DIY Bed Bug Control

People regularly ask themselves, is it possible to control and eliminate bedbugs all on my own? The simple answer to that question is. Yes, you can treat bedbugs yourself, but it isn’t a straightforward process. You see, bed bugs can be challenging and put simply, they can be tough to eliminate because of their ability to hide and reproduce quickly in large numbers. Part of what makes them a though pest is that the egg stage highly resistant to various forms of treatments, so using just one kind of treatment may not be successful.

As regards to DIY treatment for bed bugs, your success is dependent on several factors;

• Level of infestation
• Site complexities and challenges
• Clutters
• Neighbours and Neighborhood with an infestation
• Participation of residents

Attaining maximum control can take up to weeks or even months, depending on the level of infestation and also the corporation of affected persons and residence.

Before commencing your treatment plans, it is essential to lay out your plan. The following highlighted plan will help you start

1. Identify the problem
2. Create a strategy
3. Prevent the infestation from expanding
4. Prepare for treatment
5. Eliminate the bedbugs
6. Carry out an evaluation and prevention procedure

Identify the problem

• Carry out extensive research of the infested areas and also surrounding areas, to correctly determine the extent of the infestation
• Accurately identify the bug
• Pick up a sample to show a reputable professional in entomology or a seasoned extension agent
• Extension agents are conversant with pest control problems, and they know the local area well.

• If you leave in an apartment with bed bugs, promptly notify your landlord or property manager so that other surrounding units can be inspected.
• Landlords are by law, required to participate in treatments relating to their property

Create a strategy

• With the aid of a calendar, plan out each stage of the treatment procedure
• Keep accurate records of the entire process. Include records of dates and locations when the bugs are first found
• Allow time for long-term evaluation and monitoring of the situation to ensure all the bed bugs are eradicated

Prevent the infestation from expanding

• Any item removed from an infested room should be placed in a plastic bag and treated accordingly
• If an object cannot be processed, leave the item in the plastic bag for a length of time. This is to ensure all active bedbugs die.
• Seal the plastic bag and throw it off into the outdoor trash can far from your home

• Don’t throw away your furniture if there is a possibility of you to eliminate the bugs in it
• If you cannot salvage the furniture, destroy it and then discard it, so someone isn’t tempted to pick it up.
• Tear the covers and discard any stuffing
• Use paint or spray paint to write bed bugs on it

Prepare for treatment

It is important you prepare for the treatment procedure rather than jumping into it immediately. Treatment preparation is vital in ensuring a successful control procedure. This will make evaluation and monitoring very easy. Adequate preparation should be carried out whether a professional is doing the treatment or you are getting it done yourself.

Eliminate the bedbugs

• Ensure your treatment method is legal and Safe as well as effective
• Consider using non-chemical treatment methods to kill your bugs. Some effective non-chemical methods include;
• The heat treatment can be achieved using black plastic bags placed directly in sunlight, clothes dryer on maximum heat, closed car under the sun
• Cold treatment can be obtained by setting the home freezer to 0^oF. Infested items can be placed in a freezer for up to four days at 0^oF. Use a thermometer to make sure the desired temperature is at 0^o
• Use steam cleaners (either dry or wet) to clean crevices, cracks, Bedframes, carpets and other temperatures. The steam temperature has to be set to 130^oF for it to be effective.

These non-chemical methods can help you reduce bedbugs in your home, but they are unlikely to provide a complete elimination.

• If you must, use pesticides according to the instructions and directions in the label. You can also hire a professional pest controller
• Look for authorised EPA pesticides
• Bed bugs should be on the Label
• Utilize bug bombs (foggers) with extreme precision and care. Improper use of foggers can cause explosion or damage to your health.

• Inspect after a few days of the control and treatment process to see if there are any indicators or signs of bed bugs.
• If you see any bedbugs or signs of bugs, it implies the initial treatment procedure wasn’t thorough enough, and retreatment might need to be carried out

• If several treatments are required, consider employing the use of pesticides with different specifications.
• Drying Agents (Desiccants) are known to be useful as they kill the bedbugs by a drying action
• If you are utilising desiccants, ensure you use only the ones registered as pesticides
• Don’t use Diatomaceous earth as it is poisonous and harmful to you
• Desiccants are known to be useful when it comes to treating bedbugs although their treatment duration is very long.

Carry out an evaluation and prevention procedure

• Continuously inspect for signs of bugs every week should in case some eggs were left unattended to

• You can use inspectors to trap bedbugs from climbing your furniture and Bedframes. There are DIY and commercial versions available
• Try as much as you can to ensure you prevent bed bugs from hitchhiking on your body or bags back to your home