If you are suspecting that you might have bed bugs in your home, you might want to roll up your sleeves and solve the problem yourself. Sure, it’s always good to check if you really have bed bugs or if you’re just paranoid, but once you know you have them for sure, trying to get rid of them yourself may not be an effective option. You may want to choose DIY options like sprays and traps, but these methods are ultimately ineffective if you want to kill bed bugs instantly. Let’s take a look at what sprays and traps actually do and if they are ever a good option.
Bed Bug Sprays
Sprays might seem like good tools to solve a bed bug problem, but they only kill on contact. If you know anything about bed bugs, you know that they are hide-and-seek masters. They are small enough to hide in walls and crevices, and discreet enough to go unnoticed by the human eye. If you only spray the bed bug that you can see, you could be missing many other bed bugs and bed bug eggs. If you hit bed bugs with chemical sprays, chances are they will be killed instantly. But for the ones that are hidden, they will simply move from that area to another area in your house, which only spreads the infestation. It might give you peace of mind that you can kill bed bugs that are visible to you, but when you take a look at the bigger picture, sprays only magnify the problem.
Are Bed Bugs Resistant to Chemical Treatments?
Although some sprays kill bed bugs instantly, it’s important to note that some bed bugs are becoming resistant to chemical insecticides. Since insecticides have been used so much over the years, generations of bed bugs are adapting to them and becoming immune to their effects.
Do Foggers Kill Bed Bugs?
Bed bug foggers, or total release foggers, are cans that are set to release mist into the air to fall on surfaces. Like sprays, the mist that comes in contact with bed bugs typically kills them. But as we know, bed bugs like to hide. Foggers might be able to reach the bed bugs out in the open, but for the ones that are hidden, foggers are ineffective.
Bed Bug Traps
So we know that sprays aren’t a good long-term solution for a bed bug infestation, but what about traps? You might think of a bed bug trap like an ant trap, and you might think traps are a perfect, easy solution. In reality, most traps don’t even kill bed bugs on contact. Bed bug traps should instead be used for monitoring bed bugs before an infestation occurs. Most traps simply lure bed bugs in, keeping them there instead of crawling around your house or up the legs of your bed. Some traps have glue or tape inside to trap bed bugs inside and prevent them from climbing out, but even these don’t kill bed bugs instantly. Instead, you’ll have to empty the traps and kill the bugs yourself.
So How Can I Get Rid of Bed Bugs Effectively?
Although monitoring and treating a bed bug infestation tends to require many methods, the most effective overall solution is heat treatment. Heat treatment is the process of increasing the temperature of a house using electrical heaters. The heat rises above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that bed bugs cannot survive in. Sure, traps might be a good monitor for bed bugs, and sprays might make you think you solved your bed bug problem. But when it comes down to it, these resources don’t eradicate an infestation like heat treatments do.
Bed Bug BBQ Can Help
If you’re looking for a bed bug exterminator, Bed Bug BBQ is here to help! Our team uses heat treatment, which is the safest and most effective method to kill bed bugs, and it is completed in less than 24 hours. Give us a call at (216) 221-1227 or visit our website to learn more.
