You’ve heard of it. Everyone’s talking about it — bed bugs. These pests used to be almost unheard of. Then, a few decades ago, there was an outbreak on the east coast of the US. Since then they have spread are are becoming more and more common all over the world. If you have been having issues with these pests in your home and want to DIY some self treatment here is what you need to know. As the bed bug epidemic in America grows, many people are turning to home remedies for solving their bed bug problems. Using natural anti-bed bug treatments can be safer than professional bed bug extermination efforts if you’re aware of your own physical weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Generally speaking, you should consider your health limits, for example if you have allergies or respiratory/respiratory conditions, before going ahead with a DIY approach. If you have any doubts regarding your physical condition, please seek advice from a medical professional first.

Bed Bug Self Treatment

Introduction

Bed bug infestations are a growing problem. The best way to prevent the spread of these insects is to eliminate them as soon as possible before they have an opportunity to multiply and spread further. If you suspect that you may have bed bugs in your home, it is important to be proactive and take action right away.

Wash your bedding, linens, curtains and clothing in hot water and dry using the highest heat setting.

You can wash your bedding, linens and clothing in hot water and dry using the highest heat setting. Do not use bleach or fabric softeners as it will leave harmful residues on your clothes which may harbor bed bugs or their eggs.

• Do not dry clean any of these items as they will kill all stages of bed bugs (including eggs).
• Do not use a washing machine as this may cause damage to your clothes, especially if you have stitched seams or buttons which can become detached from their threads during the process. In addition, many washing machines do not reach temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) even when set to “high” so there is no guarantee that this method will work effectively at killing any insects present in these items.

Encase your mattress in a bed bug proof cover.

Encase your mattress in a bed bug proof cover. A good, tight fitting mattress cover is the best way to prevent bed bugs from getting out of their harborage and onto your body while you sleep. Wash the encasement before use and vacuum dust and small debris from its outer surface, especially along seams. Spray with a residual pesticide such as cyfluthrin (Tempo SC) or deltamethrin (DeltaGard TK) for added protection against bedbugs that may have hitchhiked inside the encasement during storage or travel from another location where an infestation was present.

Dismantle your bed frame and stand it on end. Then vacuum all cracks and crevices.

• Dismantle your bed frame and stand it on end.
• Vacuum all cracks and crevices. This includes the mattress, headboard, baseboard and nightstand if it is up against or attached to the wall. Use a nozzle attachment for narrow crevices and cracks as well as for vacuuming the underside of a wooden baseboard.
• Deconstruct box springs: remove screws from each corner of the box spring so you can lift off its top layer (make sure you have an unoccupied room before doing this). Vacuum all areas that were covered by the top layer of foam from underneath. It is important to remove any bedding materials (like pillows) from inside of box springs because they collect dust mites and other allergens which may be attractive for harboring bedbugs – especially if there have been previous infestations in your home/apartment building!

Pick up all clutter around the infested area, including clothing and other items that may be harboring bed bugs

• Pick up all clutter around the infested area, including clothing and other items that may be harboring bed bugs.
• Bed bugs can live for months without food and can survive for many months or even years in a dormant state when not feeding. They typically hide during the day to avoid being exposed to light, then come out at night to feed on humans or animals (1).
• Bed bugs are great at hiding in small places such as furniture cracks and crevices, behind baseboards, behind wall outlet plates and switch plates, inside electrical outlets (even if they’re switched off!), under carpet edges near baseboards/walls/doors etc., in clothes drawers/closets… basically ANYWHERE! So vacuum all crack/crevice areas thoroughly using an attachment designed for hard surfaces; also vacuum couches as well as beds because these are often where you’ll find them first if you don’t know what you’re looking for yet!

You can treat for bed bugs yourself.

You can treat for bed bugs yourself. The best way to kill bed bugs is to use a high quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. These vacuums will pick up eggs, larvae and adult insects as well as their droppings in one pass of the vacuum head over infested areas.

To clean your mattress: place it on the floor or couch and vacuum thoroughly using an attachment with strong suction power. It’s important that you do not use any attachments that may leave small holes in the fabric of your mattress because they will provide hiding places where eggs and nymphs could survive undetected until they hatch into adults later on in life when you least expect it! If possible put some weight onto your mattress while you are cleaning it so that all crevices get sucked clean enough for them not to hide anymore (but be careful not too much weight though). After vacuuming thoroughly move back onto carpets etc…

Conclusion

To conclude, bed bugs are not only a pest but also an extreme nuisance and unsanitary.If you haven’t already, we recommend purchasing a mattress protector that is waterproof.