Where do bed bugs come from?

ANSWER

If you have bedbugs you, or someone in your house has been in a place with bedbugs. It could be a next door neighbor where you visit or a stay in a motel, or even a gathering where someone with a problem attends. Bedbugs quickly reproduce and the eggs are resistant to pesticides, so even after “extermination,” the problem may soon reappear. If you live in an apartment, with other residents, the bugs can move from one room to another. Simply washing your clothes will not alleviate the problem. They must be placed in a hot dryer for 30 minutes or more to kill all bedbugs.

Rather than use chemicals, find a pest control service which can heat the entire house to 120 degrees and leave it there for an hour or more. This is often a pricey procedure. Freezing to temperatures below the freezing point for four days will also help the situation. Once you have had treatment of any kind, you need to monitor the area for several days with “bed bug interceptor” traps to ensure you have them all.

Remove all clutter and other areas where the bed bugs can hide. Vacuum regularly as some can be hiding in the carpet. Empty the bag after each use, sealing the trash bag so no bugs can escape. Place the bag in an outside container. If you have furniture that is infested, it is best to discard it. A fireplace would do the job for you.