They’re just little bugs, right? How bad can they be? If you’ve found a bed bug infestation in your home and you’re thinking about doing a quick DIY extermination, professional bed bug exterminators are shaking their heads with eyes wide open. They might be little bugs and the red, itchy bumps might not be so bad right now, but taking the job on yourself could have significant repercussions. Read on to learn why DIY bed bug treatment is a bad idea and then call Northwest K9 Bed Bug Detective.
Bad Idea #1: Move
If a landlord hasn’t responded to your service requests and you’re tired of waiting to finally be rid of your bed bug problem, the only people who benefit from this is the landlord who doesn’t have to pay for extermination and pest control companies because you’re spreading the infestation to a new residence. Because bed bugs are so adept at hiding in small spaces, it’s more than likely that they will move with you wherever you go.
Bad Idea #2: Ignore The Problem
This is a bad idea for many people involved. Not only does ignoring the problem cause the infestation to become worse in your home, if you live in an apartment it could spread to other apartments in your complex. Landlords are also at risk when they try to push aside the problem. They can face significant fines and possibly even jail time for not properly following extermination processes.
Bad Idea #3: Heat Treatment
DIY home heat treatment to exterminate bed bugs is one of the worst of bad ideas. Whatever method you were thinking of using – camp stove, blow dryer, propane heater, heat gun, stove, or space heater – all could cause severe damage to your home and residents. Quickly glance through the news and you’ll find examples of homeowners who tried to go the DIY route and instead of removing the bed bugs, set their homes on fire! It is best to contact the professionals in this situation.
Bad Idea #4: DIY Poison
It’s a piece of cake to purchase a bottle of insecticide or pesticide in order to attempt DIY extermination, but these products can also be dangerous as well as ineffective unless used by a professional. Those who have tried this method have not correctly followed the recommended amount of pesticide, used the incorrect product, used exterior pesticide on an interior surface, or the product came into contact with a person’s skin. To show the seriousness of using DIY poison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory concerning the use of pesticides for bed bug treatment.
Before you begin your DIY treatment, consider the complications that could occur. Even a small bed bug infestation needs to be treated thoroughly and effectively and should only be handled by professionals. If you’re in need of bed bug removal, contact Northwest K9 Bed Bug Detective who has experience with tried and true methods for bed bug extermination. We will do an inspection of your home and maybe even bring in our bed bug sniffing dog to find every little bug. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a consultation.