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How To Deter Bed Bugs
Practical advice to deter bed bugs from taking over your business
Bed bugs are a nightmare for travelers, especially in popular tourist areas with high international traffic. These tiny pests are often found along mattress seams and folds. While bed bugs don't spread diseases, their bites can leave you itchy and uncomfortable, disrupting your sleep. People typically don't feel the bite but experience allergic reactions afterward, leading to red, itchy spots. Let's dive into expert-approved methods to eliminate bed bugs and find where they may be hiding in your home.
If you wake up with mysterious red bumps and feel a constant itch, there's a chance bed bugs have invaded your home. Being aware of the signs early on can help you tackle the issue before it escalates.
The most obvious sign is waking up with small red, itchy welts arranged in clusters or lines, usually in areas of your body exposed while sleeping, like your arms, legs, or back. If you notice tiny blood spots on your sheets or pillows, it might be from a squished bed bug. You may also spot dark spots, resembling ink marks, which are their droppings. These can be found along the seams of your mattress, in furniture crevices, or even on walls.
Another telltale sign of bed bugs is their shed skins, which you may find in their hiding spots. In severe infestations, you might notice a musty odor, similar to mold or rotting fruit, which is a characteristic smell of bed bugs. Although they are hard to spot during the day, if you see reddish-brown bugs about the size of an apple seed crawling on your mattress or furniture, it's a clear sign that bed bugs are present.
If any of these signs appear, act fast to avoid a larger infestation. Start by thoroughly inspecting your mattress, sofa, and nearby furniture. Use a flashlight to check cracks and corners. The earlier you detect them, the easier they are to manage. And if you're unsure, it's always a good idea to consult a pest control professional.
Got bed bugs? Losing sleep over the constant itching? Here are some expert-recommended ways to eliminate these pests and restore peace to your home.
It may seem simple, but vacuuming your mattress and the surrounding areas is one of the most effective initial steps. High-powered vacuums can suck up adult bed bugs, their eggs, and nymphs hiding in mattress seams, bed linens, or cracks in the bed frame. Although vacuuming alone may not completely eradicate them, it can significantly reduce their population, making the problem easier to handle.
Use different vacuum attachments to access hard-to-reach spots, like seams, crevices, and under the bed, which are common hiding spots for bed bugs. Don't forget to vacuum the mattress thoroughly, including the sides and under the bed. After vacuuming, immediately discard the vacuum bag outside your home to prevent bed bugs from spreading.
Did you know bed bugs and their eggs can't survive in high temperatures? Exposing them to heat of at least 60°C for a sustained period is a highly effective way to get rid of them.
Why 60°C? Research shows that bed bugs and their eggs die within 30 minutes when exposed to heat at this temperature. Heat treatment is also a safe and non-toxic method, making it ideal for households with kids and pets.
For heat treatment, wash all affected bedding, pillowcases, blankets, and any contaminated clothes in hot water, then dry them at the highest temperature for at least 30 minutes. For items that can’t be washed, like stuffed toys, shoes, or curtains, use a high-heat dryer. You can also use a steam cleaner on mattresses, sofas, and furniture, paying special attention to seams and crevices. In severe cases, professional heat treatment may be necessary, which involves heating an entire room to kill bed bugs.
If the infestation is severe or natural methods don't work, chemicals may be your last resort. Specific insecticides designed for bed bugs can be effective in eliminating both adults and nymphs quickly.
It’s best to consult a pest control expert before using chemicals, as they can recommend the right products and techniques to ensure complete removal. They have access to more powerful insecticides and tools that can target hard-to-reach places like cracks, crevices, and furniture joints where bed bugs tend to hide. Make sure to follow safety guidelines, including wearing protective gear like gloves, masks, and goggles, to prevent chemical exposure.
Before spraying, clear the infested area by removing food, pets, and children. Close all windows and doors. Pest control professionals will typically spray the bed, sofa, and surrounding furniture, targeting the cracks and crevices where bed bugs live. Afterward, they’ll close off the room for at least one day to let the chemicals work. Once cleared, you’ll need to air out the room and clean thoroughly.
For large-scale infestations, professional pest control services may also use heat treatments in combination with chemicals. Acting quickly is essential because bed bugs can multiply rapidly, turning a small issue into a big problem in no time.
The first step to solving any pest problem is to know what pest you are dealing with.
In this case, you need to be sure you have bed bugs and not another biting insect such as mosquitoes or fleas. Pest control services and solutions vary depending on the species infesting your home or business.
Bed bugs are nocturnal, only coming out at night to feed, which makes them difficult to spot. During the day they tend to hide in cracks and crevices near their prefered feeding area (usually a bed).
If you can identify the common signs of bed bugs, it will help to confirm if there is an infestation present in your home or business.
Correct identification of a bed bug or bed bug bite will help you to choose the most effective pest control solution, saving you both time and money.
DIY or Professional?
When it comes to getting rid of bed bugs, you should only seek professional help even though there is the option of DIY.
The DIY option, not recommended, requires you to take a proactive approach to managing an infestation. It will take up a lot of time and will need to be carefully monitored to ensure it is successful.
You will need a basic awareness of common bed bug hotspots to make your spot treatments more effective. You will also need to understand how and where they can spread to control the level of infestation.
The professional option requires you to find your local, expert pest controller to get rid of the problem for you.
If you decide to control bed bugs on your own, there are a few steps you can take straight away to try and manage the problem.
How to get rid of bed bugs yourself
Although these steps can help to control the problem, they do not guarantee to remove bed bugs completely. The most effective solution for complete bed bug removal is by an expert pest control professional.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Your Home
Waking up to discover bed bug bites will still be very distressing, especially if young children are involved.
If you have taken all the necessary bed bug prevention procedures and have not achieved success with DIY treatments, your next step should be to contact a pest control professional.
At Rentokil, our experts understand the habits of bed bugs and use their knowledge to choose the correct bed bug control methods for your property.
We offer a range of different bed bug solutions such as heat treatments and chemical which effectively manage a bed bug problem at each stage of their life cycle from eggs to fully grown adults.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Your Business
When it comes to bed bugs, businesses operating in the hospitality industry are at greatest risk. This is due to the high volumes of traffic hotels, B&Bs, and motels receive each day, which increases the risk of a bed bug infestation.
A recent 2015 report from Rentokil reveals that on average bed bug infestations cause a minimum of 3.5 weeks of disruption. Bed bugs are likely to cause the largest number of compensation claims (compared to other pest infestations). Read more about the business impact of bed bugs.
The consequences are significant for brand reputation, customer reviews, employee morale, operational efficiency and ultimately revenue and profits.
When it comes to bed bugs and business, DIY treatment options are far too risky and cannot guarantee success.
For complete protection, you should depend on a qualified, expert pest controller for expert bed bug control.
To find the right professional pest control company, you need to ensure the entire organisation, as well as the pest controllers are able to fulfil key criteria.
You should expect the same level of competence and duty of care as provided by other professional service providers like doctors.
A good pest controller should be able to anticipate and answer all your health and safety concerns. Services and treatments should be tailored to suit your needs as much as possible.
Crucially a professional should also respect your home, property or business site and operate with the greatest care and attention. He or she should be able to voice any challenges or restrictions right from the start. Equally, as a customer, you should always feel able to voice any concerns and ask as many questions as you need to.
Key criteria for Selection:
With Rentokil you can be assured of complete pest protection.
Our focus on control solutions will ensure complete removal of your pest problem. At the same time, our approach to pest protection will help your home or business remain pest-free long-term.
Our experience and expertise in the pest control industry should reassure you of the quality of our service and our expertly trained pest controllers.
Contact Rentokil today to get rid of your bed bug problem and eliminate any stress or pest concerns you have in your home or business.
Call 02 290 8500, 1800 225 226 (Toll-free number) for your home and your business to benefit from a range of services and complete protection offered by Thailand's leading pest control company.
Preventing bed bugs from entering your home is just as important as getting rid of them. Here are some tips to keep these pests away:
Store Luggage in the Bathroom – Upon arrival at a hotel, keep your luggage in the bathroom until you've checked the room for bed bugs.
Leave Luggage in a Non-Living Area – Bed bugs dislike tiled or concrete floors, so leave your luggage in a garage or bathroom until you inspect it.
If you're looking for professional help to completely eliminate the threat of bed bugs, Rentokil is the solution. With bed bug and pest control services for both residential and commercial properties, Rentokil's team of experts, advanced technology, and extensive experience are ready to help you get rid of bed bugs quickly and safely. Contact Rentokil today for a safe and bed bug-free home.
If you're dealing with a bed bug infestation, the best solution is to call in a professional pest control service. They have the expertise, equipment, and products to effectively eliminate bed bugs and ensure they don't return.
Preventing bed bugs may not always be possible, especially if you travel frequently. However, by staying vigilant and knowing the warning signs, you can stop an infestation before it starts.
Contact Rentokil today to get rid of your bed bug problem and eliminate any stress or pest concerns you have in your home or business.
Call 02 290 8500, 1800 225 226 (Toll-free number) for your home and your business to benefit from a range of services and complete protection offered by Thailand's leading pest control company.
The best way to get rid of bed bugs in your home or business is by enlisting the help of a pest control professional. Contact us today for expert help.
At home, there are a few actions you can take such as washing infested items at a high temperature and vacuuming regularly to get rid of bed bugs naturally. This will help control the problem but will not be able to remove it completely.
For this reason, businesses at greatest risk, like hotels, should not attempt to get rid of bed bugs without expert help. The best way to get rid of bed bugs in your home or business is by enlisting the help of a pest control professional. Contact us today for expert help.