the first step to exterminate your bedbug infestation is to acknowlege and identify that you have a very serious problem-
DIY Bedbug De-infestation Tips:
- maintain bedbug proof living/sleeping quarters:
-sealed mattress covers- vinyl costs lest, but is noisier; cotton works as well
- "the vaseline perimiter" apply peroleum jelly moat around sleeping area, coat bed legs (or use tape, sticky side out)
-eliminate bedbug habitat- patch walls, use spackle, caulk, joint compound, paint, expandable foam to seal off all cracks & gaps
-purchase generous quantities of the available to public, industry standard, emulsion and residual abatement chemicals; permethrin (Pemicide P-1,) pyrethrin (Intruder HPX,) deltamethrin (D-Force HPX,) and correct applicator tips specifically manufactured for various infestation circumstances, available at Broadway Exterminating Co. 782 Amsterdam Ave. New York, N.Y. call them (212-961-1490) for prices and travel directions.
- know bedbug biology & behavior
- such as breeding every two weeks, are impervious to temperature fluctuation; adults can live a year without feeding, newborn for several months, are attracted to carbon monoxide exhalations, and have a GPS system which allows them to crawl across your ceiling and drop down! males violently perforate the female abdomen to procreate, frequently resulting in death. Bedbugs prefer their meals between 2-6am (just before dawn.) upon biting, (painless to humans) they release an anti-coagulant chemical into victims blood, to facilitate ingestion, causing an allergic reaction/stinging sensation that leads to itching.
-practice basic cleanliness
-do laundry often
-keep a clamp light or flashlight bedside so as to investigate area immediately in case of being bit
Hemiptera: Cimicidae
- stay on top of the problem
s-act responsibly: don't spread your infestation by casual contact, such as sharing your bed with unwitting or even apathetic sleeping partners (unless of course they are also not dealing with being infested.) remember, infestation is like a sexually transmited disease. disclose the reality to those threatened proximity.
-understand that some people don't take their infestation seriously, they will accept being bitten as inevitable, not taking necessary measures to allieviate their plight.
-be familiar with your local exterminator
Termite Control, 441 East 12th Street, New York, N.Y 212-242-5008
-speak out!
-organize collectively within home and community
-identify with being bedbug positive (bb+)
-join online support groups
-host a skillshare