Bed bugs are one of the hardest pests to get rid of in people’s homes. Despite your best efforts, you may still end up struggling with them for months. Unfortunately, that is just how they are.
Do bed bugs ever go away? The short answer is no. However, with early detection and the right treatment method, you can fully remove them from your home and keep them from coming back.
Understanding Why They Are So Hard To Control
Bed bugs can thrive in your home for years because they know how to stay hidden. Their flat bodies allow them to live in the tiniest of spaces. Whether it be inside your mattress seams or between joints in your furniture, they can easily avoid detection.
Because they are mostly nocturnal feeders, they can easily get out of control before you even realize they have infested your home.
Once they establish themselves, they reproduce rapidly. A single female bug can lay dozens of eggs at a time, and those eggs can withstand your typical do it yourself treatments. Miss one egg, and you could be dealing with another infestation in a couple of months.
Unlike mosquitoes and ticks that have bitten you outdoors, bed bugs can live for several months without eating. So even if you think you got them all, they can hide and wait until you let your guard down.
What Are Signs That I Have Bed Bugs
Finding physical signs of bed bugs early on can play a huge role in how quickly you are able to remove them from your home. It’s important to check for the following:
You will typically find small blood stains on your sheets from squished bed bugs.
Dark spots or streaks along mattress seams or other hiding places, made from bed bug excrement.
Tiny shed skins that they leave behind after growing.
Bug bites typically appear in clusters and will most likely happen overnight.
Bed bugs like to hide within close proximity to where you sleep. Mattresses and box springs are common hiding places, as are headboards and furniture that touches your bed. They can also hide in closets, behind picture frames, and inside your couch.
Why DIY Methods Don’t Work
A lot of homeowners attempt to control bed bugs with DIY methods. This usually consists of using bug spray or trying to vacuum them up.
The problem is that these tactics may kill some bugs, but unless you are able to hit 100% of the population, chances are they will not go away.
Spraying or vacing can also spread them to other areas of your home. If you have bed bugs in your bedroom, you’ll likely end up with them in other rooms once you try to treat the problem yourself.
Some bed bug colonies have even developed a resistance to commonly used insecticides. Always consult a professional before using any DIY pest control methods.
Treatment Methods That Will Work
There are many ways bed bugs can be removed from your home. But one of the most effective ways is heat treatment. Raising the temperature of your entire home to a deadly level will kill all living bugs, including eggs. So when done properly, heat can eliminate your problem in just one day.
You can also use targeted chemical treatments to kill bed bugs. This process involves applying pesticides to cracks and crevices throughout your home.
At Vinx Pest Control, we don’t just throw chemicals at your problem. We use a variety of treatments that are designed to work together to eliminate your pest problem.
What You Should Do To Prepare Your Home
You play a large role in how successful your treatment will be. Preparation typically includes:
Washing and drying all bedding, curtains, and other fabrics on high heat.
Sealing all clean laundry in bags before treatment.
Moving furniture away from walls so we can access all hiding areas.
Monitoring your home for bed bugs after treatment is just as important as preparing for it. Remain vigilant and call us if you think they may not be gone.
Preventing Them From Returning
Believe it or not, there are some things you can do to prevent bed bugs from taking over your home again:
Inspect hotel rooms whenever you travel. Keep your luggage on the floor and away from beds. As soon as you return home, throw all clothes in the dryer on high heat.
Be careful when buying used furniture. Bed bugs can easily be hiding inside overnight luggage and travel bags. Always thoroughly inspect any used furniture before bringing it inside, especially mattresses, couches, and wooden furniture with joints/seams.
Inspecting your home regularly is another way to prevent bed bugs. Concentrate on your bedrooms and any furniture you sleep on or near. Look behind picture frames and in any other places you think they may be hiding.
Conclusion
Bed bugs can overrun a home for many reasons. They can stay hidden from plain view, they reproduce quickly, and most of them can go for months without eating. But with knowledge about proper preparation and following up, you can get rid of them for good.
Bed bugs don’t just go away on their own. If you think your home is infested, contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bed bugs ever go away on their own?
Unfortunately not. They can live for years in your home if you let them.
Can bed bugs be removed from my home without professional help?
Technically yes, but you will need to find every single hiding spot on your own and treat it. Most DIY treatments will kill only a portion of the bugs, allowing them to multiply until your home is overrun.
What method works the fastest to get rid of bed bugs?
Heat treatment kills all stages of bed bugs instantly, so once it’s over, they should be gone. Typical pest control spray services can take weeks to fully work.
How will I know when the bed bugs are gone?
After about a month, you should stop seeing evidence of their existence. If you continue to see bugs or bug bites, it’s possible some nests were missed. We offer a free follow-up inspection to ensure they are gone.
How did bedbugs get in my home?
Luggage and clothing are the most common ways they enter your home. Renting or buying used furniture is another way they can be introduced to your home.