Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

How to Prevent Bed Bugs

A bedbug is a small (about the size of a pencil eraser), flat, reddish-brown bug that can be found in homes all over the world. It hides during the day and comes out during the night to look for blood. A bedbug has a special ingredient in its saliva (spit) that keeps blood from clotting while it's eating.

If a person gets bitten by a bedbug, the bite will feel itchy. Bedbug bites look like little red bumps (similar to mosquito bites) and they can sometimes occur in a line on the body

If you think you've been bitten by a bedbug, wash the bites with soap and water. Put on some calamine lotion to help with the itching. An adult can find an anti-itch cream at the drugstore for you. Try not to scratch the bites too much because this can make them become infected.

Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal. Owners and occupants will need to assist the professional in important ways. Affording access for inspection and treatment is essential, and excess clutter should be removed. In some cases, infested mattresses and box springs will need to be discarded. Since bed bugs can disperse throughout a building, it may also be necessary to inspect adjoining rooms and apartments.

Bed bugs were treated years ago by wholesale spraying of pesticides. This practice is no longer permitted. Thoroughness is still important, but treatments today are generally more targeted and judicious. It often takes hours to properly inspect and treat a bed bug infestation, and follow-up visits are usually required.