How to Kill Bed Bugs with Heat
The bad news is that you can have bed bugs even if your home is clean and sanitary. The good news is that you can eradicate the pests using a few different all-natural and non-toxic heat treatments. Most people don't want to use harsh chemicals, such as pesticides, in their beds, especially if they have children or pets, so killing bed bugs with heat is the ideal solution.
Your home can be infected with bed bugs, which are approximately the size of apple seeds and have flat, reddish-brown bodies, in several different ways, such as from buying a used mattress or staying in a hotel that has pest control problem. Bed bugs can hitch a ride to your house on blankets, pillows or any other type of fabric.
There are several stages in a bed bug's life cycle, ranging from egg to nymph to adult, and it's important to get rid of the pests at each stage. If any bed bugs are left behind in the removal process, the cycle can start all over again.
Here are a few ways that you can get rid of bed bugs using heat treatments:
Wash and Dry Infected Bedding
The simplest way to kill all stages of bed bugs is by washing and drying all infected bedding. Wash all of your sheets, pillowcases, mattress pads, quilts and blankets in the highest water temperature the fabric will allow.
Next, put all of the items through a full dryer cycle with the heat set on "high." Bed bugs and their eggs will die quickly when exposed to a temperature of 120 degrees or more.
Steam Cleaning
Another easy and effective way of killing bed bugs with heat is with a steam cleaner. If you don't own one, you may be able to rent a machine from a DIY retailer. but make sure that it has a hose attachment. The steam from a steam cleaner will be hot enough to kill all stages of the pesky bugs on contact.
You can use a steam cleaner to treat a wide variety of areas, including mattresses, box springs, carpeting, rugs and even hardwood and tile flooring. Complete the steam-cleaning process while your bedding is washing and drying to kill all of the bugs at once.
Equip the cleaner with a hose or nozzle attachment, and apply the steam directly to the surface that you're treating. Avoid over-saturating the material with steam or it will get too wet. Allow the surfaces to thoroughly air-dry before replacing bedding or rugs.
Repeat the process two or three times over a a two-week period to make sure that all stages of bed bugs are gone.
To learn more about the process or to receive further assistance, contact services like Arab Termite and Pest Control.