Why DIY Bed Bug Treatments Fail

Serving Atlanta Metro | Columbus | Augusta | Savannah


Learn why DIY bed bug treatments do not cut it when it comes to exterminating bed bugs Active Pest Control

Over the past two decades, we have heard quite a few stories of DIY bed bug treatments failing to get rid of these pests. When folks ask us why there are two answers we can give. One is simple. One is not so simple. The simple answer can be described best through this illustration: Imagine you are on a mat with a black belt in karate and you are told to attack with a rubber knife. What will the result of this attack be? If you guessed that in a matter of seconds you would be laying on the mat with no rubber knife in your hand, you would be right. Why? Because you are going against an expert who is trained to defend against a knife. It doesn’t matter how you stab the knife, there is a counter move. This is why bed bugs are so hard to get rid of. They have defensive traits and behavior patterns that allow them to avoid extermination. It doesn’t matter what you try to do. If your pest control method is incomplete, these bugs will slip through your fingers and hide in your walls until it is safe to feed on you again.

Bed Bug Interceptors

You may learn on the internet that there are ways to intercept bed bugs before they get up onto your bed to feed on you. The most common interceptor is a plastic dish that goes under the legs of your bed. This dish is filled with various materials and liquids to stop bed bugs in their tracks. Obviously, this will not be effective if you have bed bugs in your mattress, box spring, or bed frame. And, this method assumes that bed bugs only feed on us when we are in bed sleeping. This is actually not the case. While a professional may use this method, they often use it in conjunction with a full protocol of measures.

Bed Bug Traps

There are many traps that do the same thing as bed bug interceptors. The goal of traps is to do more than intercept. They are designed to lure bed bugs in. Some take into consideration that bed bugs are drawn to carbon dioxide and promise to lure all those bugs in. This is simply not true. Only a portion of a bed bug infestation ventures out to feed at one time. If they don’t return, the others will act defensively, often retreating deep into walls until the threat has passed.

Treating Bed Bugs With Heat and Insecticides

These are the two most powerful methods for eradicating bed bugs but, when done wrong, they can lead to the destruction of personal items, serious injury, and death. But, on top of being dangerous, they are hardly ever successful at stopping bed bug infestations because they are implemented wrong. There are steps and protocols established by industry experts that guide pest professionals to locate, corral, and exterminate bed bugs through the use of heat, or insecticides, or both. When done right, there is no loss of property and no harm to living creatures.

Bed bugs are black belts in self-defense. They’ve been evading our attempts to kill them since the dawn of time. If you have an infestation in your home, reach out to Active Pest Control for an effective solution to your bed bug problem.

Back to Bed Bug Exterminators, Control & Removal

Why DIY Bed Bug Treatments Fail in Georgia

Serving Your Pest Needs for Over 35 Years Across Georgia

McDonough | Conyers | Lawrenceville | Alpharetta | Marietta | Columbus

Newnan | Locust Grove | Rome | Atlanta | Brunswick | Byron | Augusta | Savannah