Why DIY Bed Bug Treatments Don't Work
We live in a world with instant access to how-to videos on just about everything. Whether you're building a new deck or trying to figure out a new vacuum cleaner, someone has probably posted a video or article about it. Unfortunately, online experts don't always give expert advice—particularly when it comes to pest control. Join us today as we look at some of the ways bed bugs outsmart people and make folks think they have the answer to their bed bug problems when they actually don't. We'll also look at some ways DIY treatments can fall short. As always, we're here to provide a helping hand. Miller Pest & Termite offers smart, science-based solutions for bed bug extermination. If you need help with bed bugs in Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines, or elsewhere in our extensive service area, reach out to us.
Why you might think that bed bugs are gone
When an influencer tries a home remedy to get rid of bed bugs and those pests disappear, they go straight to making a video. But bed bugs can seem like they're gone when they really aren't. You can't rely on circumstantial evidence to conclude that bed bugs are gone. Here's why:
- Bed bugs detect danger and communicate with the others in their group by using pheromones. If something is presenting a threat, they go inactive for a time.
- Some treatment methods collect or exterminate adult bed bugs and their nymphs, but don't address the eggs. When the eggs hatch, the infestation appears to return when it never actually went away.
- Like many insects, bed bugs can go into a state of diapause (inactivity) when conditions are unfavorable for activity. One example is when people use traps to prevent them from climbing up bed legs and getting blood meals at night.
- A treatment can force bed bugs into another room. That room might be an adjoining apartment. But they don't stay gone. They can come right back in the way they fled.
It is easy to think bed bugs are gone after applying a treatment, so don't go too hard on those influencers. They may think that their solutions work. But just because you're going easy on them doesn't mean you have to keep listening to their advice. Contact a licensed professional for field-tested knowledge regarding the application of bed bug control.
Some ways DIY bed bug treatments fail
The variety of ways people attempt to exterminate bed bugs is surprising. We still hear of new treatment ideas, and we've been controlling pests for over two decades. Here are a few to consider:
- Lighting a mattress on fire
Some people have intentionally (and unintentionally) set their mattresses on fire to exterminate bed bugs. Neither will get the job done. Bed bugs rarely live only in mattresses. They're found in box springs and bed frames. - Throwing away the bed
Some people don't stop with just the mattress. They throw the whole bed away. Unfortunately, bed bugs can live in other furniture near the bed, tight spaces under furniture feet, behind baseboards, carpet edges, wall voids, and more. - Heat treatments
Some people find that professionals use heat and proceed with their own version, albeit ineffective. For example, putting a space heater in a bedroom will not exterminate bed bugs. They'll find cold spots to hide in or move into walls. - Treatment materials
Some people spray everything, hoping to exterminate these bugs. Unfortunately, these treatments fail in two ways. One, they don't get deep enough to get to the bugs. Two, the bed bugs sense the materials and avoid them when they come out to get blood meals.
If you've tried to get rid of bed bugs repeatedly and they seem to come back again and again, our recommendation is to seek professional control for the remediation of bed bug infestations. Let's look at why this is the case.
Professionals bed bug control makes a difference
A licensed professional utilizes training and field experience to deal with these tricky pests. Pest control specialists evaluate bed bug problems, create plans of action, and systematically apply the control methods needed to get results. Your professional does this for a living and knows what works. When you're given the all-clear, you can sleep easy. The bugs are gone.
If you’re searching for relief from these biting bugs, contact Miller Pest & Termite for bed bug control you can count on. We use products that bed bugs are unable to detect. When they pass over treated areas, they don't know it, and they pick the control agent up and share it with the others—even the bed bugs that aren't out looking for a blood meal. The result is complete control. Want to learn more? Reach out to us today. We're here to help!
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