Bedbugs were a problem for centuries until WWII, when the now-banned pesticide DDT eradicated them from countries such as the U.S. Because of pesticide management changes and the increase of international travel, bedbugs are on the rise, particularly in areas of high turnover, such as dorms, apartments and hotels. Professional help, along with strict housekeeping efforts, are required to treat these active nighttime insects to keep them at bay.
Professional Extermination
Professional exterminators use a combination of pesticides and non-chemical devices to either steam, heat or freeze bedbugs to death. Treatment usually occurs at least three times a week and twice a month until eradicated. Unfortunately, Virginia Tech Urban Pest Management Associate Professor Dr. Dinah Miller notes that this patience and persistence are required together with stringent housekeeping and sanitation measures from all parties involved.
Housekeeping Efforts
Bedbugs are excellent at hiding and can live for months without eating, according to Beyond Pest Control's website, which makes them hard to tackle without a combination of housekeeping efforts and a professional exterminator. Tenants should work to regularly vacuum cracks and crevices within their reach to remove as many bedbugs as possible from an area. Hot water washing and hot air drying can also kill bedbugs and their eggs, as can placing items such as linens and cushions in a car parked in the hot summer sun for the day. Because bedbugs are also vulnerable to cold temperatures, the Mayo Clinic.com recommends leaving items outdoors or in the freezer below 32 degrees for several days. In some cases, it may be easier to throw away heavily infested items such as mattresses or couches.
Traditional Extermination Challenges
Bedbug treatment is particularly exasperating because no pesticide or method works 100 percent of the time, according to Miller. In fact, even expensive fumigation treatments only work with limited success. Insect repellents also fail when it comes to bedbugs.
Treating Bites
A bedbug bite is usually red and itchy, according to the Mayo Clinic, and can resemble a mosquito bite or even a rash. Without any bite treatment, these marks usually disappear within a week or so. Over-the-counter antihistamines with diphenhydramine, sold under the brand name Benadryl, and creams with hydrocortisone, can provide itch relief.
Precautions
Because bedbugs don't burrow under clothing, sleeping with pajamas that cover a lot of skin may help avoid bites. The MayoClinic.com points to evidence suggesting that mosquito netting with the pesticide permethrin on them may also offer nighttime protection. Secondhand items such as mattresses or upholstered furniture should be carefully inspected before purchase. When staying at a hotel, precautions should include mattress seam inspection and efforts to keep luggage off the floor to avoid bringing bedbugs home.
