Suddenly, you’ll see your home as an infinite amount of possible bedbug hideouts. The worst part is that this is not your imagination; you’re absolutely right. They can and will hide anywhere, and you can’t kill something you can’t find (at least not until the exterminators arrive).
Just as a starter, how about these not-so-obvious bedbug hiding spots:
- Between the pages of books, and in the bindings.
- In shoes. As in, in and under the shoe insert, between the shoe tongue and laces, or at the very tip of the toe. This is a great way to also spread bedbugs pretty much every where you go.
- Everything on your bed’s frame (not just “on” or “under” the bed). This might be a bedbug favourite, as it’s close to their night time human buffet. Check cracks in your bed, screw-holes and anything wide enough to fir a fingernail inside.
- Along picture frames on walls, especially in the bedroom.
- Inside alarm clocks.
- In electrical sockets
Those are just a few places. I’m sure you’ll discover more in your own home as well. Unless you are completely thorough with locating every hiding spot, there’s a good chance you will not be able to kill every single bedbug.
How Do Bed Bugs Die?
Bedbugs essentially die from extreme temperatures and from certain chemicals. Heating and freezing everything in your home is difficult, but it can be done to most things. The rest will need to be treated chemically, and preferably have this part handled by a pro.If you must do it yourself, make sure that you chemicals that are specifically for bedbugs, and that are approved in your area. Speak to a pro at the store you purchase it at about how to use the product safely.
DO NOT assume that because you cleaned your place and did the laundry that your problem has been resolved.
What Can You Do to Kill Bed Bugs?
Until you physically deal with each and every single item you have in your home, it is pointless to have pest control spray your place down. Each and every item you have needs to be laundered in hot water, and/or put in a hot dryer for at least 10 minutes.Every item that can’t be frozen or baked needs to be sprayed and wiped down in rubbing alcohol. If you are going to use the freezer method, make sure use a large one, and clean the freezer before and after.
All your possessions need to be bagged and sealed once they have been treated. You can’t just move away, you’ll bring the bedbugs with you. You can’t throw everything out and get new stuff, because you’ll just infest the new purchases.
What you can, and have to do, is not to panic. Inform yourself so you don’t make the problem worse, and your bedbug debacle will be manageable.
The information about bed bugs that I have researched, collected is to help the growing numbers of bed bug sufferers.