Bed Bug Self-Treatment

Here are some Bed Bug do-it-yourself Tips before you call an exterminator:

• Thoroughly wash, vacuum and clean all surfaces and bedding.
• Wash and/or dry-clean bedding and all affected clothing. Use hot water and a dryer on the hottest setting whenever possible.
• Vacuum mattresses. Seal mattresses in plastic.
• Steam clean all carpets and rugs.
• Spray cracks in walls, floors, and crevices with insecticides designed to control bed bugs. Follow directions carefully. Do not treat bedding with insecticide, or any places which people will contact.
  

 

Some people have had success doing self-treatments and exterminations.

Prepare an insecticide mixture of pyrethrins and fresh-water diatomaceous earth. At least one manufacturer produces a household insecticide D-20 with only .2% naturally derived pyrethrins and 1.0% Piperonyl Butoxide, which magnifies the pyrethrins effectivenes by 10 times. Natural pyrethrins are more expensive than many alternatives. The function of the pyrethrins is to stimulate the nervous system of the bugs so that the spasms will allow the diatomaceous earth to desiccate, puncture, and kill the bugs through mechanical action. Great care should be taken not to use products with salt-water diatomaceous earth or heat-treated diatomaceous earth, which can damage the lungs of any mammal (dogs, cats, or humans) which inhale it, and has also been known to cause cancer. Fresh-water diatomaceous earth, however, is commonly used to deworm cats, dogs, and humans, and is considered as safe as table salt.

Others have used fruit and vegetable insecticides, comprised of a mixture of pyrethins and canola oil, which are usually safe for humans and most pets (aside from fish).

Contrary to popularly disseminated information, extreme heat or extreme cold is usually not effective in eliminating bedbugs. Pest control professionals receive reports of infestations even in the dead of winter, and manufactured environments of extreme heat or cold (such as encasing a mattress in a bag and placing it in direct sunlight, or placing a suspect piece of bedding or clothing in a freezer) usually cannot stay consistently hot or cold enough to sufficiently kill bedbugs, which are not particularly sensitive to temperature extremes. In addition, since bedbugs normally disperse, treatment of a bed or mattress is insufficient to eradicate an infestation.

 

If you have tried theses methods and you still can't get rid of bed bugs, you may need to hire a professional. A qualified exterminator uses stronger insecticides to kill bedbugs. Repeated treatments may be necessary to ensure that all bedbugs are killed.