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Grandma's Bed Bug Control Guide
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Bed bugs leave a pattern of three bites and you will notice three red small red areas in a row. That is the first telltale sign that of being attacked by a bedbug. Another telltale sign is you'll notice reddish-brown excrement that they leave around in your bed that looks like specks of dirt, but it is really dried pieces of undigested blood.
There is one good thing about bed bugs (but only one). Bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious disease. Although, if you scratch the bite area, it will itch more and become more irritated and if you have a lot of bites you may develop an allergy to the bites. Their bodies are flat so it's easy for them to conceal themselves. Even though they hang out in groups when they feed they go alone.
In recent years, bed bugs have come back at an epidemic proportion. You'll see reviews in newspapers and in the news media about people staying in hotels and motels that are invested with bedbugs. These critters are know to be stowaways and will climb into the corners of suitcases and clothes to be transported back to your homes. They can hide in just about anything that was carried on your trip. They also like to nest in used furniture. Bed bugs can survive for many months without feeding.
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Home Remedies for Bed Bug Control
It's important to understand bed bugs, where they hide and how to locate their hiding places. The bed frame is their favorite hiding places and knowing where to look is the first step in bed bug control. Bedbugs aren't known to infest an entire house or apartment. They like to hide in places where they know people or animals sleep. They can be anywhere in the bedroom such as the box springs, mattress, baseboard, springs, wicker furniture, along the tracks of dresser drawers, behind cove molding or even in the laundry.
DIY pest control begins with finding an infested area and go on a bug hunt with a flashlight or a red light. Once you find an area that either has stains, bugs or eggs it's important to start cleaning immediately. Clean the entire area with a bucket of 1 gallon of warm water and ½ cup of borax, a stiff brush to dislodge the eggs and vacuum after the scrubbing.
Bed Bug Control & Cleaning Tips for DIY Pest Control
- Remove all dresser drawers and clean with stiff brush, vacuum and apply a think coat of Vaseline inside the tracks before reinstalling the drawers
- Dismantle the bed to expose any hiding places. Clean and vacuum every nook and cranny in your bed frame. Apply a thin coat of Vaseline into the areas that attach.
- Either rent or buy a steam cleaner to clean your mattress and box springs. Bedbugs hate extreme cold or heat. Loosen the backing on your box springs and steam clean inside. When steam cleaning the mattress make sure you pay special attention to the buttons, seams and folds.
- Once you get the entire bedding area done wrap your mattress and box springs enclose them in a special cover to keep them from getting back inside, like plastic.
- You can also hire a rug steam cleaning company to come into your home and steam clean your mattress and box springs.
- Place Duct tape along the walls and baseboards that are near your bed. You should also place either Vaseline on the legs of your bed or wrap them in Duct tape (sticky side out) and use masking tape to hold it in place. A lot of people just sit their bed legs in tin cans covered in Vaseline.
- It's important to keep all your bed clothes clean, your comforter should be washed every week along with you sheets. You're pillows and throw rugs will also need washed often.
- Vacuum your carpeting or floors and around the trim at least once a week.
Bed bug control takes a lot of detective work and non-stop commitment to keeping everything clean. Remember just because it seems like you have those blood sucking critters under control doesn't mean you can forget about it. Once you've been infested it's important to keep on the lookout for those few that may have slipped away and now breeding again.
DISCLAIMER:
The statement's made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
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