Bed Bug Pest Control Action Plan

To get rid of bed bugs, pest control planning is a must. It's not a one-shot deal. No worries, making a bed bug pest control action plan is easier than you think! Just follow simple these steps.

Bed Bugs can be very frustrating and undoubtedly you are anxious to get rid of them!  The temptation will be to look for that quick fix, cure-all remedy. That's completely understandable.  I know. I've been there too.

But, despite all the promises you may see elsewhere (mostly from people who stand to profit in some way), there is no quick fix. And many of the things people are recommending on YouTube and other places are either dangerous or will make bed bugs harder to kill in the long run.  

Bed bugs can be very difficult to get rid of, even for professionals.  Yet, it can be done if you use integrated pest management strategies and follow the plan below.


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #1: DETECT & DIAGNOSE

The first thing you need to do is make sure you really have bed bugs. Bites are often the first thing people notice. But the symptoms of bed bug bites mimic many other things. So bites alone are not proof of anything at all. You need evidence of a bed bug infestation.

If you have not already found a live bed bug, you'll need to do some detective work. Once you do find something, make sure you properly identify it, so you can diagnose the situation accurately.


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #2: CONTAIN

Containing the items that are infested is important so you can de-bug them and prevent the bed bugs from spreading. If you followed the instructions on how to find bed bugs without spreading them, you will have already contained most of the items that are potentially infested. If not, read this and contain everything now...

Next, you need to contain the bedbugs that are living in your bed so they can't bite you anymore and so they can't reproduce. (They need a blood meal to reproduce). It could take them up to 18 months to die off completely. But if you get the correct kind of encasement, they won't be able to get to you!


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #3: ELIMINATE

Bed bugs love to hide, so your job is to eliminate as many hiding places as possible. This means cleaning up clutter, and not leaving anything on the floor in the areas they've been found.

If they can't hide, it will be easier to remove them in step 4 and they will have less shelter from whatever you use to kill the ones that remain in step 6.


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #4: REMOVE

You will do a lot to to improve the situation by taking active measures to remove all the bed bugs you can. The fewer there are when you go to final battle, the easier it will be to get rid of them quickly. This is where a good strong vacuum cleaner becomes your most valuable home appliance.

Vacuum thoroughly and frequently – and always remove and throw away the vacuum bag outside when you're done. Also, clean all surfaces of possibly infested items and furniture to remove any hidden eggs.


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #5: PROTECT

When you encase your mattress, box springs and pillows, you not only contain the bed bugs that are living there, you help protect yourself from bed bug bites.  You also protect your bed from re-infestation down the line.

You can further protect the bed (after you have removed any remaining bugs from the frame and headboard) by using interception devices. These traps are also key tools for your monitoring efforts in step 7.


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #6: KILL

Now it's time to really go on the offensive and kill, kill, kill. But make sure you have a solid battle plan first.

 That'll take a little more than I can cover here, but let me at least say this: Please do not use a bug bomb or total release fogger under any circumstances.

They are not effective and pretty much guaranteed to make your situation worse! Read the the big warning box here for details...


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #7: MONITOR

Now it's time to sit back and relax. (Relax? Yeah, right...)

But seriously, once you've completed the steps above, your job is to monitor the results. Remember those interceptors from step 5? They are your best bed bug control devices at this point.

No, they aren't going to magically trap all of the remaining bed bugs.

But, they will tell you if bed bugs are still somewhere in your bed frame or headboard. And they will tell you if bedbugs are still coming out from other parts of the room to make a meal of you.

That's how you will know if your other efforts are working.

Once you find that you haven't trapped any more bugs for a while, you are probably home free. Your bed bug pest control action plan has worked!


Bed Bug Pest Control Step #8: PREVENT  

Congratulations! You've won the war and you're bedbug-free!

Do a little dance...jump for joy...post it on facebook! Do whatever you like to do to celebrate, but don't let your guard down. You don't want to ever have to go through this again!

So it's time to shift your focus to prevention. Keep those encasements on no matter what. They are your best protection against re-infestation.

To stay bed bug free, you need to learn how to avoid buggy situations, reduce your risk of picking up new hitchhikers, and prevent bed bugs from making themselves at home in your home – even if you are exposed to them again. You can start learning that now, with the ABCs of Bed Bug Prevention.

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