How to know when there is a bed bug infestation
Signs of bed bugs
The first sign that your home may have been infested with bedbugs bites. If you or the people you live with start complaining of bites while asleep, you may need to check for bed bugs.
Also, if you suddenly have red welts which appear as spots and which itch, it may be time to check your home for them.
Bed bugs lay eggs, as many as 5 a day if the weather and the surroundings are right. The eggs are usually very tiny and light-colored. You may easily miss them if you are not looking for them but once you know what they look like, they are easy to find.
Another way to know if your home is experiencing an infestation of bed bugs is from their droppings. They are usually liquid and dark-colored and may soak into the surface where they drop or go solid when dry.
Don’t panic, though. This buying guide will NOT only inform you on how to know if you have an infestation of these pests in your home but also how to get rid of them and which bed bug poison to use.
Types of bed bug infestation treatment
Heat treatment
Due to the fact that bed bugs are very wily and hide in cracks and crevices, coming out only at night, it is sometimes difficult to reach them. However, when you use a heat box and place items which you suspect have bed bugs in them inside the box, it would be easier to kill them.
The prescribed heat with which to achieve such a purpose is between 117-120 degrees Fahrenheit. This would ensure that the walls of the heat box are adequately hot so as to penetrate through all the items.
This method is expensive, though. It could cost as much as $700 to get this done.
Bug-detecting canines
There are special canines trained to detect bugs, bed bugs inclusive. But to hire them is also expensive and there is no guarantee that they would pick out all the bugs in one try.
Spray treatment
Using sprays can be effective in eliminating bed bugs. The chemicals of the spray would get to the bugs wherever they are, without having to wait for them to come out. The downside is that sprays are chemicals and can be highly toxic. They cannot be touted as safe.

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Steam treatment
This is about the same as using heat. You may not be able to do this on your own and may have to hire a professional. It would take time and money, as much as $500 or more.
Powder treatment
This is the use of non-toxic powder or dust to eliminate bed bugs. It is one of the easiest, safest, cheapest and could be said to be the best way to get rid of bed bugs. It is the most commonly used method these days and has been proven to work well.
What to consider before choosing a bed bug powder
The most used material for making them is the naturally-occurring, non-toxic diatomaceous earth dust, formed from diatoms which have existed for hundreds of millions of years.
However, you cannot just assume that all bed bug powders are made exclusively from this earth dust so here are some of the factors to look out for when making a choice:
- Level of toxicity: Most of the available bed bug powders are not toxic for both human beings and animals but are highly poisonous to the bugs. You would do well to read the labels on the containers before you buy. And if you have children, especially toddlers, you have to be doubly sure
- Affordability: Depending on the level of infestation of the bugs in your home, you may need to buy several containers before you can effectively get rid of all of them. But it is usually not an expensive per container, sometimes going for as low as $10
- Effectiveness: How well would it work? Some powders work faster than others, covering a wider range of infested areas
- Durability: The good thing about using powder is the fact that it is residual. This means that you don’t have to reapply every time. Diatomaceous earth powder has the ability to last for as long as it remains dry. You can pour a line of it and it would keep killing bugs for as long as you don’t sweep it off or allow them to get wet
How to use bed bug powder
The first step to effective bed bug eradication using powder treatment is to be sure of where they nest or lay eggs. If you are not sure of particular locations but have suspicions, then that would work too.
Do a thorough cleaning of the house and wash all the sheets and clothes you can with hot water and dry with a hot dryer. If you can, scrub the rugs and wipe down the woodwork of your house with hot water.
When all these are done and have dried, put on gloves and a face mask. The bed bug powder can be quite dusty because of its fine nature. Then, begin to sprinkle the bed bug dust into crack and openings around the house. Sprinkle between the seams of mattresses and under bed sheets. Don’t overlook any tiny crack, especially when you aren’t sure of places they could be hiding.
Make sure that the powder is spread evenly and thinly around the house. Don’t dump it in heaps because it may scare the bugs away. You may need to do this several times over a few weeks, depending on the level of infestation.
It is important to note that the lists in this buying guide are not all-inclusive. People may come up with varying home remedies to get rid of bed bugs but if you stick with the information you have above, it would become less burdensome having to choose the best bed bug powder.
To further ease the work for you, let us have a look at eight-bed bug powders that have proven to be effective.