Bed bugs are invading the whole country, they have even been found in the Empire State Building for Gods sake! Hopefully any difficulty you find yourself having with these incredibly small vampires will be on a very much smaller scale but it can still be very unsettling non the less.
To begin with there are the itchy, red welts on your body, some people don't suffer any reaction to the bites but for most the intense itching just makes a horrid situation seem a whole lot worse.
Then, you have to face the fact that your house has an invasion of bugs and you have to decide how to get rid of bed bugs as speedily and successfully as possible.
There are a few easy steps you should follow which will hopefully get rid of your bed bugs.
However, if you discover a large infestation, in more than one room you may need to bring in professional help.
Okay, here is how to get rid of bed bugs the do-it-yourself way! 1.
De-clutter and clear the room.
Get rid of anything you no longer need such as newspapers, magazines, books etc.
Pile all this "stuff" into plastic bags, seal them securely and dispose of them.
2.
Remove all bedding, clothing etc.
and place these in sealed plastic bags as well.
Launder everything at as high a temperature as possible.
Items which cannot be laundered should be placed in your tumble dryer on a high heat setting for approximately 10 minutes.
As an alternative you may want to use a steam cleaner to get rid of these pests in items unsuited to laundering or tumble drying.
Once garments have been treated place them in fresh plastic bags, seal them securely to avoid recontamination.
REMEMBER - you will have to search and treat drawers, closets etc.
because these bugs will hide out anywhere.
3.
Once the room is completely clear, vacuum everywhere in a methodical, thorough manner this has to include the bed, soft furnishings, curtains, inside furniture, even weird places like smoke alarms, light switches and alarm clocks must checked.
It is vital that you empty the contents of your vacuum cleaner into a plastic bag and seal it closed immediately you complete this part of the task.
4.
Repeat step three this time with a steam cleaner.
The bugs cannot withstand heat and a steam cleaner gives an immediate and intense source.
This should get rid of bed bugs at all stages in their development from eggs and nymphs through to full grown adult bugs.
5.
If you have any small cracks or crevices in walls or floors now is a good time to carry out repairs.
This will get rid of hiding places! You could take no further action and hope that you have got rid of all the bed bugs.
However, when someone asks me how to get rid of bed bugs I always advise taking treatment a step further.
You can easily obtain a wide variety of sprays and treatments but one which I personally have used and had a good outcome with is Bed Bug Patrol.
It is 100% natural and works really quickly to get rid of bugs who may have escaped the vacuum and steam cleaners.
From the same company you can also buy fossil shell dust and traps.
These are fairly inexpensive but will effectively get rid of bed bugs.
In fact you can purchase everything you need in a kit.
These steps show you how to get rid of bed bugs, but going through this routine once may not be enough.
You may have to repeat the whole thing a few times before you can declare your home a bug free zone! GOOD LUCK!