Bed bugs can be quite a nuisance and it is tricky to get rid of them.
You need to eliminate them in the right manner and ensure you don’t spread them to other areas of the house.
Raymond Web from US-based Take Care Termite and Pest Control offers a detailed account of how to get rid of bedbugs in carpets.
Preventing Bedbug infestation
A common adage states that prevention is better than cure.
The same can be applied in case of preventing bed bugs instead of trying to ‘cure your carpets’ after the infestation.
Some ways to prevent bedbug infestation include:
● Checking second-hand furniture or couches for bedbugs before bringing them home
● Reducing clutter in the house to reduce the hiding places for bed bugs
● Regularly vacuuming the carpets and areas near the legs of furniture to remove bedbugs successfully
● Be careful while using shared laundry facilities and transport the washed items in plastic bags only
● Install door sweeps on the bottom of doors to discourage movement of bedbugs into hallways and seal cracks and crevices around baseboards, light sockets, etc., to discourage movement through wall voids.
● Conduct regular pest inspection to detect bedbug infestation at an early stage.
5 Steps to Remove Bed-bugs from Carpet
Follow these steps for bed bug removal from your carpet:
Step 1
Start clearing the floor and remove items that may be infested with bed bugs. These include stuffed toys, footwear, furniture and any other item where the bed bugs may hide.
Wash the items that are machine washable in hot water. Vacuum the furniture drawers, mattresses and area under the furniture legs and bed frames.
If you can’t clean some of the items infested with bedbugs, discard them.
Step 2
Bed bugs love hiding in the edges of the carpet, and near the baseboards and walls.
Target these areas specifically when you vacuum, but do vacuum the entire carpet as well.
Use a vacuum cleaner with a bag as it’s easier to empty it outdoors after vacuuming.
Step 3
Empty the vacuum bag immediately into a plastic bag and seal it tightly.
Dispose of the bag in an outdoor trash can.
Make sure you empty the bag properly because even if one bug gets back into the house, the infestation will start again.
Step 4
Next step is to clean the carpet. You can use a carpet shampoo from wall to wall. If you can’t clean them at home, remove and seal the area rugs in a plastic bag to trap the bugs within the bag.
You can take these rugs to professionals to get it cleaned or take it to a public laundromat for washing.
Remember to clean and wash the rugs on the highest setting of the washer and dryers. You can also use a steam cleaner.
The extreme heat from the steam cleaner will kill the bed bugs and suction them up into the machine.
Focus on the perimeters of the carpet as it has a high bug population.
Step 5
Lastly, apply a non-toxic, non-pesticide bed bug killer to the carpet. Follow the manufacturer’s specific application instructions since application directions vary from one product to another.
Additional Tips to get Rid of Bedbugs
● Employ Hot and Cold Temperatures Bedbugs are sensitive to temperatures.
Exposing the carpets and mattresses to extreme temperatures like cold or below freezing temperatures or high temperatures like steaming or sun exposure will cause them to go into a dormant or inactive state.
You can then employ bug killing techniques to eliminate the bed bugs before they get active again.
● Use a Vacuum Vacuuming helps in killing the bedbugs and minimizing their risk.
You can also use hair dryers or flat irons to expose bed bugs to hot temperatures to limit the infestation.
● Consider Mattress Encasement
This helps in detecting the presence of bed bugs and protecting your bed and mattress.
Since the bugs would be restricted to the outside of encasement, you can spot them easily during inspections.
Purchase a high quality encasement which will resist tearing and check the encasement regularly for holes.
● Use Interceptors Install interception devices or active monitors under or next to the legs of your bed, couch and other resting furniture. Check the bug activity every few days.
● Call for Professional Pest Control
It is easy to handle a minor infestation on your own if caught in time. However, if it is a major infestation, call the pest control services. Apart from carpets, focus on curtains, drapes and wall arts for bed bugs and get rid of them as soon as you spot them.