Bed Bug Treatment: Removal & Prevention
How do bed bugs get into my house?
Bed bugs love to travel, and often make their way into buildings on people, clothing or luggage.
Because of this unwelcome sociability, bed bugs tend to live anywhere people gather, including residences, hotels, offices and retail stores. That might be why Washington, D.C., a place where millions of area residents mingle with countless travelers and tourists all year long, ranks high on recent lists of cities most affected by bed bugs.
While not a seasonal pest, 61 percent of respondents to a National Pest Management Association survey said they received more calls during a certain time of year. Two-thirds of respondents cited summer as the busiest bed bug season, which could be due to increased travel and hotel stays.
Read on if you’re itching to know how to avoid these blood-sucking pests.
How will I know bed bugs when I see them?
Adult bed bugs are about a quarter-inch long. They are flat, oval-shaped and mahogany before feeding. After eating, they turn brownish-red and swollen. Baby bed bugs, or nymphs, are nearly colorless and range in size from 1 to 5 millimeters long.
Bed bugs hide behind wallpaper, framed artwork on walls and upholstery and in folded areas of beds and bedding. They also travel to adjacent furniture. Apart from seeing them in their hiding spots, here are signs you might need to hire a professional for bed bug pest control.
- Reddish stains on mattress or sheets, which is caused when bed bug bodies are crushed
- Small, dark brown or black spots (bed bug excrement) on mattress or sheets
- Bites on your skin
How do I prevent bed bugs from coming home with me?
To prevent bed bugs, avoid bringing used furniture into your home without first inspecting it closely. Check your home for signs of bed bugs regularly, especially in the common hiding spots.
Because bed bugs are hitchhikers, the most important thing you can do is stay vigilant when traveling. When you get to a hotel room, or even a guest room in someone’s home, perform an inspection for signs of bed bugs. Keep luggage off the ground and away from the bed and furniture. You can even store your suitcase in a trash bag or keep it on the bathroom counter to be safe. After returning home from a vacation, vacuum your suitcases.
Mosquitos, bees, and other types of bugs—including bed bugs—do tend to go into a type of hibernation mode when exposed to the cold… but that doesn’t necessarily mean they go away, especially if they’re able to escape the cold by living in your warm home.
How do pest control pros get rid of bed bugs?
Bed bugs are hard to eliminate, which is why you should hire a professional for bed bug control. CroppMetcalfe’s bed bug pest control treatment plan starts with an inspection by one of our certified technicians. After that, you’ll be asked to declutter areas that require treatment and launder all sheets and infested clothing at a temperature of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
We use a steaming process that drives bed bugs out of hiding places and kills them on contact. We also apply a crack and crevice treatment to kill bed bugs in places they hide. Our pest control professionals finish off the bed bugs by returning two more times to ensure your problem is eliminated completely.
Have bed bugs?
CroppMetcalfe provides bed bug treatment and removal services throughout the DMV, including:
Give us a call at 1-800-GO-CROPP or visit us online to start solving your bed bug problem today.