Do you need a cure for bed bugs? well, the sad thing is that neither the infestations nor the bites they give are easy to cure.
Take a cure for bites, how do you cure the constant itching and unsightly red bumps that cover your skin? The answer is you can’t – you may want to try numerous lotions and potions, such as calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream, which will alleviate the discomfort, or you may want to get some oral antihistamine tablets from the drugstore, but basically it’s a case of allow the rash to clear up in its own time. This will vary from person to person and can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Of course, this won’t be possible until you discover an effective bed bug cure to rid your home of the infestation, because if you don’t, you’ll be bitten night after night!
Let’s bust a myth (pardon the pun!) before we begin: these pests are not only prevalent in dirty houses, hotels, hostels, etc. – They don’t discriminate! These little predators will happily ride in your luggage, clothes, bag, you name it, travel to your property and start breeding whether it’s spotless or dirty. Remember they don’t eat dirt or crumbs, they just consume blood and don’t really care whose blood it is.
There are a fair number of bed bug cures out there, but the first job is always the same: DECLUTTER – Get rid of anything you no longer need, such as newspapers, magazines, books, etc. WARNING, these tiny vampires survive in all sorts of dark places, so don’t be tempted to put this mess right in your trash. You will end up spreading the infestation because these little critters are extremely mobile! You should place everything in plastic bags and seal them tightly and do this in the room where you are trying to cure the infestation.
The second important step is to remove all bedding and bring it along with all washable clothes in sealed plastic bags to the laundry area. Wash all these clothes etc. at the highest possible temperature. You may want to consider using a product like Benzarid, which is designed to disinfect fabric – Benzarid is part of the Bed Bug Patrol range. Any garments that are not suitable for washing should be placed in a tumble dryer on high heat for about 10 minutes. For business suits and other similar items, you can use a steam cleaner. Please don’t be fooled into thinking that you only need to treat clothes that are in the room, insects will find a way to hide in dark places, so belongings in drawers and closets should be treated as well. It’s worth remembering that heat is one of the best cures out there!
The next step is to take out the vacuum cleaner and vacuum EVERYTHING, the mattress, the box spring, the furniture, the inside of the drawers, etc. You have to check even in the most absurd places: look inside alarm clocks, check picture frames, smoke alarms, etc. These critters are fantastic at climbing! Your vacuum must pick up live insects, nymphs, larvae and eggs, so it is vital to be thorough and methodical at this stage. Once again, empty your vacuum immediately into the infested room, place the contents in plastic bags, seal them tightly, and throw them away.
Now you can choose which bed bug cure to use as the last nail in your coffin?
1. Steam – As I said above, heat is a useful cure for bed bugs, but simply turning up the heat won’t do the trick! The heat needs to be instant and intense and the best equipment for this is a steam cleaner. If you decide to implement this as a cure, you’ll need to follow the same thorough and methodical route you’ve already taken with your vacuum: leave nothing untreated.
2. A spray – There are many of these on the market, some are chemical based and can be toxic, while others are completely natural and safe, yet very effective. One I have personal experience with is Bed Bug Patrol. This spray kills bed bugs on contact and can be sprayed around cracks and crevices, on bed frames, box springs and drawers, etc. without fear of adverse effects on the health of people or animals residing in the residence. You can jump right into this step after you vacuum the room or perhaps use it as a safety net after you’ve used the steam cleaner as well.
3. Fossil Shell Powder – You can also buy it from Bed Bug Patrol and it’s totally organic and completely safe (it’s actually food grade). Place it around cracks and crevices, on carpets, furniture, etc. The powder works by penetrating the insect’s waxy skin, causing it to dehydrate and die. Thus, this is a relatively inexpensive and long lasting bed bug cure when used in conjunction with one or more of the other steps.
4. Traps – These are designed to catch bed bugs on the move! By taping them to bedposts, chairs, or other furniture around the room, the bugs will stick to them as they try to get to their nightly feast. These are great to include in your case if you are concerned about bed bugs outside the home. Again, you can get these from the Bed Bug Patrol site.
I hope you find this information helpful about the bed bug cures I have used and had success with. What I found particularly helpful were the Bed Bug Patrol product packs that provide everything you need, such as the Bed Bug Patrol Super Pack and the Bed Bug Patrol Value Pack.
Happy hunting!