Bed bugs aren't just isolated to your bed. They are very mobile and will hop a ride on you to your next location. They can end up in all your soft furnishings, including your draperies and carpets. You may see red bite marks before you can see the insects. As soon as you figure out that you have bed bugs, you must start treating them as quickly as possible. The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to call an exterminator. However, they may not be able to get to your house immediately. You can do a few things to help eliminate the bed bugs while waiting for the exterminator.
Steam Cleaner
Bed bugs don't like heat. You can work on getting rid of them by making the area too hot for them. One way to do that is to use a steam cleaner. You can get a cleaner and use it on your bed. When you use it on your bed, ensure you get the mattress and box springs if you have them. Take extra care on all the edges and around the binding because that is where bed bugs like to hide.
Cover Everything
Another way you can deal with bed bugs is to put covers on your pillows and beds. Bed bug-proof covers slide onto your mattresses or pillows and then zip closed. The zipper may also have an extra layer of material over it to make it harder for the bed bugs to get out from under the cover. If you have bed bugs, sealing everything up will make it harder for the bugs to get out and more challenging for bugs to infest new spaces.
Run Your Dryer
Running your clothes, towels, sheets, and plushies through the dryer can help heat those items enough to eradicate the bedbugs. Generally, you should run the dryer through two complete cycles at the highest heat. Ideally, that should be hot enough for a long enough time to eliminate the bedbugs. You may also want to seal those things in bags to keep them from being reinfested while you're waiting for the exterminator to come.
Bed bugs can be a huge problem. They can be tough to get rid of. If you think you have bed bugs, you should call an exterminator to check your house for you as soon as possible. The sooner you get rid of them, the better off you will be. For more information, reach out to a local service, such as Bug Police LLC.