How to Identify Bedbugs and How to Get Rid of Them?

Those little red or brown insects crawling on your bed must be identified and removed immediately. Bites from these nasty little creatures lead to itchiness and a rash. You end up scratching yourself all night until you finally get some sleep.

Bedbugs hide and multiply in a short period of just one month or even less. They can multiply up to hundreds and thousands in just one year. You need to learn bed bug infestation tips to take the necessary steps to get rid of them quickly before they overrun your home. Read to learn how to identify and get rid of bedbugs.

Signs of Bedbugs

Bedbugs feed at night and then crawl off to hide in cracks and crevices during the daytime. Bedbugs do not live on humans but rather hunt for blood. They can find their way into your home via luggage, clothing, bedding, furniture, or used mattresses.

If you think you have bedbugs, look for these signs:

• Bite marks on the skin these marks are red and itchy.
• Dark or rust-colored spots on your mattress or sheets.
• Blood spots on your sheets or mattress.
• Cream-colored eggs (nymphs) in mattress seams.

How to Get Rid of Bedbugs

Bedbugs are a pest that can cause sleepless nights and unwelcome bites. Here are some tips for how to get rid of bedbugs.

Identify Infestation Area

Put on thick rubber gloves and use a flashlight to inspect the mattress seams, box springs, furniture joints, wall cracks, and other potential hiding places for bedbugs.

Look for brownish 4-5mm bedbugs, cream-colored eggs, or blood spots on bedsheets or pillowcases. You might also notice redness or swelling on your skin where you’ve been bitten. If you find these signs, take action!

Contain Infestation Area

Bedbugs found in one room must be contained before they can spread throughout the rest of the home. If possible, move items that cannot be washed into another room until treatment is complete. Otherwise, place them into plastic bags or containers with tightly fitted lids until they can be cleaned or discarded safely. 

Prepare for Treatment

Preparing for bedbug treatment before you start is important. Here’s what you should do before treating for bedbugs:

• Wash all your linens and other fabrics in hot water with detergent.
• Remove all drawers from nightstands, dressers, and end tables, check behind headboards, and look where there might be cracks that could be hiding bedbugs. If there are any signs of bugs, throw away these items immediately! And if there are cracks, caulk them.
• Vacuum all floors thoroughly using an attachment designed to remove debris from cracks and crevices. It will help dislodge any eggs or adults hiding there so they can be killed by heat treatment later on!

Kill the Bugs

If you want to get rid of bedbugs, you need to kill the bedbugs. You can use

Nonchemical treatments

• Wash your bedding with hot water and soap.
• Use a steamer. Steamers are great for killing bedbugs because they’ll force them out of their hiding places.
• Place the bags outside on a 95°F (35°C) day to kill the pests. It can take two-five months for colder temperatures to kill bugs that have been enclosed inside of a container.

Chemical treatments

Several chemicals work well against bedbugs. You can use:

• Desiccants, such as silica gel and diatomaceous earth (DE). They destroy the bedbug’s outer coating.
• Pyrethrins and pyrethroids work by disrupting the nervous systems of insects, causing paralysis and death.
• Pyrroles disrupt the bedbug cells.

Evaluate and Prevent

After killing the bedbugs, evaluating your living situation is important to see what needs improvement to prevent future infestations. It will include: 

• Look at what items in your home attract the bugs and ensure that these items aren’t around anymore.
• Removing clutter from your room.
• Cleaning up after yourself so that food doesn’t sit out for too long.
• Vacuuming frequently.
• Sealing cracks through which bugs might enter.

Involve Professionals

Companies that specialize in pest control have access to effective pesticides that you do not. Bedbugs can be eliminated permanently with pesticides that kill on touch, adhere to surfaces, and remain effective inside furniture and cracks.

Companies that deal with pest management can also use whole-room heat treatments. They bring in specialized gear to raise the room temperature to a lethal 135°F to 145°F (57.22°C to 62.78°C) for the bedbugs.

It’s important to remember that bedbugs can be dealt with. It begins with being aware of them, identifying them, and finding out how to eliminate them.