by Medill DC under CC BY 

Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

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Since the banning of DDT in the later part of the 20th. century, these blood drinking insects have become quite a problem. The National Pest Management Association has reported a 71-percent increase in bed bug infestations in the U.S. since 2001. Home owners and apartment dwellers are faced with potentially enormous financial costs to get rid of bed bugs. Business owners are paying the price as bed bugs have infested hotels, nursing homes and theaters with alarming regularity. Hotel owners pay about $1000 dollars per room to get rid of bed bugs. Imagine the effect on the economy when a large, 700 room hotel is infested with bed bugs. Cleanup costs can reach almost a million dollars plus the loss of revenue while the hotel is closed due to the unwelcome guests. So what can you do if you find out that you have a bed bug problem? How can you get rid of bed bugs without spending a fortune and having to throw out most of your furniture and bedding?

Modern science is coming up with many innovative ways to kill bed bugs.

One of the most promising ideas is the use of bed bug pheromones to lure bed bugs to their doom. A highly successful method is to use food grade Diatomaceous Earth in combination with the pheromones. Diatomaceous Earth that is pre-treated with bed bug pheromones is spread around the perimeter of each room and across doorways in a thin line. It can also be spread on the floor around sofas, chairs and beds. The bed bugs are attracted to the Diatomaceous Earth earth by the pheromones and become coated with it. The Diatomaceous Earth prevents the bed bugs from absorbing moisture and they die from dehydration. Once the bed bugs are killed, you just vacuum up the remaining powder and all the little dead pests. Be sure to use only food grade Diatomaceous Earth. Other types of Diatomaceous Earth are dangerous to humans and can cause Silicosis, a fatal lung disease.

Another method to kill bed bugs blends modern science with the long standing tradition of using natural herbs and plants to produce effective bed bugs traps.

Many new products have been through independent laboratory testing and have undergone years of field trials to find just the right balance of herbs and plants. One of the most effective traps on the market is called BED DEFENSE. This highly successful bed bug trap combines years of experience in the pest control field with extensive testing and uses ingredients like Japonilure, a-Multistriatin, Oryctalure, Zulcatol and Gossyplur to effectively kill bed bugs.

A rather original device to get rid of bed bugs was developed by Dr. Phil Koehler, an entomologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

His research determined that bed bugs will die at 113 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that can easily be attained using a portable space heater and a home built Styrofoam box that is large enough to cover a bed or sofa. First you build the Styrofoam box around the bed or furniture. Then you put an oil filled space heater inside the box and heat the enclosed area to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 5 hours. Tests showed this killed 100% of the bed bugs. The total cost was less than 300$ and the components can be used over and over. The heater used should always be an oil filled heater in order to prevent fires. This method gets rid of bed bugs cheaply and you even end up with a space heater you can use on cold winter nights.

These are just three of the many new and innovative methods to deal with bed bugs.

If you have bed bugs or are concerned about them, be sure to take the time to do some research on your own. An informed homeowner will be much better prepared to deal with a bed bug emergency, should one ever arise. Knowledge is always your first line of defense. If you find that you have a bed bug problem, do not panic. Take stock of the situation and decide what method of bed bug removal will work best for you. Consider your environment and your budget. Then proceed to deal with the problem with a calm attitude and a well thought out plan.

New Ways To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

Millions of people suffer from bed bug bites when they sleep but what is interesting is that most of them have never attributed the itching to bed bugs. Rashes and other skin related conditions are some of the problems bed bugs cause when they infest a home and until recently there was not a foolproof solution to dealing with this menace. Bed Defense is an ingenious mechanism used to exterminate bed bugs and protect you while you sleep, and it is made of natural products.

Researchers, for a long time, tried to discover the most potent substance to use against bed bugs.

It was not until recently when the US experienced an outbreak in bed bugs that a solution was found. People who travel a lot are more prone to carrying these bugs to their homes because they dwell mainly in hotels. The key to exterminating them and keeping the whole bug explosion under control is to use a combination of the natural powerful elements that attract and kill the bugs before they settle in your home.

Recent studies concluded that the combination of some natural substances can create the most lethal dose for bed bugs without posing the slightest risk to people and pets. The combination of these substances work by attracting bed bugs and killing them instantly therefore reducing their overall volume without compromising human health and they work on both adult and infant bugs.

What makes Bed Defense such a powerful tool is the combination of these natural substances, each of which is powerful on its own:

Lactic acid

One of the things that attracts bed bugs to your skin at night is the lactic acid naturally released through human sweat. Thus, using it in this formula has proven very effective in drawing them out from where they hide.

Glycerin

Glycerin is a very powerful attractant that combined with lactic acid will draw out bugs by the masses. It is a powerful component in the combination of attractants.

Acetone

This is a powerful asphyxiant for bed bugs, which terminates them as soon as they enter the chamber. When combined with other potent repellants, it guarantees that all the bugs will be exterminated.

Hope flower oil

Another one of the natural products that contributes to killing these bugs and ensure they never accumulate in your home. It is a repellant, which keeps them out of your belongings so that they do not infest any part of your house.

Rosemary oil

Rosemary oil  is also used as a repellant and ensures they do not bite until they are drawn into the Bed Defense system and exterminated.

Bed Defense is simple to install and works when you sleep to make sure no bugs dine on you. The data sheet on the packaging will give you all the information you need to put it in place and ensure you catch all the bugs in no time.

In order to attract all of the bugs, place Bed Defense under or near the mattress where the bugs are likely to be. This will ensure they are lured out by the attractors.

Studies also show that bed bugs are capable of carrying a number of diseases with them so having them in your home not only makes getting sleep impossible, but it also endangers your general health. This is perhaps more dangerous for children who may not immediately know where the itches come from.

A skin rash is perhaps one of the most common results of bug bites and should be taken seriously. A skin rash calls for proactive measures to control the spread of bugs and to exterminate them over time.

Since the substance they inject into the victim numbs the skin and general bite area, it is very possible for them to put your life in danger when they bite sensitive areas like the back of the neck. The bite is meant to paralyze the area they bite and if they inject enough of this numbing substance into back of the neck, it could paralyze the entire body until the bug is removed and leaving it there long enough could actually kill a man.

The EPA declared bed bugs a growing problem in the country back in 2011 and since then, a lot of people have struggled to combat the little bugs but sometimes, they prove too difficult. Bed Defense is meant to do what other repellants are unable to – completely wipeout the bugs from your home over a given time.

These bugs are virtually undetectable by the human eye so the approach taken to exterminate them has to incorporate that fact in order to be effective. After opening, Bed Defense will start to work immediately and it is 99.9 effective on bed bugs therefore ensuring you can go back to sleep while the bugs are being killed.

It is very important to consider human health while combating bugs because as much as there may be many potent solutions to killing them such as chemical sprays, they are not a healthy answer to the problem because inhaling poisonous gas will compromise the health of the people living in the house. One has to consider first the health of everyone in the house before attempting to use a bed bug killer. Bed Defense is made with 100 percent natural and safe ingredients that have been proven over time to be the most effective and powerful attractants and exterminators of bed bugs.

Using Bed Defense – an all natural product…

…keeps everyone safe and kills the bugs before they start to multiply, thereby keeping your children safe from toxins and being the safest solution to the problem. Use this product as soon as the first sign of bed bugs appears; waiting too long could result in health problems for both you and your family members.

Use Bed Defense To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

Any place human beings live or gather is a potential target for a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs have ruined many vacations due to infested cruise ships and hotels rooms. Bed bugs are fond of hitching rides to people’s homes after they visited family in the hospital or a nursing home. Bed bugs have stowed away in paper bags full of groceries. They may even climb onto your suit jacket while you enjoy a delicious meal in your favorite restaurant. Bed bugs can be found almost anywhere and they are all too happy to accompany you home to continue to make your life miserable.

With bed bugs seeming to be everywhere, people wonder what they can do to protect themselves.

How can you avoid bed bugs at home and how can you avoid bringing them home from the outside world? Happily, there are solutions to the bed bug problem. You can create an effective bed bug protection plan by using bed bug bags, bed bug sprays, traps or powders and bed bug killing heat enclosures. By combining these three products, you can prevent bed bug infestations and give yourself a solid barrier against the sleep disturbing little pests.

Bed bug bags come in many shapes and sizes.

They are available to enclose luggage, as luggage liners, as pillow covers, to enclose a cushion, mattress or box spring and as general purpose storage bags. Made of heavy gauge plastic with a fully seal-able zipper and re-enforced seams, bed bug bags are an effective way to trap existing bed bugs or to protect items against bed bugs. At home, you should enclose cushions, pillows, mattresses and box springs with bed bug bags. Use them to enclose any items you keep in storage, such as empty suitcases and cartons of personal property. When you travel, line your suitcases with bed bug suitcase liners and keep every item of luggage in a sealed bed bug bag. When you are settled at your destination, enclose the mattress, box spring and pillows in bed bug bags for the duration of your stay.

To further enhance your protection from bed bugs, you should use a bed bug powder, traps or spray in combination with the bed bug bags.

Before you seal a bed bug bag, you should spray, dust the powder or place a trap inside every bed bug bag. This will assure that you kill any bed bugs that may be hiding inside the item sealed in the bed bug bag. You should also place traps, dust powder or spray every around the perimeter of every room and between the mattress and box spring of every bed. You can use your preferred product on sofas, armchairs and other furniture to add even more protection. When you travel, using a powder, spray or traps will help to guarantee that you don’t bring home any bed bugs from your foray to the outside world.

The third part of the bed bug protection plan is to use a bed bug killing heat enclosure

Bed bugs will die when exposed to steady heat of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Bed bug heat enclosures will heat items to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit and each treatment should last 4 to 5 hours. The bed bug heat enclosure is particularly effective for luggage, clothing, dry clean only items, odd shaped items like shoes or hats, and more delicate items like cds or books. A heat enclosure will save you hundreds of dollars in dry cleaning bills and simplify the decontamination process. When you return from a trip, place your outer wear, clothing and suitcases in the heat enclosure to be extra sure of killing any bed bugs you may have picked up during your travels. Heat enclosures run from $175 to $750 for commercial models and they will last for years of service. This is many times less then the cost of an exterminator.

There you have it;  an easy to use, 3 part, bed bug protection plan that will prevent or kill bed bugs both at home and when you are out in the world. This plan is straight forward, simple and effective. It is affordable and will save you a fortune in professional pest control costs. It really is possible to protect your home and family from bed bugs without bringing in expensive outside help. All it takes is a bit of knowledge and making the effort to follow this simple bed bug protection plan.

Protect Yourself From Bed Bugs is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

by liz.novack under CC BY

Bed Bugs Are Back

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Bed bugs have plagued mankind since ancient times when humans beings lived in caves. By the end of the Industrial Revolution, bed bugs could be found in every nation on earth, infesting our dwellings and ruining our sleep. Cimex lectularius, the scientific name for the little abominations, spread at will until the development of DDT in the mid 1940′s. DDT proved to be so effective at killing bed bugs that by the late 1950′s they were almost non-existent in the modern world. Sadly, this was only a temporary reprieve. By to year 2000, bed bugs were back in force to infest homes, apartments and businesses with frightening regularity. One study, done by The National Pest Management Association, found that since the year 2001, bed bugs infestations have increased by 71% in the United States.

To better understand the problem, we need to take a look at the reasons for the unexpected re-appearance of bed bugs. At the top of the list is the over-reaction of the environmental lobby to the use of DDT that resulted in its banning throughout most of the world. The ban on the use of DDT led to many unfortunate consequences, including new outbreaks of Malaria in poor nations and the rapid return of bed bugs. The hostility to DDT also made the job of getting new pesticides to market much more difficult. Out of control over regulation and excessive safety testing imposed by the FDA under pressure from powerful environmental groups, gave bed bugs several years in which they were able to firmly re-establish their presence.

At the same time environmentalists were playing havoc with pesticides, something far more sinister was taking place. Since the end of the 20th. century, powerful forces have been at work to concentrate populations into immense urban centers while discouraging people from living in rural areas. Under the frightening name of Agenda 21, the United Nations has been working hard to pressure nations to accept this massive program of radically altering where and how we live. Using the same dubious science that the UN used for its “Climate Change” theories, the globalists are working hard to pack us all into easily controlled, highly regulated cities. Cramming millions of human beings into over crowded urban centers is the ultimate recipe for the proliferation of bed bugs.

Another factor in the spread of bed bugs, particularly in the Unites States, has been the almost unrestricted flow of immigrants from nations where extensive pest control is not an economic priority

Bed bugs are notorious hitchhikers and when people travel, bed bugs are always happy to come along for the ride. The unsupervised movement of population has been a major contributor to the spread of diseases and harmful insect species. It is an undeniable fact that un-regulated influx of 20 million immigrants into the United States has also had an effect on spread of bed bugs.

No look at the causes of the resurgence of bed bugs would be complete without examining international trade and the incredible expansion of modern transportation. The United States, for example, imports trillions of dollars of goods from foreign lands every year. Thousands of ships from all over the world dock in American harbors and thousands of planes land at American airports every day. The products they carry are then transported from coast to coast in a wide assortment of planes, trains and trucks. Among the millions of shipments of goods, we can find our old friend the bed bug, once again hitching a ride. Bed bugs may have taken a ship from China to San Diego then a freight train to Oklahoma City and finally a delivery truck to your home on First Street. When you open the cardboard box containing that new 52″ widescreen TV, the little blighters dash for the first crack they can find. Then they patiently wait for darkness to fall before they go in search of a warm blooded victim. Making things even more difficult, bed bugs can live for up to a year without feeding so traveling for weeks between meals is not an issue for them.

Once again we see mankind at the root of the bed bug problem

As human population spirals out of control and continues to grow past the six billion level, more and more people are crammed into less and less space. At the same time. an endless stream of bureaucrats have regulated every single aspect of our lives so completely that it costs upwards of $1000 a room to get a professional pest control specialist to deal with a bed bug infestation. People travel freely and with little respect for national borders. Goods get shipped from Memphis to Mozambique and everywhere in between. With crime and terrorism a constant worry for international trade, the last thing a Customs agent has time to look for is bed bugs. Hopefully, someday, someone will invent a simple easy method to eliminate bed bugs completely. Lets just pray that when it happens, an environmental group doesn’t get bed bugs declared an endangered species.

Bed Bugs Are Back: What Does This Mean To Us! is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

They are a real nuisance and they can be quite difficult to get rid of once they set up housekeeping. Unfortunately, bed bugs have been making a major comeback as a result of increased international trade, over population, the ban on DDT and the rapidly developing resistance of bed bugs to many modern pesticides. So how exactly do you get rid of bed bugs once they rear their tiny, ugly heads? The answer calls for a combination of professional help from a licensed, reputable pest control specialist along with some common sense steps.

Getting rid of bed bugs requires an awareness of the problem and making sure you don’t aggravate the situation by making mistakes.

Probably the worst things you can do is to panic and set off a bug bomb. This will not only render your home unlivable for a time but may just drive the nasty little critters deeper into hiding without getting rid of them. Instead here a some steps you can take to help with the problem and get rid of bed bugs:

1. Be sure to inspect and change your bed linens often; at least twice a week.

2. Be sure to wash bed linens and blankets in hot water and then run them through a hot dryer not once but twice. If you can’t wash your blankets, place them in direct sunlight for several hours then have them dry cleaned.

3. Never use insecticides on bed linens or bedding. This can cause serious health problems for family members.

4. Vacuum and clean all your bedding and furniture often.

5. Vacuum and clean cabinets, floor boards and molding, drapes and curtains, door frames, picture frames and light sockets. Bed bugs love to hide in dark places, cracks and even in electrical sockets.

6. Repair all visible cracks and seams using plaster or caulking. This will help deny bed bugs future hiding places.

7. Avoid purchasing second hand furniture unless it has been professionally inspected and certified bed bug free.

8. Inspect family members for bed bug bites on a regular basis if you suspect bed bugs may be present.

9. Inspect your home regularly for signs of bed bugs, their droppings, eggs and molt husks. Look in the seams of mattresses, under sheets and between your mattress and box spring. Also inspect furniture, drapes and curtains, floor boards and molding, light sockets, cabinets, door frames and picture frames.

10. When you travel, take bed bug traps with you for your luggage and hotel room.

11. Never put luggage on the bed or furniture. Open all luggage on a metal luggage stand.

12. Place bed bug traps in sensitive areas in your home such as bedding, sofas and upholstered chairs. Bed bugs love soft fabrics, plush cushions and places where warm blooded people or pets like to sit or sleep.

13. Remove any paper wrappings from your furniture. Bed bugs love to eat through paper and will even chew through plastic.

14. Carefully inspect all pet bedding and wash it often. Also inspect your pet for bed bug bites.

15. If you think you have bed bugs, bring in a pest control specialist to confirm your suspicions.

These are some of the things you can do to help your pest control specialist get rid of bed bugs and to prevent a re-occurrence of the problem.

Once you determine that bed bugs are present, your pest control professional will treat your home with the appropriate method and advise you on other ways to prevent bed bugs from returning. Bed bugs can be quite a nuisance and getting rid of bed bugs requires calm, well thought out steps. Panic and frantic over reaction will not help and will probably just make things worse. Getting rid of bed bugs will take some effort and incur some financial costs but it will be well worth it for your peace of mind and a good nights sleep.

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Most people alive today are amazed when they first hear that bed bugs are back. The vast majority of us have had no previous exposure to bed bugs and we care little to know about them. But unfortunately, bed bugs are back and they are becoming quite a nuisance. Bed bugs are very hard to get rid of once they infest a home or business and they are quite emotionally disturbing to people since they drink our blood when we sleep.

Unlike Dracula, bed bugs are not some romantic vampire out of a Bram Stoker Novel. They are annoying little insects of the Cimicidae family and it is primarily the species Cimex lectularius that plagues the sleep of humans. They feed on the blood of warm blooded creatures and their feeding habits are almost entirely nocturnal due to their sensitivity to heat and light. Bed bugs live in colonies in cracks, under mattresses, in drawers, in pet bedding, in furniture and even behind picture frames and wait until the dark hours of about 4:00  am to come out and feed on sleeping victims. No one is immune. They will feed on adult humans, children and even on your household pets.

Bed bugs have been with us since our earliest history

They are thought to have originated in the Middle East in pre historic times when humans beings still lived in caves in close proximity to bats and other small, warm blooded creatures. They are well adapted for survival and can live for up to a year without feeding, This particular ability makes it possible for bed bugs to travel for weeks at a time without feeding and they use it to great advantage to spread their species to every corner of the globe. Bed bugs are the ultimate freeloader and our modern world, with its vastly interconnected transportation network, has made their job of propagation of their species so much easier.

Throughout our history bed bugs have reared their ugly little heads. They were there to ruin the dreams of the workers who built the ancient pyramids. Bed bugs have been the bane of soldiers in their camps during just about every great military campaign down through the ages. Bedbugs were mentioned in the writings of the great philosopher, Aristotle. Bed bugs were suggested as a cure for ear infections and snake bites by Pliny in his “Natural History”, first published circa 77 C.E.. They infested the City of London after the great fire of 1666 by hiding in the lumber that was imported to rebuild the destroyed city. They traveled west on the wagon trains of the families that civilized the great western lands of the United States.

Bed bugs fed at will and without much intervention by man until the end of World War II, when the pesticide DDT was discovered. This new pesticide was so effective at killing bed bugs that they all but vanished from the modern world by the mid 1950′s. They disappeared from our homes and our collective consciousness and we dreamed peacefully without so much as a tiny nip from a bed bug bite. But human beings couldn’t leave well enough alone and the environmental movement, in all it’s irrational zeal to return the human race to the lifestyle of the 18th century, was finally able to get DDT banned across the globe.

By the end of the 20th century, DDT was no longer allowed to be used and with this ban came the return of two great plagues. One lethal, was the return of Malaria which was once again able to rear its deadly head in poorer nations that couldn’t afford to use the much more expensive alternatives to DDT. The other, not lethal but certainly disturbing, was the resurgence of the long dormant plague of bed bugs, who once again returned to feast on the human race.

Now bed bugs are back and their effect is being felt across the globe

Homes, hotels, movie theaters, nursing homes, sports arena and even restaurants are being infested. Any place where humans sleep or sit and where there is a nice dark place to hide, bed bugs are being found. They are having a major effect on the economy, as it can cost up to $1000 a room to have a professional pest control specialist get rid of your bed bugs. A good sized hotel with an attached casino in Las Vegas spent well over a million dollars to get rid of a bed bug infestation and that didn’t include all the lost revenues when the hotel was closed for 2 weeks during the cleanup.

Once upon a time bed bugs had cute nick names like wall louse, mahogany flat, crimson rambler, heavy dragoon, chinche and redcoat. Some of these nick names have interesting histories behind them and you may be inspired to do your own research to find out the story. But there is nothing cute about bed bugs. They are an absolutely annoying insect with the potential to disrupt your life and cost you a good amount of hard earned cash. Now that you know a little about their history and behavior, you should take the next step and learn all you can about how to prevent bed bugs from infesting your home.

Pesky Bed Bugs Are Ancient is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

The word is out about bed bugs. They are back with a vengeance and people are worried. Once bed bugs have established themselves in a home, getting rid of them is very difficult. Unless you are fortunate enough to catch the infestation at its very beginning, you will probably need a professional  exterminator to get rid of your bed bugs. The real key to protecting yourself against bed bugs is to learn how to prevent them from ever entering your home.

There are many ways that bed bugs can enter your home

Some of them are so innocuous that people would never imagine the risk. Lets look at some of the steps you can take to prevent bed bugs from entering your home. While no  one can possibly think of absolutely everything to prevent bed bugs and we certainly do not expect people to radically alter their existences out of fear, there are many common sense ways to help keep your home bed bug free.

1. Paper products are a great hiding place for bed bugs. Avoid bringing cardboard boxes and paper bags into your home. If you receive a delivery at your home that is in a box or a bag, unpack it in a carpet free area away from the living area of your home. A hallway in an apartment building or the garage of a house is the perfect place to open packages and unpack bags. Dispose of empty bags and boxes outside of your home immediately.

2. Try to avoid accumulating paper bags, cardboard boxes or old newspapers and magazines. They provide a great hiding place for bed bugs and they will eat their way through paper like tiny buzz saws.

3. If you must store boxes for certain products such as TV’s or computers, inspect them then vacuum them thoroughly. Store them in an carpet free area away from your bed room and enclose them in bed bug resistant plastic bags.

4. Consider enclosing your box spring and mattress in bed bug proof bags. These bags are available in specialty stores and on the internet. Do not use common plastic bags as bed bugs can chew through them as well.

5. When returning home from public places such as movie theaters, sports arenas or restaurants, remove outer clothing before entering the bedroom. Hang overcoats in a closet apart from your bedroom and inspect your clothing if you suspect you may have been exposed to bed bugs. If you find any traces of bed bugs on your clothing, place the items in a heavy plastic bag until you can wash them in hot water and dry them twice on high heat. Any non washable clothing must be bagged then dry cleaned as soon as possible.

6. Avoid coat checks like the plague. Instead of checking your coat keep it with you. Bring along a compact, light weight, vinyl garment bag in case you go somewhere that insists you check your coat. Coat check rooms are a great place to pick up bed bugs when they crawl into your coat from an infested coat.

7. For items too large to wash, one great way to kill bed bugs is to place the item in a plastic bag then put it inside a car on a hot day and let it bake in the heat for several hours. If the cars heats up to at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the bed bugs will all die in about 5 hours. Another effective method is to expose the item to direct sunlight for 5 or 6 hours.

8. Never bring home used clothing before washing them at a laundromat or having them dry cleaned. Any second hand clothing should be placed in a plastic bag and taken directly to the laundromat or dry cleaners. Bags used to transport unwashed second hands clothing should not be reused and should be disposed of outside of the home. If you patronize second hand clothing stores, talk to the owners and find out what precautions they are taking against bed bugs.

9. Never buy used bedding. The same goes for old sofas and arm chairs. This is just asking for trouble.

10. When you entertain, never put your guest’s coats or outer clothing on your beds or furniture. If you are having a large party, consider renting or buying a portable clothes rack to accommodate guest’s coats and outer wear.

11. If you help a friend or relative move their possessions, take care to completely vacuum your vehicle when you are done. Be sure to wash or dry clean your clothing promptly. Storing a friend’s or relative’s possessions is a good way to end up with bed bugs.

12. When you travel, try to ascertain if your hotel or motel has had any bed bug problems. There are several websites that give bed bug alerts and reports for hotels and motels. It wouldn’t hurt to call the hotel and ask them what they do to prevent bed bugs and if they have had any recent problems. Remind them that they are legally obligated to inform you in a truthful manner.

13. When traveling on airplanes or any public transportation wear casual clothes. When you arrive at your destination, remove your clothing and bag it until it can be washed or dry cleaned.  Be sure to disrobe away from your bedroom in a carpet free area.

14. When you stay in a hotel room, never put your luggage or clothing on the bed. Place suitcases on a luggage rack. Keep your folded clothing in your suitcase instead of putting it in the drawers. Put hanging clothes in a heavy, zippered, vinyl garment bag and keep them in it when your hang them up. Inspect your hotel room for bed bugs and demand a new room or go to another hotel if you find any signs of bed bugs.

15. Buy several bed bug traps and place them in your luggage and around your hotel room when you travel. Make sure the traps are safe for use with your clothing.

16. When you return home from a trip, unpack in a bathroom, garage or mud room. Inspect your clothing and luggage carefully then bag all washable items until they can be washed in hot water and dried twice on high heat. Bag all dry cleaning separately and send it out as soon as possible to be dry cleaned. Vacuum luggage then place it in bed bug proof storage bags and expose it to direct sunlight for 5 or 6 hours. Again, never unpack on your bed or in your bed room.

These are some useful tips to help keep your home bed bug free

The key to success is to become aware of bed bugs and their habits then apply this information in a sensible fashion to your daily life. When bringing items into your home, consider carefully where they came from and examine them if you think there is even a remote possibility an item may contain bed bugs. Treat your bedroom and sofa as areas in need of special protection and make sure to keep clothing and luggage off your bed. With knowledge and common sense, you can go a long way towards preventing a bed bug infestation.

Various Ways You Can Prevent Bed Bugs is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

He said, “They are unbelievable in the absolutely worst sense of that word. Former generations should/would have thanked G*d for DDT, meaning, at least that stuff worked like a blanket killer for these things. Evolution has honed these little evils into the sharpest little voracious, patient, invisible, prolific, trenchant, perfectly adapted to evade and yet torture man, little survivalists ever.” That, folks, says it all. Bed bugs are a plague on humanity and they are making a comeback. After being held in check for most of the 20th. Century, the world wide ban on DDT, modern transportation and over population has allowed these little horrors to once again rear their ugly little heads and return in vast numbers to ruin our peaceful slumber.

When we deal with anything that may disrupt our lives, the most important thing is to stay in control of our emotions. We must remain calm and think clearly. If we allow our imaginations to run wild, every little itch will have us scratching like maniacs and turning our homes or lives upside down. Instead, take a deep breath, clear your collective minds and arm yourself with the facts.

As Bed bugs infestations are often discovered when people wake up itching and find distinct, physical indications of their bites.

Bed bugs prefer to feed at night and will bite any exposed area of skin. The face, neck, arms, hands, feet and lower legs are the most common areas where you will find bed bug bites. The bites will leave behind distinctive small, flat, raised bumps on the skin that may lead to redness and swelling. Scratching the bites can cause them to become infected. A severe reaction to bed bug bites may even cause rashes and blisters. According to experts in infectious disease, bed bugs have an unusual bite pattern. They tend to leave several bites in a neat, little row. The experts call this, “breakfast, lunch, and dinner bites” and it is a sign of what they label “sequential feeding .”

There is one bit of good news in all of this

Despite the fact that bed bugs have been found to carry almost 30 human pathogens in their systems, they have not been linked to the spread of any diseases based on current research. The medical and scientific communities consider bed bugs to be primarily a nuisance and not a transmitter of infectious diseases. Since bed bugs made their unexpected return, there has been a renewed interest in studying them. Due to the advances in modern science and medicine, there is always a possibility that previously unknown links between bed bugs and disease transmission will be discovered. In any event, if you are a victim of bed bug bites, try to avoid scratching them and if they become irritated or infected, seek medical attention. Medical treatment is also advised if a rash or blisters develop from bed bug bites.

These are the primary signs of bed bug bites

Again, it should be stressed that not every little itch is a sign of bed bugs. If you find that you are showing the symptoms of bed bug bites, the worst thing you can do is panic. Instead. stay calm and call in a professional pest control expert to check your home for the presence of bed bugs. Monitor the bite areas for any signs of infection, rashes or blisters and if they occur, seek medical advice. Bed bugs are a nuisance but if you stay calm and take the time to become informed about them, they are a very manageable problem.

Bed Bugs And their Bite Symptoms is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

Do you get bitten every time you relax on the sofa or in an armchair? Are you finding bugs, tiny blood smears or lots of small, black fecal stains on or under your bed sheets? Are you finding bugs, translucent eggs about the size of a grain of rice, molt husks or fecal stains under your mattress or along the seams of your mattress? If you answered yes to most of these questions, you probably have bed bugs. As you may have read in the paper or heard on TV, bed bugs have returned in force to make our lives miserable. While bed bugs do not cause serious illness, they are certainly more than capable of being a major nuisance. They can infest your home in large numbers and make you dread the thought of going to bed or sitting in your favorite armchair.

This is what you need to know about how to get rid of bed bugs

You need to know what bed bugs look like. They are small, flat, oval and wingless. They are about the size of an apple seed when they are adult and fully fed. They vary from brown before they feed on blood to reddish brown and swollen after they have fed. If you see reddish brown, flat bugs crawling on your bed sheets or under your mattress, you have bed bugs. Their bites can cause itching, rashes and blisters and leave behind small red bite marks, often in rows of 3 or 4 bites.

Once you determine you have bed bugs, how can you get rid of them without having to spend a fortune on a professional pest control specialist?

While there are solutions, the worst thing you can do is to set off a commercial, all purpose bug bomb in your home. This will not kill all the bed bugs and will only drive them deeper into hiding. You will saturate your home with harmful chemicals and you may even cause health problems for family members.

There are many good products on the market that will help you get rid of bed bugs yourself. There are non-toxic sprays, traps and ultra sonic devices that work quite well. Spreading a thin line of food grade Diatomaceous Earth around the perimeter of each room and on the floor around sofas and beds can be particularly effective. Be sure its food grade Diatomaceous Earth and not any other type of Diatomaceous Earth or you can get seriously ill with Silicosis. What type of products you use to get rid of a bed bug problem by yourself is a matter of personal choice. The most important factor is that you study each product carefully and that you use products that are safe and best suited for your environment.

Before you use any products to kill the bed bugs, you must take the time to do a major house cleaning. This will include vacuuming or steam cleaning your entire home including all bedding and furniture, carpeting, curtains or drapes, picture frames, inside drawers and inside cabinets. Be sure not to ignore appliances and pet bedding when you do your cleaning. You may even want to patch and seal all the cracks you can find in your home or apartment.

Of course you must pay extra attention to all bedding and cushioned furniture since bed bugs tend to live where you sleep or sit. Sheets, blankets, quilts and dust ruffles must be washed in hot water and sent through a hot dryer twice to get rid of bed bugs. Anything you can’t wash must be exposed to a day or two of direct sunlight and then dry cleaned. If your sofas or chairs have cushions with removable coverings, the coverings should be sent through the washer and dryer or dry cleaned just like bedding.

Many pest control experts suggest that while you are washing or dry cleaning all your bedding and furniture coverings, you should place your mattress, box spring, pillows and cushions in direct sunlight for a day or two. Sofas and chairs can also be placed in direct sunlight. Be sure to vacuum or steam clean all bedding, sofas and chairs with extra care before placing them in direct sunlight and again before re-using them.

These are the basics of getting rid of bed bugs yourself

It is a 3 step process of detection then a total cleaning of your home followed by treatment with non toxic products of your choice. The key to being successful is to take the time to research the problem and then to spare no effort in dealing with it. You can’t get rid of bed bugs in 15 minutes. It will take a few hours of study and a lot of elbow grease but with an honest effort and an informed choice of bed bug treatment products, it is possible to get rid of bed bugs yourself.

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs By Yourself is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them

Where do they hide ?

Bed Linens
Most common bedbugs hiding area is the bed linens. They can go deep inside the linens and cover themselves, you need to flip the linens over and search for them.

Pillow Case Corners
Pillow case corners are bedbugs favorite hiding area also (usually the Nymph Bedbug), because the gap is normally small and not notice by humans.

Furniture openings
Do checkout the openings of your furniture’s and screw holes, they love those areas also.

Wall Socket openings
This is an area you need to checkout too, if the room is heavy infested by bedbugs, most likely this will be their another hiding area.

Spray insecticide around the bed legs
If you are sure the bed bugs aren’t hiding inside your bed or bed frame, than isolate your bed from walls, cupboards etc.. Spray insecticide near the 4 bed legs, so this will prevent them from crawling up your bed and bite you. They must be hiding somewhere near you if they are not coming out from your bed or frame.

Bed bugs hiding areas is a post from: Bed Bugs How To Get Rid of Them