How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

In 2007, two girls in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, died because their father used an industrial insecticide, not meant for home use, to kill bed bugs in their home. This was one of the most tragic incidents of the year and while the two of his three daughters lost their lives, the third one had to be hospitalized.

Bed bugs are known for injecting an anti-coagulant chemical in the blood, which prevents clotting, allowing the bug to suck the blood till the time it wants to. And while they are a major problem in the country, using products sold at the local stores might not always be the right solution. The products used to kill them should be from a trusted brand and the directions for use should be read carefully before use.

If you are wondering how to get rid of bed bugs, here are a few easy steps.

Prepare the Area for Treatment

Remove the clutter from the bed to make the inspection of the area easier. This is the first step and makes the rest of your work easy.

• All the furry items, such as stuffed animals, soft toys and blankets, should be removed and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. Make sure you don't transfer the bugs with them.

• Remove all the drawers and desks from the bed and inspect the area thoroughly to make sure no bugs are hiding anywhere.

• Use a flashlight to expose them from tight spots.

Inspect Thoroughly

Most of the bed bugs are about ¼ to 5/8 inches long and are hard to seen with the naked eye. Their flat shape makes it easy for them to hide in gaps and spaces in the bed. So, use a magnifying glass to better spot them. The best wat to find them is to look for the eggs. The eggs are normally found in the areas close to where the host sleeps.

Treat the Furniture

This is where the elimination process begins. Use spray liquid insecticides or aerosols and:

• Spray around and under the bed. After removing the drawers, the insides need to sprayed as well.
• Wash the bed sheet, pillow cases and all the clothes kept in the drawers.
• Spray around all the doors, windows and the furniture of the room, like tables and chair.
• If there are any posters or frames in the room, spray them as well.
• Spray the whole frame of bed as a precaution.

Do not apply the spray to any of the mattresses or furniture where people are sitting. The first rule of how to get rid of bed bugs is to remove all human beings from the area being treated.