3 common mistakes when removing bedbugs

Bed bugs animals may not sound familiar to many people’s ears. Take a look at three common mistakes people make when they remove bed bugs in this article!

Bed bugs are very small (4–5 mm), very sneaky in their hide, and can breed in a short time. This is why the danger of bed bugs in humans is a threat at all times.

But the presence of bed bugs is often unknown before the early signs are visible and we can feel them. Some signs of bed bugs animals at home include:

• Bed bug bites seen when waking up: the most common characteristic of bed bug bites is appearing in a line or row on an open body part, such as the neck, arms, or legs.
• Presence of blood stains: often present on sheets, blankets, or pillowcases
• The emergence of live adult bed bugs themselves

Read more about the signs of bed bugs at home here

Because it is a common pest found in the home, it is no surprise that many homeowners try to remove these blood-sucking animals as soon as they become more serious problems at home.

In this case, most people tend to choose an instant and easy-to-do way to remove bed bugs at home. Instead of solving problems, these “shortcuts” are often ineffective and even exacerbate problems.

Bed bugs are one of many types of pests that are not easy to remove at home for a number of reasons. Read some of the most common mistakes people often make when removing bed bugs below to avoid making similar mistakes!

Common mistakes when removing bed bugs at home

Of the many common mistakes many people make when removing bed bugs, the following are the 3 most common mistakes Rentokil has found:

1. Removes bed bugs naturally (with natural ingredients)
2. Removes bed bugs with vacuum cleaners only
3. Removes bed bugs without pest control assistance

Click on one of the common mistakes above to read the detailed information immediately.

1. Removes bed bugs naturally

Is it possible to remove bed bugs with natural materials?

No homeowner wants to have problems with bed bugs in their homes. However, more often than not, most homeowners prefer to remove bed bugs naturally or with natural materials instead of contacting an expert to address the problem.

The reason is quite simple. How to remove bed bugs with natural materials looks cheap, simple, and easy to find. In addition, information on how to use natural materials for bed bugs is very easily accessible online.

Unfortunately, not many of them describe in detail whether or not these natural bed bug removers are effective at addressing the problem of bed bugs animals.

Was removing bed bugs naturally effective?

The short answer to the question above is no. Removing bed bugs naturally or by using natural materials sounds too good to be true.

Note that natural materials used to remove bed bugs may only be able to remove visible adult bed bugs. This is known as "contact killing,” or in other words, you’re just trying to remove the visible bed bugs, but not the hidden or invisible ones.

However, this does not mean that the use of natural materials completely removes the bed bugs present. This is particularly due to the inability of these natural ingredients to remove bed bugs hiding in hard-to-reach places or even the bed bug eggs themselves.

In addition, no scientific evidence can show that natural ingredients have been shown to be effective in keeping you free from the dangers of bed bugs at home. This is especially true if you are facing a severe or much more serious attack of bed bugs.

Of the various kinds of natural bed bug removers that are most widely used by Indonesians, the following are the most popular:

• Baking soda (cake soda)
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Petroleum

If you are still using one of the above natural ingredients to remove bed bugs, then it is time to stop right away!

2. Removes bed bugs with vacuum cleaners only

Is it possible to remove bed bugs with only vacuum cleaners?

Regularly cleaning places or areas where bed bugs may be present with a vacuum cleaner is highly recommended to help reduce the number of adult bed bugs seen.

Bed bugs prefer to stay and hide near bedding while resting or sitting for long periods of time. As such, areas such as beds, sofas, and chairs should not be missed when cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.

Is it enough to remove bed bugs with only vacuum cleaners?
When you don’t have your own vacuum cleaner at home, there are many services that offer cleaning services using a vacuum.

While this prevention method is recommended, it does not mean that using a vacuum cleaner for bed bugs is enough or 100% effective to completely remove bed bugs at home. Why is that?

First, bed bugs are very small and tend to hide in hard-to-reach, protected areas, such as cracks and crevices in furniture or walls. Unfortunately, a typical vacuum cleaner can’t reach and remove all the bed bugs hidden in these crevices or cracks.

Second, it is important to know that bed bugs have very sticky eggs that adhere tightly to surfaces. So, while vacuum cleaners can remove a lot of adult bed bugs and visible nymphs, they will most likely not be able to ‘suck up’ bed bug eggs that are ready to hatch for just over 10 days!

Third and finally, using a vacuum cleaner may help you pick up any visible bed bugs, but that doesn’t mean you’re removing them right away! What you’re actually doing is sucking up the visible bed bugs and putting them into the vacuum cleaner alive.

The bed bugs are nimble enough to escape through the vacuum hose. They are also known to survive in vacuum cleaners for months, even without food. So don’t be surprised if the bed bug problem you’re facing today will reappear at a later date.

3. Removes bed bugs without pest control assistance

The third and final error is not contacting pest control immediately when early signs of bed bugs are visible at home.

As we stated earlier, bed bugs are one of the most difficult types of pests to remove. This is especially true if you are trying to remove bed bugs yourself without sufficient experience or knowledge of this one bug.

Why is it difficult to remove bed bugs without pest control?

No matter how often you use natural materials or even use a vacuum to try to remove these parasites, in most cases, the danger of bed bugs reappears to haunt you and your family later. Why is that?

This is because you’ve never completely removed it so far, and even their eggs can still breed and mature.

Some precautions, such as using a vacuum and washing bed linen or mattresses in hot temperatures, can be good for reducing the number of adult bed bugs, but that’s not enough.

The key to success in removing bed bugs is attacking them at every stage of their lives, from egg stage to adulthood. And it’s something you can’t do without the help of a trained, professional bug remover.

With the help of an expert, you can not only remove visible adult bed bugs so they can’t bite and lay eggs, but also rot bug eggs that are often missed during the self-cleaning process.

Removes bed bugs with Rentokil

It’s hard to remove bed bugs, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible!
Rentokil has been an expert in the removal of bed bugs from homes across Indonesia for over 50 years. Our certified, trained, and experienced technicians will provide the best treatment tailored to your needs. By targeting effective bed bug removal at every stage of the bed bug life cycle (eggs to adults).

Below are the methods of treatment that Rentokil offers to remove bed bugs in your home:

• Residual spray: spraying with a hand sprayer at points where bed bugs have been identified.
• Cold fogging: an equalisation process to complement spraying methods that target hard-to-reach areas during the spraying process.
• Steamer: use of hot steam with a portable steamer to turn off bed bug eggs.

Learn more about the treatment of bed bugs from Rentokil here

Don’t waste your time! If you suspect that you may have bed bugs at home, immediately call Rentokil at 150808 or fill out our online form to schedule a free bed bug inspection.