How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Safely

Recognizing a Bed Bug

 

Bed bug infestations are increasingly common in United States. Follow these steps to prevent from infesting your home or get rid of them.

Bed bugs are small insects that feed mainly on human blood. A newly hatched bed bug is semi-transparent, light tan in color, and the size of a poppy seed. Adult bed bugs are flat, have rusty-red-colored oval bodies, and are about the size of an apple seed.

Bed bugs can be easily confused with other small household insects, including carpet beetles, spider beetles and newly hatched cockroaches (nymphs).

Bed Bugs Markings, Droppings and Eggs

 

Blood stains, droppings and eggs can be found in several locations including:

• • Mattress seams and tufts, sheets, pillow cases and upholstered furniture.
  • Crevices and cracks in furniture.
  • Baseboards of walls.

Bed Bugs Bites

Some people do not react to bed bug bites. But for those who do, bite marks may appear within minutes or days, usually where skin is exposed during sleep. They can be small bumps or large itchy welts.

The welts usually go away after a few days. Because the bites may resemble mosquito and other insect bites, a bump or welt alone does not mean there are bed bugs.

Bed Bugs Life Cycle

Bed bugs are most active when we sleep. They crawl onto exposed skin, inject a mild anesthetic and suck up a small amount of blood. Most people never feel the actual bite. Bed bugs need a blood meal to grow and lay eggs.

A female lays 5-7 eggs per week and if fed, will lay 200-500 eggs in her life. Eggs take about 10 days to hatch. Bed bugs are fully grown in 2 to 4 months and can live as long as a year.

The Health Effects of Bed Bugs

 

Although bed bugs and their bites are a nuisance, they are not known to spread disease.

1. 1. Bed bug bites can be very itchy and irritating. Most welts heal in a few days but in unusual cases, the welt may persist for several weeks. Usually an anti-itching ointment will help, but if bites become infected, people should see their doctor.
   2. The anxiety about being bitten can lead to sleeplessness, which can affect one’s wellbeing. Properly and effectively responding to bed bugs helps to keep anxiety in check. Some people become so desperate that that they use illegal or excessive amounts of pesticides that can lead to poisonings. This guide provides advice on how to get rid of bed bugs safely.

Preventing Bed Bugs from Infesting Your Home

Bed bugs can enter homes by latching onto used furniture, luggage and clothing, and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring.

• • Never bring bed frames, mattresses, box springs or upholstered furniture found on the street into your home.
  • Check all used or rented furniture for bed bugs.
  • When traveling, inspect the bed and furniture. Keep suitcases off the floor and bed, and inspect them before you leave.
  • If you suspect you have been around bed bugs, immediately wash and dry your clothing on hot settings or store it in a sealed plastic bag until you can.
  • Seal cracks and crevices with caulk, even if you don’t have bed bugs. This will help prevent bed bugs and other pests from coming in.

Inspecting for Bed Bugs

Look for bed bugs, blood stains, droppings and eggs (a flashlight and a magnifying glass will help). Start by looking in an area 10-20 feet around where you sleep or sit. That’s the distance a bed bug will usually travel.

Keep a written record of every room and location where you find signs of bed bugs. Share this record with a pest control professional.

Check mattresses, box springs, bed frames and bedding

Check cracks and crevices in bedroom furniture, floor boards and baseboards, windows and door frames

Check walls and wall hangings

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

If you have bed bugs, you shouldn’t feel ashamed. Anyone can get bed bugs.

Cleaning and disinfecting

Cleaning and disinfecting will help to reduce bed bugs and their spread but may not get rid of them totally.

Wipe off dead bugs, blood stains, eggs and droppings with hot soapy water

Wash all items showing bed bug stains in hot water (140o F) and dry on the highest setting for at least 20 minutes. Other clean items suspected of having bed bugs should be placed in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes to kill bed bugs. After drying store items in sealed plastic bags until you are sure you have gotten rid of bed bugs.

Vacuum carpets, floors, bed frames, furniture, cracks and crevices daily, using the brush and crevice tools. Empty the vacuum or seal and dispose of its bag outside of your home after each use.

Trap and Kill Bed Bugs

Force bed bugs out of cracks and crevices with a putty knife or an old subway or playing card, or with hot air from a blow-dryer on low setting. Catch them with sticky packing tape or crush them in paper towels.

The heat from blow-dryers will kill bed bugs after 30 seconds of continuous contact.

Get rid of clutter

Get rid of clutter to reduce places bed bugs can hide. After checking them for bed bugs, consider putting non-essential belongings into storage until the bed bugs are gone from your home. Check all items again before returning.

Enclose infested mattresses and box springs

Enclose infested mattresses and box springs in a cover that is labeled “allergen rated,” “for dust mites,” or “for bed bugs” for at least a full year. Periodically check for rips or openings and tape these up.

Seal Cracks and Crevices

Repair cracks in plaster, repair or remove any loose wallpaper and tighten light switch covers.

Apply caulk to seal crevices and joints in baseboards and gaps on shelving or cabinets.

Getting Rid of Infested Items

Usually, it is not necessary to get rid of furniture or bedding at the first signs of bed bugs. Cleaning and enclosing is often adequate.

Box springs should only be discarded if they cannot be covered and are heavily infested.

Use plastic sheeting (shrink /pallet wrap) or place securely in plastic bags any items to be thrown away. Label with a sign that says “infested with bed bugs.”

Choose a good professional pest control company

In some cases, bed bug infestations may require the services of well-trained, licensed pest management professionals, also called exterminators to carry out a pesticides or heat treatment. A good company will:

• Inspect your property before giving you a price quote or begin any pesticide application.
• Give you a written inspection report, and an action plan of how to prepare for treatment and prevent further infestation.
• Base quotes on inspection findings, not flat fees. The cheapest services are rarely the best.
• Visit often until the job is done.
• Employ qualified, well-trained pest management professionals.
• Educate you on how to prevent bed bugs.
• Work with you until the bed bugs are gone.

Adapted from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene“Preventing and Getting Rid of Bed Bugs Safely: A Guide for Property Owners, Managers and Tenants.”