technological advances have led to the introduction of electronic bed bug monitoring devices designed to detect the presence of bed bugs. There are a wide range of bed bug monitors on the market today with prices ranging from $5 to $1000 so you'll need to do some research before you buy one. 

• Cover power outlets: Bed bugs find power outlets to be an easily accessible exit strategy to hide from extermination efforts. 

• Keep beds away from walls: Don’t give bed bugs convenient transportation routes to spread to other parts of the room and the rest of the house. 

• Know the signs of bed bugs: The first sign of a bed bug infestation is typically waking up with small, itchy, red marks you did not have the night before. Small blood stains that look like rust can be spotted near the edges and corners of your sheets or pillow cases. Their sweat glands also release a unique dank, musty odor. 

• Mattress covers: Specially designed mattress covers can help to prevent infestations, but they are not a remedy to eliminate bed bugs already in your mattress. Durable, high quality, zippered covers protect the entire mattress without folds or tears that bed bugs can use to grow and live.

Zippered Mattress Encasement Bed Bug & Dust Mite Proof

• Neat and clean: Clean and vacuum areas of high risk for bed bugs. Bed linen should be washed frequently. Bed bugs thrive in warm, cluttered spaces, so keep things cleaned and straightened. 

• Vacuum-seal stored clothing: Seasonal clothes stored in airtight vacuum-sealed bags will prevent a bed bug infestation when they're not part of your current wardrobe cycle. 

• Avoid using moving blankets: Think about how many different mattresses, box springs, and other furniture moving blankets have touched in just the last month. 

• Laundromats: See moving blankets and add a regular rotation of warm clothing day after day. 

Detection is typically difficult before the effects are seen. Cleanliness and regular inspections are the best ways to help head off the nuisance of bed bug infestations.

Bed Bugs Pest Control - Risk With Pets

Bed bugs generally pose less of a health risk to animals than they do to humans. The fur on your cat or dog acts as a deterrent to bed bugs, making your pets less attractive.  

The bugs will catch a ride or even feed on them if really hungry, but they will not form infestations or spread disease.

Pets can still be irritated by beg bugs on them or their bites.

Give your dog or cat sleeping areas thorough, regular cleaning and vacuum pet beds to cut down on the risk of them being bothered by these nuisance insects, similar to the ways you would protect your pet from fleas.

Rest assured, bed bugs would much rather feed on you as opposed to your pets. 

Leave It To The Pros - Bed Bugs Pest Control Tips

There are a number of DIY methods and processes on the market designed to eliminate beg bug infestations.

Commercially available sprays and traps may help to prevent them in the future, but they are not always effective and can contain dangerous chemicals that can be harmful if misapplied or mishandled. 

Always use special care when handling potentially harmful chemicals.

Safety gloves and eyewear must be worn and any spills should be cleaned up quickly and thoroughly. 

Only the use of industrial-strength pesticides applied by professional pest control technicians can properly and completely eliminate the most severe and nasty bed bug infestations.

Just make sure you hire a respected, licensed bed bugs pest control company with a documented track record in the community.