Bed bugs can be as creepy and scary as a lot of vampire horror movies. These little red insects live in beds, coming out only at night when they sneak up while you’re asleep and suck the blood of their unconscious victims, leaving tell-tale red marks behind.
Although they may not be the original inspiration for vampires, they have hunters just as dedicated to the craft! Exterminators, and bug removal professionals, are there to take out these little tyrants and make it so that you feel safe in your bed again. If you’ve ever been curious about what’s in their bag of tricks: here are the top tools they use!
They Ask You To Prep
If you want insect removal to go as smoothly as possible, they will ask you to prepare your home for it. This request means that you should strip your bed, pull most soft furniture away from walls, and take any pets and pet dishes away from where they may come in contact with the exterminator. Although they don’t expect you to know how to treat bed bugs, they ask that you help them begin the process. In this time, if you notice a bed or couch has more rust-colored stains on the mattress edges than the other, take note of this and point it out to the professional you hire!
General Pesticides
After World War II, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) became known as the go-to pest killer. It worked so well that households that called for ants or other bugs would also immediately take out any chance of bedbugs without trying. Unfortunately, DDT was later found to wreak havoc on people’s health- and exterminators have since turned to pesticides that we can handle being around. Most common chemical pesticides require time and patience, mixed with exposure, to be useful. Every top professional exterminator has a favored cocktail to take these bugs out.
Environmentally Friendly Pesticides
The idea of environmentally friendly pesticides may feel like an oxymoron to some, but they’re a handy tool! Instead of a general pesticide, this type of eliminator targets bed bugs specifically and how they and their eggs live. Although no pesticides are one hundred percent safe, and you may still be asked to leave them home during the process, they are safer for you to come back home. If you have pets, this type of pesticide, like pyrethrin based ones, are safer and better for your household.
Patience
In many cases, the most effective weapon against these creepy crawlies is patience. After professionals hit them with a dose of their preferred pesticide, there’s a chance their eggs may later hatch, or portions might be missed. Many exterminators offer a second visit to ensure the infestation is gone for good. In contrast, others use formulas that mix and take their time spraying to ensure they get as many bugs as possible. It’s slow and tedious work, but it’s what kicks the bugs out of your home.
