Who Can I Call To Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are no laughing matter—these tiny red insects can create far more than an itchy rash. But who can you call to get rid of bed bugs?

Exterminators from experienced pest control companies can help you decide how to permanently get rid of the scourge of bed bugs. Before you arrange an inspection, here’s who to hire, the benefits of professional help, and the removal process.

Benefits of Hiring Pest Control for Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

An ongoing bed bug issue can lead to allergic reactions, serious sleep problems, mounting stress, and more. Plus, their habit of hiding out in the seams of your mattress, sofas, carpets, drapes, and closets makes them annoyingly hard to get rid of.

Hiring a professional bed bug removal service has major benefits. This is one infestation where exterminators often have the upper hand over DIY efforts. Here’s why:

• Permanent removal: If you don’t get rid of every source of bed bugs, they’ll spring back up again. DIY eradication methods aren’t as effective as hiring an exterminator to get rid of bed bugs professionally. That’s especially true if you’re facing medical or even legal issues because of a severe bed bug infestation.

• Pest control knows where to look: Professionals have the experience to watch for signs of bed bugs and search the locations where they hide, ensuring that not enough survive to re-infest a home. Exterminators can also discuss possible sources of recurring infestations, such as hidden spots in your car or trips to an infested friend’s house.

• Pest control uses high-quality tools: A professional bed bug removal service will inspect your infestation and decide what treatments and pesticides will take care of bed bugs. They have all the necessary tools and equipment. 

• Provide professional application: These pros are trained in proper bed bug treatment application to avoid exposing kids or pets to toxic materials. They can also set traps or bait stations in the right areas to help clear away any stragglers. For bad infestations, exterminators can discuss using bug bombs or pesticides, but that’s rarely a bed bug solution.

• Failed bed bug removal can get expensive: If bed bugs keep returning, you may be spending a lot of time and money to keep trying to get rid of them. Ultimately, it may be more cost effective to hire the pros once and guarantee high-quality and long-lasting results.

• Pest control can advise on next steps: Exterminators can answer important questions about getting rid of furniture, placing items in quarantine, how to watch for new bed bugs, and what to do if bed bugs become a problem again.

Can I DIY Getting Rid of Bed Bugs?

You can attempt to get rid of bed bugs without an exterminator, but we emphasize that it’s a tricky project that doesn’t guarantee permanent results. DIY methods work best if the bed bugs are contained to a small area and you catch them quickly. If you miss even a few, the infestation could flare up again, even worse than before. That’s why we recommend hiring a local bed bug removal service to ensure these pests are out of your home.

If you want to DIY removing a small infestation, the best methods include:

• Clean away loose items and thoroughly vacuum every fabric surface in the room.

• Wash infected items with a mixture of hot water, bleach, and detergent. Hot water and bleach are especially important to kill bed bugs and their eggs.

• Use high heat to disinfect items. Heat over 131 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 72 minutes will kill bed bugs, but anything less won’t guarantee full removal.

• Spray a powerful disinfectant cleaner on larger items like mattresses and sofas, then scrub until every speck is gone. Avoid using bleach, vinegar, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide, which could discolor furniture.

• Remember to clean your vehicles and luggage out the same way, as bed bugs may be hitching a ride on these materials. 

• Rent a steamer and thoroughly clean beds and furniture. A steamer costs around $30 per day and can kill bed bugs.

• A whole-home deep cleaning of blankets, sheets, furniture covers, and clothes, with an emphasis on heat to kill remaining bed bugs and eggs.

• Consider using diatomaceous earth to ward off bed bugs from returning to popular spots. Essential oils, boric acid, baking soda and other conventional homemade treatments do not work to keep bed bugs away.

Can I Hire Any Pest Control Company to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

No. You need to hire a pest management service that specializes in bed bugs and has experience with handling them. Pest control companies should list bed bugs as one of the jobs they can handle to ensure they have the proper tools and equipment to take care of the problem. Dealing with bed bugs requires specialized equipment, training, and experience. Not every pest control company is capable of dealing with the infestation, so be sure to hire one that specializes in removing and preventing these pests.

How Do Exterminators Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

When you schedule a visit from an exterminator to deal with these ubiquitous biting bugs, the cost of bed bug extermination is between $350 to $5,000, depending on the extent of the infestation and type of treatment.

Here are the steps you can expect your bed bug removal pro to take:

Inspection

First, exterminators will arrange an inspection to see where you’ve found evidence of bed bugs. They will look closely at other areas of your home where bed bugs can live to see how far the infestation has spread and get a clear scope of the problem.

Provide an Estimate

After the inspection, the pros will provide an estimate or quote for the services they’ll use to deal with bed bugs. This is the time to ask questions, arrange for any additional services, and ask about scheduling the extermination service. 

Extermination

Pest control professionals can handle bed bugs in a variety of ways. Common approaches include:

• Spot treatments with chemicals: Exterminators will use pesticides proven to work against bed bugs with injections or sprays. Direct contact will kill bed bugs very quickly.

• Heating chambers and seals: Heat is one of the most effective ways to get rid of larger bed bug infestations, and one of the safest for your home. Professionals wrap large, portable heating chambers and heavy-duty seals around couches, beds, and other infected areas. Exterminators may also use steamers or other heating tools.

• Pesticide dusts: You should avoid spraying pesticides inside a home if possible. Exterminators may want to use a pesticide dust instead, which can settle into small spaces and kill bed bugs without creating too much toxicity in the home. You can vacuum the dust afterward.

• Fumigation: Fumigation is rarely suggested for bed bugs since the little pests are highly resilient and can bury down far enough to survive. Also, fumigation poses other hazards for your home, whereas heat treatments are safer and more effective. However, sometimes professionals may suggest it for severe infestations along with other courses of treatment. 

A bed bug extermination shouldn’t take longer than several hours, depending on the size of the infestation, but more thorough measures like fumigation will take more time.

Barriers and Traps

After the initial treatment, the exterminator may set up traps or barriers to keep remaining bed bugs away from sensitive spots. While traps aren’t usually enough to get rid of bed bugs, they can help prevent bugs from returning to a bed or living room. They also provide important detection for exterminators that want to check later if any bed bugs still remain.

Instructions for Homeowners

It’s common for exterminators to have a few instructions on how to deal with remaining bed bugs, including heating clothes in the dryer to kill bed bugs, areas or furniture to avoid in the near feature, how to vacuum up bed bug remains, and more advice. You can also ask your exterminator for bed bug prevention tips.

Repeating the Process

For many pests, a single visit is sufficient. But expect your exterminator to arrange for a few follow-up visits to repeat their work or look for additional signs of bed bugs. These little troublemakers are so tenacious that the pros will often want second or third rounds to make sure they’re all gone.