Bedbug Solution Guide

Confirm Infestation

• If you suspect a bedbug problem, get a flash light and a putty knife and conduct a search. Use the putty knife to scrape behind baseboards and in tight spaces. Check along the seams in the mattress and lift the box springs and peek inside with the flashlight. The bugs are small and it's possible to see only their brownish-red streaks of excrement. About the size of a sesame seed, the bugs are flat and brownish. Since these creatures hide in tiny places, start by removing all clutter and unnecessary items. Bag tightly and dispose of unneeded items. Don't move items around the house, as it causes the spread of bugs. Clearing out helps the professionals get to the problem areas.
  
  

Pesticides

• Pesticide treatment often eliminates bedbug infestations. Some of the chemicals used include Suspend SC, Bedlam, Phantom, Steri-fab and Deltadust. Call a professional to apply these chemicals. A home requires more than one treatment, sometimes three or four treatments if the infestation has become heavy. The treatments are spaced seven to 14 days apart. Make sure that mattresses only get treated on the seams and not the part on which you sleep.
  
  

Heat

• Bedbugs cannot survive temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat often proves a good solution. Bedbug removal specialists come to the house with special heaters and hose systems, and heat either one room or the whole house, if necessary, to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. If you need a solution that does not involve pesticides, heat works well. This treatment damages heat-sensitive items in the home. Take care not to set off fire sprinklers.
  
  

Other Methods

• Steam treatment works, but the steam needs to be directed at every bug hiding place close enough to kill. While time consuming, non-professionals use this method. Vacuuming is highly recommended, but vacuuming alone does not eradicate an infestation. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and dispose of the used bag outside the residence. After heat or pesticide treatment, vacuums are used to get rid of dead bugs and debris.