If you're dealing with a bed bug infestation in your home, you know that this problem can take away all the comfort and enjoyment that generally comes from resting on your own bed. Although it might seem grim right now, you can eradicate this problem and, more importantly, prevent this type of infestation from reoccurring. However, this all begins with knowing exactly what to do.
Prepare Your Home
After discovering the infestation and calling a pest specialist, it's time to prepare. Begin with removing all linens from the bed. Everything, even decorative pillows. Wash linens in a hot water cycle, dry them and store in a sealed bag or container. Push away any furniture or fixtures that come in contact with the bed, such as nightstands or ottomans, but don't remove them from the room.
Instead, empty out any drawers and place the contents in a sealed container. If you happen to store linens in these fixtures, wash them in hot water and store in a sealed container. During treatment, the bed bugs may try to take refuge in these fixtures. Moving them away eliminates this risk. Don't replace anything in the room until the specialist tells you to do so.
Treatment
Once pest specialist arrives, expect a thorough inspection of your home. Although you may only be recognizing them on your bed, this doesn't mean they haven't spread. The specialist will look for signs that the infestation has spread in order to determine the best course of action. A typical treatment involves the use of a bed bug removal tool, similar to a vacuum.
Next, a low-toxicity grade pesticide is applied to the areas of infestation. This process is often followed up with a steam treatment to attack the bugs and their larvae. In most all cases, a complete elimination won't be achieved in a single visit. Depending on the severity, you should expect several visits before the problem is solved. In the meantime, avoid placing any linens on the bed, so you want to consider alternative sleeping solutions.
Further Prevention
After treatment, take a proactive approach to avoiding the problem in the future. When traveling, avoid placing your suitcase or other bags on the bed or floor, even your purse. Use the supplied luggage rack to store your bag. Once you return home, you even want to wash all your clothing before bringing it anywhere near your room.
Additionally, since you have had a previous infestation, you want to perform regular inspections of your mattress to see if you notice any of the signs that were present before.
The more proactive the approach you take towards eliminating this problem, the better the result. Make sure you are calling on a pest control company right away.
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