What kills bed bugs?

While many DIY treatments claim to get rid of bed bugs, they often fail to work. This is because bedbugs can take months and several sessions to get rid of. Bed bugs can survive for up to 5 months without a blood meal so treating a home for bed bugs requires an expert eye and diligence. Hiring a professional pest control company, such as Ohio Pest Control is essential to successfully eliminate bed bugs for good.  

If you aren’t sure if your home is infested by bed bugs or feel hesitant to start, Ohio Pest Control offers a free bed bug inspection.  

There are several things Ohio Pest Control asks you to do to get your home ready for a bed bug treatment.  

• All linens, curtains, pillow covers, and clothing in the affected area should be washed and dried at the hottest temperature possible.  
• Vacuum carpets and floors including upholstered furniture. 
• Clear clutter and place items that can’t be cleared like paperwork or miscellaneous items in plastic bags 

To kill bed bugs your pest control technician may recommend:  

• Vacuuming the bedbugs from the affected areas 
• Freeze treatments with CO2 
• Whole structure heat treatments above 118 degrees to kill the bugs 

• Steam treatment for carpets and cloth fabrics 
• Traps and/or monitors to watch bug activity 
• In some cases, traditional liquid, dust, and aerosol treatments that kill bed bugs in hard-to-reach places like cracks, crevices, and wall voids 
• Tent fumigation is used for large buildings or in places where multiple rooms are affected  
• Sometimes, specially trained dogs can be used to detect bed bug activity  

After the treatment is complete, continuing to be vigilant is the best way to control future bed bugs from infesting. This is accomplished by checking mattresses often, washing bedding on high heat, thoroughly vacuuming floors, and keeping clutter to a minimum. Bed bug-proof mattress covers are also highly recommended after your mattress is treated to keep bugs from finding their way back in. 

If you have seen signs of bed bugs in your home, contact Ohio Pest Control in Portsmouth as soon as possible to prevent the infestation from spreading.