Bed Bugs Infestation

" Bed Bugs infestation can happen to anyone, from a four star hotel to a small apartment. A bed bug infestation starts when bedbugs are carried into the home, usually via luggage or used furniture. In an apartment there is a 20% change that they will spread from one apartment to an adjoining apartment and a 7% chance that they spread from an apartment above or below you. Treatment is best left to professionals who know where to look, but home treatment is possible if you are methodical or if the $750 - $1000 cost of treatment is too high for your budget (plus the cost of anything you discard). The key in any case is to act fast before the bed bugs have a chance to multiply"  

Many cities are seeing a rapid increase in the spread of bed bugs. This includes public transportation, apartments, movie theaters and even offices. No building is immune, with even the most high prices buildings having a problem. Where there are people coming and going, there can be bedbugs. For example, calls to the New York City 311 line from 1/1/09 to 9/30/09 increased +47% to over 25,000.

Bed bugs can live up to 18 months between feedings (most up to 1 year) so a bed bugs infestation can last a long time, even in an unoccupied room.  They do not spread disease, although bed bug bites can cause an allergic reaction on the skin in some people.  Bed bugs can reproduce quickly, with a female laying up to 500 eggs in her lifetime.

How to Control Bed Bugs - What to do First

The first step in treating a bed bugs infestation is to confirm that you have a bed bug problem. You can do this by comparing a trapped insect to the pictures you see below, send in a sample to Harvard University School of Public Health (small $20 fee) or a local government office for confirmation. Most areas that have a bedbug problem will provide look at your bedbug sample (see our local bed bug prevention resources guide).

Call a Bed Bug Exterminator

If you are a homeowner, call 2 or 3 local pest control companies for a quote. Follow this link to find a qualified local bedbug exterminator near you using our list of experienced professionals.  Please keep in mind that if the bed bugs are not treated correctly, insects missed will begin to multiply and the problem will return.  Don't use a pest control company unless they have extensive experience treating bed bugs.

As an alternative, If you are a member of Angie's List, contact them for a recommendation, which is based on consumer reviews. 

Don't wait or the problem will get much worse and possibly more expensive to treat. We have a list of pest control companies that are specifically qualified to treat bed bugs. These companies will provide a quote at no charge to you.

Be sure to use a bed bug specialist, as they will know where to look and may have specialized equipment such as heating units.

Make sure that the company you talk to has experience with bedbugs and that the specific person sent to your house has experience.  Ask for a written guarantee that the bed bugs infestation will be taken care of, particularly since it may take 2 to 3 treatments.  Ask about child and pet safety if this is a concern.

If you live in an apartment, call the landlord. The landlord has an obligation to quickly address any bed bug issues. Call your local health department to understand your rights.

Many bed bug exterminators will use a dog to sniff out the bed bugs infestation before treatment begins. Bedbugs give off a musty raspberry like odor that can be detected by a dog. The bugs are very flat and will hide in any crack, so a dog can be a useful way to see if any bugs are in a room. Note that some firms, particularly in a large city, will charge up to $400 just for the inspection with a dog.

Picture of Bed Bug Fecal Stain on Mattress


Bed Bugs Picture and Nymphs (just born) At Crack in Wall

Bed Bugs Infestation Products

The key to removing a bed bugs infestation is to kill both the bugs themselves and their eggs. The goal is to find every bed bug hiding place in a room and then to use the appropriate product designed to kill them. Since bed bugs look for a human host to feed on, most will be found (studies show approximately 50%) in or around the bed. Once all of these hiding places are taken, the bugs will move on moving from the bed to other parts of the room.

There are several chemical and non-chemical ways to treat a bed bugs infestation. These are described below::

Saving Money when Fighting a Bed Bugs Infestation

To save money, products are available in a kit available from Dermisil for Bed Bugs or covers, heaters and laundry type products from USBedBugs.com.  Kits cost approximately $160.

A bed bug exterminator may have additional tools at their disposal for dealing with a bed bugs infestation including a heat chamber or the ability to super heat a room or building to 120 degrees F.  Heat chambers can be portable, on the back of a truck, or located in a building.  All objects placed in the chamber are super heated for several hours to the required temperature.  A professional extermination will cost approximately $750 or more depending on the size of your home.

When all else fails, an entire building can be fumigated.  This approach may be needed when there are elderly occupants or many apartments with clutter.

Preparing for a Bed Bugs Infestation

The treatment goal for any room is to inspect every object and area.  

If hiring a professional for a bed bugs infestation, don't remove anything from the room being treated without consulting the exterminator first.  Moving objects from one room to the next can spread the bugs.  This includes objects such as electronics, which could have bedbugs hiding inside.  Nothing should be removed from the room unless it has been treated or is in a sealed plastic bag or container.

If doing it yourself, set up a "safe area" outside the room being treated such as in the bathroom or hallway.  

1. Start with the bed linens.  Fold them on themselves, then place and seal in a plastic bag.  Carry to the washing machine and wash on hot water, followed by 20 minutes in the dryer on the high heat setting.  Bag and wash whatever you can.
2. Treat the mattress and box spring.  Treat the top and sides with a spray such as Phantom or the products included in the Dermasil kit.  After treatment, seal the mattress in the cover and move to the safe area.  When done, treat the box spring.  Be sure to remove or open the bottom cheese cloth on the box spring.  It is more likely for bed bugs to be hiding in the box spring then on the mattress since there are more place to hide.  On the mattress, be sure to check under any tags or labels.
   
   As pictured below, bed bugs leave behind skin, red marks and brown fecal marks.  Check and treat all seams.  If you decide to dispose of your mattress, wrap it in plastic and mark as being bed bug infested before bringing it back into a room.
   
   
   
   Bed Bug Picture - Marks on Mattress
3. Use dust in the box spring before resealing.  Make sure all surfaces dry before using zippered covers to avoid mold.  The zippered covers trap any bed bugs and eggs you may have missed.
4. Treat the Bed Frame: Inspect the bed frame and backboard.  These are favorite hiding places.  Spray in every crack and follow up with steam and dust.
5.  Treat Furniture: Check around furniture and under drawers.  Do as much as you can in the bed frame area to avoid spreading bed bugs.  Be sure to check behind pictures, wall plates and along the floor boards.  Use steam and spray products.
6. Vacuum and Steam: Use the vacuum, vacuum crevice tool along walls to suck up any bed bugs you can.  Steam will kill any bed bugs you miss and kill their eggs as well.
7. Dispose of Clutter: Bag and dispose of anything you can.  Electronics can either be super heated in a Pack Tite portable heating unit or disposed of.
8. Spread Bed Bud Dust: After you complete your treatment, spread bed bug dust into cracks, under furniture etc as a protective barrier.

More information can be found throughout the Bed Bugs Handbook site.

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