How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs: They Aren’t The Same As They Once Were
So, what brought about this strange bed bug ‘come-back’? There are a couple of reasons why bed bugs are on the rise. One of them is the increase in the number travellers and immigrants who stay in motels and unknowingly bring these insects along with them back home.
The second main reason for the bed bug come-back is that bed bugs are evoloving and becoming resistant to the older methods and products for extermination. In the 1940’s and 50’s there was wide spread extermination of the bed bug. An insecticide called DDT was used and was highly effective in getting rid of bed bugs.
DDT became banned in the 1960’s however, following conclusive proof that it was harmful to human health and the environment. Since then the bugs have been waiting patiently to return to our homes.
Wholesale spraying of beds, walls, floors, furniture, etc with DDT was the solution in getting rid of bed bugs. However, law does not permit this kind of remedy anymore. Exterminating bed bugs now requires the more thoroughness as bed bugs become cleverer and stronger.
These nasty creature are good at hiding, and will set up camp in any nook and crannie available, usually places that are close to their food source (humans) and at the same time, not visible humans without closer inspection. This only adds to the tedium of getting rid of bed bugs. Everywhere that a bed bug might hide needs to be inspected, which requires moving furniture and getting up close and personal with folds in carpets and bedding. This must be done to eliminate doubt that once treatment has been completed there will be any remaining bed bugs. Once bed bugs have been exposed it is important to do the following before treatment procedures are undertaken:
All washable items, including bedding and clothes, must be placed in very hot water to soak.
Wrap mattresses in a huge black plastic bag then put it under the sun.
Vacuum all the nooks and crannies visible inside the home.
Seal any gaps in the furniture, floorboards and cracks where the bed bugs can hide.
Often, the infestation will not be severe enough that calling in of expert exterminators is warranted. With the products available today, it is more than possible to take care of an infestation yourself, which may require a bit of time but will be far less expensive than calling in professionals. But if the infestation is really serious you may want to consider getting a professional in.
Where professionals are used, the treatment process will usually commence with the spraying of some form of insecticide. Different sprays are used depending on the type of fabric or material being sprayed. Some of the chemicals used for exterminations have no odour and won’t leave and residue on the materials that are sprayed.
Getting rid of bed bugs can be tedious and requires effort and persistence. These cunning bugs live in nooks and crannies that can be hard to reach, even when using professional equipment. It doesn’t help that bed bugs can also last up to several months without food. So don’t try and take short cuts – rather do it properly and do it once than take short cuts and have to come back and repeat the job a second time.
After liquid insecticides are sprayed, a dust form of insecticide is then used. The powder-based insecticide is a step that really can’t be missed because it reaches those areas that the liquid spray couldn’t get to.
The entire process of getting rid of bed bugs can last three days to weeks, depending on the serious of the infestation. Back in the day, getting rid of bed bugs was quicker with the houses being sprayed with DDT. Nowadays, the process has changed rather dramatically and requires more thought and skill – it is a good thing that DDT is no longer used though.
This is not to say that we have become any less effective at getting rid of bed bugs. The business has changed over the years and now professionals must be considerate of the client’s health and of his property.
For more information on getting rid of bed bugs be sure to check out http://how-to-get-rid-of-bedbugs.net.
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