Finding a bed bug is a nasty surprise. Understandably, it sends most homeowners and apartment dwellers into pest control overdrive. After all, you want to get rid of bed bugs fast—you want them out of your bed, out of your home, and out of your life!
Before you start Googling “how to get rid of bed bugs ASAP,” however, you should know a few important dos and don’ts. (This should come as no surprise, but not everything on the Internet is true!) You can trust the experts at ScherZinger Pest Control to give you information on bed bug elimination that actually works.
Let’s get into the dos and don’ts of getting rid of bed bugs!
Don’t Panic or Rush
We get it: you want to get rid of the bed bugs in your home yesterday. After all, no one wants to get back into bed with those creepy-crawlies. However, panicking is a bad idea. Panic often results in extra stress and poor decision-making—the last things you want right now!
Do Take Your Time to Research the Problem and Solutions
Take some time to research the problem and potential solutions. You should look into a few things, including the following:
- Do you actually have bed bugs, or is it another look-alike bug?
- What are the best treatment options for you—whether you live in an apartment or house?
- Can you get rid of bed bugs yourself, or is it a better idea to hire a professional?
Don’t Rely on Essential Oils, Rubbing Alcohol, or Other Untested DIY Methods
Because of the desire for quick fixes, there are a lot of DIY bed bug “solutions” online. Often, we see people claim that you can get rid of bed bugs with essential oils (particularly tee tree oil) or rubbing alcohol. Both of these claims are completely false!
First, let’s tackle the essential oil claim. Tea tree oil has been shown in a few studies to kill insects. However, this doesn’t make it an effective bed bug solution. Why? The bed bugs need to come in contact with the tea tree oil. If you were to kill every bed bug you saw with tea tree oil (maybe with a spray bottle?), there would still be hundreds hiding (in your mattress, furniture, electronics, and even walls) and breeding new bugs! You would never be able to get rid of an infestation this way.
What’s more, certain essential oils (like tea tree oil) can be toxic to pets. You’re already dealing with bed bugs—you certainly don’t want a sick pet on your hands, too.
Second, let’s talk about rubbing alcohol. We highly discourage anyone from trying rubbing alcohol as a bed bug solution. Not only is rubbing alcohol ineffective, but it also poses a serious health hazard. Vapors can cause respiratory issues (which is why you don’t want to be spraying it all over your house). Worse still, it’s highly flammable: numerous people have accidentally burned down their apartment buildings and homes this way!
Do Use Proven Methods for Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
When you use tried-and-tested methods for bed bug elimination, you can be sure that they’re safe and they work!
Proven methods for bed bugs include regulated chemical treatments and heat treatments—both of which we use at ScherZinger. In fact, ScherZinger’s signature Heatigation℠ program is a one-day treatment that gets rid of bed bugs in all life stages! (You can learn more about Heatigation℠ on our Bed Bug Treatments page.)
Don’t Assume You Have to Go It Alone
There are several bed bug treatments that can absolutely be done by anyone. This includes, for example:
- Washing and drying your bedding and clothing on the hottest setting
- Using a steam treatment on couches and chairs
Other treatments, however, can be tricky for the average homeowner to do. Chemical treatments like pesticides, for example, must be applied with care. This is often a job best left to professionals, who have experience applying these treatments safely and correctly.
Remember that you don’t have to go it alone! If you need help, pest control companies like ScherZinger are here for you.
Do Seek Help from a Trusted Pest Control Professional
Bed bugs are a tough pest to eliminate. You might have tried getting rid of them yourself with no success. You might just want to have someone else deal with the problem for you. Either way, consider seeking help from a trusted pest control professional.
Expert pest control technicians (like the ones at ScherZinger Pest Control) have the knowledge, experience, and tools necessary to get rid of beg bugs quickly and effectively. They can assess the problem and let you know the most effective options for bed bug treatment, based on your unique situation. That means there’s no need to worry, “Will this work to get rid of my bed bugs?”
Contact Us Today for Trusted Bed Bug Solutions
Worried you may have a bed bug infestation?
ScherZinger Pest Control is a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.