Bed bug infestations have a variety of causes. What is certain, however, is that poor hygiene is no reason for this. However, once the bugs have established themselves, they are almost impossible to get rid of.
In a nutshell
- Bed bugs do not transmit diseases
- Bed bugs spread quickly throughout the home
- Bed bugs can be fought with heat or cold
bed bugs
The bed bug, also known as the house bug, feeds on the blood of warm-blooded creatures. So she has specialized in living in or near the sleeping places. During the day, the nocturnal bugs, which are only a few millimeters long, hide in cracks or holes, such as in the mattress or under the edge of the carpet. The hiding places of Cimex lectularius, the scientific name of the bed bug, are diverse. In addition to the wardrobe, the animals also live in the couch, in the computer or on the back of pictures, as long as the hiding place is dark.
How they get into their own four walls is often inexplicable. So you can travel with you in your suitcase after your vacation, or be dragged in unnoticed by overnight guests. Often, however, used furniture or items of clothing are also the cause of an infestation. The infestation is difficult to recognize. As a rule, you will not find the bedbugs, but their droppings in the form of small red or black dots. Bug bites often go unnoticed or are only discovered after days. Therefore, as soon as you suspect something, you should start looking and start fighting the animals.
The bed bug's life cycle is dependent on temperature. Development stops below 13 degrees Celsius. If the temperature rises, the bugs will continue to develop. At 15 degrees Celsius, the development time is 237 days, at 28 degrees Celsius it is 34 days. If the temperature falls below nine degrees Celsius, food intake is stopped. The lifespan of adult animals also depends on the temperature. At 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, the animals live 9 to 18 months, at 34 degrees Celsius 34 days. During this time, the females lay one to twelve eggs per day. On average, a female has a total of 200 to 300 eggs.
Measures against bed bugs
In order to fight the animals, there are basically three means or measures that you can take:
- cold
- heat
- hot steam
Because only these three means kill animals and eggs. Therefore, the chosen measure depends on where the animals are hiding and where they have laid their eggs. Because not all hiding places survive this mission without being damaged. For example, treatment of electrical devices with heat or steam kills bugs and eggs, but also destroys the device.
Notice: So that house bugs do not spread throughout the apartment, you should not carry any objects or clothing from one room to the other if you suspect house bugs. Because in this way you can become a distributor of insects yourself.
storage
An alternative to heat, cold, and hot steam is to store items, especially if they are already serving as a hiding place for the bugs. Because if the packaging is correct, the bugs will starve to death after a few months and the items in the plastic bag will not be damaged. To pack, do the following:
- Place objects in one or more plastic bags or foils
- Seal plastic bags airtight and escape-proof
- store outside of the living areas (e.g. in the basement)
How long they should store the infested items varies. If in doubt, however, it is better to leave books, CDs or electrical devices longer in the packaging than shorter. Below are a few examples for guidance:
- Pictures: five months
- Books: six months
- CDs: eight months
- Computer: six months
- Vinyl records: six months
Tip: There is a special protection against house bugs for mattresses, this does not let any bugs into the mattress or out.
washing and/or drying
Washing pillows, beds and bedclothes is a proven way to combat house bugs. Because high temperatures in the washing machine kill bugs and eggs. So that the vermin and their offspring are really killed, the temperature of the selected washing program must be at least 60 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, a tumble dryer can be used. In this, the laundry should dry for at least 30 minutes at 40 to 45 degrees Celsius.
Tip: So that the bed bugs do not spread to other rooms when transporting the laundry, you should carry them to the washing machine in a bag.
Since it is often not possible to say with certainty whether house bugs have not already spread in all closets, you should wash or tumble dry all laundry that can withstand these temperatures. As a precautionary measure, it is advisable to store the laundry in plastic bags until it is washed. This reduces the risk of spread.
heat
In order to get rid of house bugs on the mattress, pillows and blankets that cannot be washed in the washing machine, they can be placed in the sun. However, this heat treatment requires a hot summer day. Because the summer sun is only effective if a temperature of more than 50 degrees can be achieved for a few hours.
If the season or the weather does not play along, the temperature can also be generated in other places, such as:
- a car parked in the sun
- an infrared cabin
- a sauna
- an empty greenhouse
steam
Steam cleaning is suitable for infested items, such as mattresses or carpets, that do not fit in the washing machine or freezer. To do this, the steam cleaner is set to at least 65 degrees Celsius. Neither bed bugs nor their eggs survive this temperature.
Source: CDC/Harvard University, Dr. Gary Alpert; dr Harold Harlan; Richard Pollack. Photo Credit: Piotr Naskrecki, Bed bug nymph, Cimex lectularius, edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
Tip: To ensure that the moisture generated during steam cleaning does not lead to mold growth, the treated objects should be dried well and the room should be well ventilated.
cold shock
Like heat, bed bugs and their eggs do not tolerate cold temperatures. Therefore, if possible, you can freeze pillows, beds and covers at minus 18 degrees for one to three days. Neither bugs nor eggs survive this temperature.
Notice: If bed bugs are in cuddly toys, you should freeze them for a week.
vacuum cleaning
Vacuuming is considered a possible alternative to steam cleaning, as the vacuum cleaner can also be used to clean cracks, edges and seams in the mattress. However, the vacuum cleaner only removes adult animals and not eggs. After vacuuming, the vacuum cleaner bag must be replaced. So that the bugs cannot spread when you dispose of the bag, put it in a well-sealed plastic bag in the garbage can in the garden.
frequently asked Questions
When is the bed bug infestation over?It is considered safe if there are no more bites for two to three months.
Do I have to dispose of my mattress if it is infested?For older mattresses, it is recommended to replace them with a new one. However, you should cover the new mattress with an appropriate protective cover. This can also help prevent an infestation.
Where can I find bed bugs?Although house bugs visit you at night, they do not have to hide in your bed. Bugs have already been found in books, papers or smartphones.
How can I prevent an infestation?There is no tried and tested means of avoiding an infestation. However, you can prevent this by washing vacation clothes immediately in hot water. You should also be careful when buying used furniture, antiques or used clothing, because eggs or adult animals can hide in them.