Are you scratching more than usual? Have noticed blood stains or dark spots in your carpet?
If so, you may have a bed bug infestation.
What kills bed bugs?
If you’re wondering how to get rid of bed bugs in carpet, the best solutions include silica gel or diatomaceous earth. You’ll also need a high-voltage vacuum cleaner and double-sided tape to kill as many of them as possible.
This article will reveal a greater insight into bed bug removal. Let’s explore.
Clean Your Home
Before worrying about your carpets, eliminate bed bugs in other parts of the home. Bed bugs could be on your furniture, clothing, or beds.
When dealing with linens or sheets, throw them in the washer, and use warm water. Also, dry them on the highest heat setting.
Additionally, wash all of your clothes in your washer and dryer. When it comes to bedding, vacuum your mattress area, including crevices and corners. Use vacuum tools (i.e. combs and picks) to reach more areas. Ideally, use a hard comb or brush.
Remove all cluttered areas around furniture and beds. For non-washable items (i.e. shoes or stuffed animals), place them in the dryer.
The Right Vacuum Cleaner
Killing bed bugs requires a vacuum cleaner with disposable bags. Bagless vacuum cleaners allow bed bugs to spread throughout rooms.
Since bed bugs are airborne, bagless vacuum cleaners can send them into the air. As a result, you may contend with infestations in other parts of the house.
The creatures also natural explorers and will find ways to get out of the vacuum. Plus, they can escape through vacuum hoses and hide under your vacuum.
- Note: Choose a vacuum with at least 110 volts. You want enough suction power to eliminate as many bed bugs as possible.
A bag-based vacuum cleaner allows you to contain the bed bugs in a single locale. To get the best results, choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Discard the bag immediately after vacuuming the carpet. If you have a canister-based vacuum cleaner, wash out the canister with warm water and soap before reinserting it.
You can also use a steam cleaner to kill bed bugs. A carpet cleaner doesn’t have the same suction power as a conventional vacuum cleaner, but the warm water is a useful asset.
Use very hot water or steam to kill them effectively. You can also include soap or a bed bug formula during the cleaning process.
Overall, vacuuming and steam cleaning will minimize the infestation and won’t kill the bed bugs. To kill them directly, you need substances that will degrade their bodies.
Direct Killing Methods
There are two major agents that will kill bed bugs in carpets: silica gel and diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is an abrasive substance destroying a bed bug’s outer shell.
It derives from fossil-based microalgae and is a natural way to kill many types of insects and parasites. Best of all, diatomaceous earth is natural and isn’t harmful to humans or pets.
On the other hand, silica gel is a synthetic version of diatomaceous earth. It contains coarse particles that destroy bed bug shells and drain moisture from the air. Eliminating moisture is a useful method, as bed bugs store moisture in their bodies to survive.
Whether using diatomaceous earth or silica gel, consider the following steps:
- Spread thick layers of the product around the carpet.
- Leave it in for at least 24 hours or longer before vacuuming.
- Take your time as you vacuum the carpet. Leave no corner untouched. Reapply the powder and vacuum again as necessary.
Use Double-Sided Tape
Even after vacuuming and applying silica gel/diatomaceous earth, you could still have a lingering infestation. Therefore, apply double-sided tape to restrict their mobility.
Start with holes or cracks you see in the walls. Bed bugs can hide inside small cracks and reemerge later. You should also repair wall damage to close insect and bed bug hideouts.
Further, place the tape along the edges of the room and along the baseboards. Also, apply the tape near the doors. Placing the tape near doors will prevent the bugs from moving to other locations.
Bed bugs are smart creatures and may avoid the taped areas. However, applying the tape is another barrier that can reduce the spread.
Other Natural Cleaning Agents
Above all, use a bed bug solution that’s safe around the home. Other chemicals that kill bed bugs include:
- Vinegar: The acidity of the vinegar will get rid of pests such as bed bugs. Moreover, the solution will destroy their central nervous systems. You can spray distilled white vinegar on bedding and furniture.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda dehydrates bed bugs. However, you need a large amount of baking soda to kill them efficiently.
- Essential Oils: Essential oils aren’t a primary solution, but they repel bed bugs. Essential oils can also prevent them from biting you. Plus, you can spray the oils on your bed and furniture to reduce bed bug odors.
Consider these natural solutions as backup choices. Silica gel or diatomaceous earth is the best choice.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Carpet Sooner Rather than Later
If you’re wondering how to get rid of bed bugs in carpet, the most efficient way is to use natural cleaning agents. Solutions such as diatomaceous earth will destroy bed bugs directly.
Before worrying about your carpets, disinfect other areas of the home to mitigate the infestation. Moreover, use a powerful vacuum cleaner that contains disposable bags. After vacuuming, discard the bag immediately.
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