How to Remove Bed Bugs from Your Home Permanently: A New Homeowner’s Guide

For over 33 years, Excel Pest Services has been in the business of protecting properties from unwanted pests. Our team of experts specialize in environmental and responsible pest management solutions that ensure your home remains protected from any pests, including the notorious bed bugs.

In this article, we will guide new home wonders on how to remove bed bugs permanently by providing insight into identifying infestations, treatment methods and long term prevention strategies. Let’s take a closer look at these stubborn pests!

Why Are Bed Bugs Difficult to Remove?

Bed bugs are known for being one of the most stubborn pests to remove due to their resilience and adaptability. Here’s why these pests are so difficult to get rid of:

• Reproduction Rates:  A single female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime which means an infestation in your home will grow at a rapid rate.
• Treatment Resistant: Many bed bug populations seem to have developed a significant resistance to common pesticides which makes it harder to get rid of them.
• Hide and Seek: Bed bugs are small and can squeeze into even the smallest spaces and cracks which make them difficult to locate and remove.
• Survivors: Bed bugs are able to survive for months without feeding, which means they can live in unoccupied homes only to re-emerge later.

With these factors in mind it is clear to see that a strategic and persistent approach is required to remove bed bugs permanently from your home.

How to Identify a Bed Bug Infestation in Your Home

New homeowners need to conduct a thorough inspection for bed bugs because early detection is vital for long-term prevention. So, what should you look out for?

Signs of an infestation include:

• Bites on the Skin:  If you notice small, red, itchy welts that seem to appear in clusters or a straight line on your skin then that is a common sign of bed bug activity.
• Fecal Stains: Check for dark brown or black spots on your sheets, mattresses, walls, and furniture - this could be bed bug droppings.
• Shed Skins and Eggshells: Bed bugs shed their skin as they grow and leave behind translucent exoskeletons. Also be on the look out for tiny, white eggs (about 1mm in size).
• Live Bed Bugs: Although tiny, you can still spot live bed bugs if you look. Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, oval-shaped, and about the size of an apple seed. They will usually be found hiding in seams of mattresses, cracks in furniture, and along baseboards.
• Musty Odor:  Large infestations are known to produce a distinct, sweet, musty smell. 

If you pick up on any of these signs it is important to take action immediately in order to prevent the infestation from spreading.

Step-by-Step Guide to Removing Bed Bugs from Your Home

Completely removing bed bugs from your new home requires a multi-step process.

Follow these steps for effective removal:

1. Wash and Heat-Treat Infested Items

• Remove all bedding, clothing, and curtains from affected areas.
• Wash them in hot water (at least 60°C) and dry on the highest heat setting for at least 30 minutes to kill bed bugs and their eggs.
• Place clean items in sealed plastic bags to prevent re-infestation.

2. Vacuum and Seal Infested Areas

• Vacuum all mattresses, bed frames, carpets, furniture, and baseboards thoroughly.
• Use a brush attachment to loosen bed bugs from surfaces.
• Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately in an outdoor trash bin.

3. Use Safe Insecticides or Natural Treatments

• Apply EPA-registered bed bug insecticides to cracks, crevices, and infested furniture.
• Consider natural treatments like diatomaceous earth, which dehydrates bed bugs upon contact.
• Steam-treat mattresses and upholstered furniture using a steamer with a temperature of at least 130°F (54°C).

4. Dispose of Heavily Infested Furniture if Necessary

• If an item is beyond saving, wrap it in plastic before disposing of it to prevent spreading bed bugs.
• Mark or destroy the item to prevent others from picking it up.

5. Monitor and Repeat Treatments as Needed

• Continue inspecting your home for new signs of bed bugs for several weeks.
• Repeat treatments as necessary until all signs of bed bugs are eliminated.

How to Prevent Bed Bugs from Coming Back

After you have successfully eliminated bed bugs from your new home its important to take the following steps to ensure they don’t return:

• Regularly Inspect Furniture and Bedding: Check mattresses, bed frames, and upholstered furniture every few months.
• Seal Cracks: Bed bugs often hide in tiny crevices, walls, and electrical outlets. By sealing these areas you can limit their hiding spots.
• Be Aware with Second-Hand Items: Make sure to inspect and clean any used furniture, clothing, and luggage you want to bring into your home. 
• Declutter Your Space: Reducing your mess eliminates potential hiding places for bed bugs.

All of these tips will help you in bed bug prevention within your new home. But, when is it time to call the professionals in? 

When to Call a Professional Exterminator

While minor infestations may be manageable with DIY methods it is important to consider professional intervention when:

• The infestation has spread to multiple rooms.
• DIY treatments have failed to remove all bed bugs.
• There are recurring infestations.
• You want a fast and guaranteed long-term solution.

Excel Pest Services provides expert bed bug extermination using advanced, safe, and effective techniques tailored to your needs.

Contact Excel Pest Services for Bed Bug Removal

Bed bugs are resilient and stubborn pests that can hide in the smallest crevices, evade DIY treatments, and repopulate quickly if not fully removed from your property. Excel Pest Services knows this and provides a comprehensive, science-backed approach to bed bug removal. Our services ensure that infestations are eliminated at every stage of their life cycle. 

Our team of licensed professionals will conduct thorough inspections, apply industry-leading treatments and provide customized prevention strategies that are designed to keep your home pest-free.

Our methods focus on long-term results to ensure that bed bugs don’t return to your home. If you're facing an infestation, don’t waste time and resources on ineffective treatments, contact Excel Pest Services today.