How does bed bugs make their way into someone’s home & how do you get rid of them?

Question by Soa’s Fate~:
How does bed bugs make their way into someone’s home & how do you get rid of them?

Best answer:

Answer by xo379
Bed bugs are awful–hard to get rid of, and very easy to get.
They can hide in really small areas, so sometimes they ‘stow away’ in luggage, furniture, pillows, rugs, boxes, bed frames, mattresses, and so on, and when these things come into the house, THEY come into the house. Sometimes birds and bats can carry them in. AND–bed bugs can acually wander in through the walls. If you live in an apartment and the person next door–or even on the floor below you–has bed bugs, those little bugs can crawl into YOUR place. They can survive for months without feeding, so they stick around.

Here’s a little guide of what you should do:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/management.html

But basically:
Reduce clutter to limit hiding places for bed bugs.

Thoroughly clean the infested rooms as well as others in the residence. Scrub infested surfaces with a stiff brush to dislodge eggs, and use a powerful vacuum to remove bed bugs from cracks and crevices. Dismantling bed frames will expose additional bug hiding sites. Remove drawers from desks and dressers and turn furniture over, if possible, to inspect and clean all hiding spots.

Mattresses and box springs can be permanently encased within special mattress bags. Once they are installed, inspect the bags to ensure they are undamaged; if any holes or tears are found, seal these completely with permanent tape. Any bugs trapped within these sealed bags will eventually die.

To prevent bed bugs from crawling onto a bed, pull the bed frame away from the wall, tuck sheets and blankets so they won’t contact the floor, and place the frame legs into dishes or cups of mineral oil.

Caulk and seal all holes where pipes and wires penetrate walls and floor, and fill cracks around baseboards and cove moldings to further reduce harborages.

If you own your residence, we suggest you contact a licensed pest control operator who is knowledgeable and experienced in managing bed bug infestations. Ask the pest control company for references, and ask at least a few of their customers about their experiences before you agree to any contract.

If you are a tenant, contact your property manager or landlord to discuss your respective obligations, and to agree on a plan to manage the infestation. Generally, landlords are legally required to contract with a licensed pest control operator.

Request a written integrated pest management (IPM) plan from the pest control operator. This plan should detail the methods and insecticides to be used by the pest control operator, and describe the efforts expected by the building manager as well as by the tenants.

Because bed bugs and other pests may spread through cracks and holes in the walls, ceilings and floors, it is wise to inspect adjoining apartments on the same floor as well as those directly above and below.

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