The Worst Advice Huntsville Residents Can Hear About Bed Bug Control
May 8, 2020
Because bed bugs are such feared pests, there’s a great deal of information available about them. Unfortunately, that information isn’t always correct. Learn about the worst advice you can get on your Huntsville bed bug problems, and then find out what you should do to prevent and eliminate these bugs.
Not True: Identifying Bed Bugs Is Easy
One misconception about bed bugs is that you can always see or feel them. Although there are signs of a bed bug infestation, they aren’t always obvious. You need to know what to look for.
Typically, the first sign of an infestation is the bites they leave behind. When they feed on your blood, bed bugs irritate your skin, often causing itching. These insects are small and difficult to see with the naked eye, so you’re more likely to notice a bite than the bugs themselves, especially at first.
You may be able to see other signs of bed bugs. They leave behind fecal spots on sheets and mattress, as well as blood stains. If you look closely under your mattress, you might see some bed bug exoskeletons.
Not True: Bed Bugs Only Live In Dirty Homes
Some people believe that you can prevent bed bugs by keeping your home clean. This is far from the truth. Bed bugs can find their way into any home regardless of the level of sanitation.
Bed bugs can enter a home in many ways. They can come in on a suitcase, or on furniture, or in/on many other items. As long as there’s a warm body in your home for the bed bugs, they’ll thrive. They don’t seek crumbs or dirt, just a dark crevice and a source of blood.
Not True: You Can Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
Although you might prefer a DIY option for bed bug removal, there’s a good chance you can’t resolve the problem on your own. You can search the internet and come across many ways to try to eliminate bed bugs, but most of them are ineffective at best. And some are dangerous.
Consider the use of essential oils for bed bugs. No essential oil blend will completely prevent bed bugs, nor will it kill them. The same is true for many of the bed bug sprays you can find in stores or online. Although they are marketed as bed bug eliminators, there’s no science behind the products. Dryer sheets are also a waste of time and money.
Other methods of elimination canb be somewhat effective but don’t completely resolve the issue. For instance, mothballs kill some bed bugs, but not all of them. They leave behind about 50% of the population of live bugs and do no damage to bed bug eggs.
Rubbing alcohol also has some impact on bed bugs. It won’t kill all of them, but will do some damage to the population. Unfortunately, rubbing alcohol can do more damage than good. This is due to the fact that the solution is a fire hazard.
Other methods of DIY bed bug removal includes vacuuming up the bugs, steaming your furniture, and heating your clothing. While all of these methods will kill some of the bugs, they leave others behind. To truly eliminate bed bugs, you need to eliminate all of them. It only takes one or two bed bugs to reproduce and make hundreds more.
The only truly effective way to get rid of bed bugs is to work with a professional. We have the knowledge and tools needed to find and kill all of the pests in your home. Contact Custom Pest at the first sign of infestation. We'll get you back to being bed bug-free.