Bedbugs infestations have been on the rise in Kenya, with many people struggling to find a lasting solution to the problem.
These insects can be very uncomfortable, especially as they increase and make life harder for home occupants. It’s not enough to air all the mattresses and beddings, the insects still find a way to torture the occupants.
Bedbugs stay mostly on mattresses, sofas, cracks within the house walls, bed frames, box springs, and dark corners. They are most active at night, which is when they bite.
Noticing bedbugs is an easy task, could be through taking note of yellow or brown spots on beddings, mattresses, or sofas. Another way of noticing them is taking note of itching that comes along with bruises during sleep or after waking up.
How to get rid of bedbugs
Most families find it difficult to deal with bedbugs, hence most people often opt to shift to another house that is free from the bugs. One disadvantage of this is that one may transfer the bugs while they are moving to the next house, carrying with them what they are trying to escape.
Vacuum cleaning is one way to get rid of bedbugs. Use the cleaner on mattresses and sofas as well as carpets, and floors. The cleaner sucks the bugs and the eggs that have been deposited on the surfaces. Pay attention to any cracks on the walls and the floorboards and use the cleaner on those areas.
Bedbugs can not survive temperatures above 140 degrees, That is part of the reason for the influx in infestations during July. Steaming is therefore an effective way to rid yourselves of them. The begbugs as well as their eggs die once they are exposed to heat. The method however does not apply to electrical appliances and other items that can be destroyed by heat.
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Baking soda has always been a remedy for many problems and still is in this case. the baking soda sucks all the moisture out of the bugs’ bodies and dries them to death. It can be spread to all areas such as cracks, floorboards, and soft furniture without the fear of children or pets licking it.
Just like humans, bugs get irritated by certain smells. Lavender and peppermint leaves make bedbugs feel nauseous and can lead to their death. One can use a lot of lavender soap, fabric softener, essential oils, and even lavender air fresheners. In addition to that, you could place the lavender and peppermint leaves on the infested areas.
The most effective way to rid of bedbugs
One most effective ways to kill the bugs is fumigation, which involves hiring professionals to aid in the process. The process involves filling the area with gaseous insecticides and pesticides, which poison pests within the area. This process rids insects despite their stage of life, whether egg, larvae, or even adults. Fumigation could take at least a night to work the magic of killing bugs.
Bed bugs can be destructive and annoying to those affected. It is very hard to deal with if one is not keen enough to scout their houses for any infestations.
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One myth is that bedbugs only infest dirty or poor places. Bedbugs can be transmitted from one person to another through means like public transport, or sitting in spaces that are infested, inclusive of vacation mattresses. One could carry a bedbug from one space to another and cause the start of infestations.