The mere mention of bed bugs is often enough to make your skin crawl! Nobody relishes the thought of these tiny beasts sharing their bed! Although they are not necessarily harmful in terms of spreading disease, they have an uncanny knack for infesting homes and causing stress and discomfort. Bed bugs are a more common problem than you might think, with a staggering 1 in 5 American homes experiencing an infestation at least once! However, despite this prevalence, many homeowners have no idea what to do when they find themselves in need of bed bug treatment in Knoxville! This often leads to them making the wrong choices, potentially worsening the problem!

Let's take a look at a few of the things you should not do if you find yourself in need of bed bug treatment in Knoxville.

Don't Ignore the Problem

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when dealing with bed bugs is pretending the problem doesn't exist. Ignoring the signs of an infestation, such as itchy bites or spotting the bugs themselves, will only allow the infestation to worsen over time. Bed bugs are prolific breeders, so swift action is essential to prevent them from spreading throughout your home. If you suspect bed bugs, it is crucial that you book professional bed bug treatment in Knoxville immediately to combat the infestation before it gets out of hand.

Avoid DIY Remedies

It can be tempting to try and save a little cash by tackling a bed bug infestation on your own, but DIY remedies will almost always fall short, and you could be left with a bigger and more expensive problem than you started with. Homemade remedies such as essential oils and vinegar are nowhere near strong enough to eradicate bed bugs, and over-the-counter treatments are mostly ineffective as bed bugs have grown resistant to many pesticides. The only effective way to eliminate bed bugs is with professional bed bug treatment in Knoxville. At Otis Pest Control, we use thermal heat treatment, which kills not only the live bed bugs but also their eggs!

Moving to a New Home Won't Help!

There is a common misconception that if your home or apartment has a bed bug infestation, you must move out and live elsewhere. However, there are better solutions than this. Bed bugs are well known for being excellent hitchhikers, and they will travel with you to your new place in your bedding, furniture, and clothing! That's the primary way bed bug infestations occur - being brought home from hotels or other locations with bed bugs! Unless your belongings have undergone bed bug treatment in Knoxville, moving house is just going to result in a new infestation at your new accommodation.

Don't Throw Away Infested Furniture

It may seem like a logical step to get rid of any furniture that has a bed bug infestation, but we do not necessarily recommend this course of action. Bedbugs are not confined to furniture, so even if you get rid of your bed or sofa, they could still be holed up in wallpaper, luggage, or clothing. It is also expensive to replace furniture regularly. It is a much more cost-effective option to pay for bed bug treatment in Tennessee instead to rid your home of bed bugs for good! Most of your furniture and belongings can also be treated during thermal heat treatment.

Don't Neglect Laundry & Vacuuming

There is a common belief that bed bugs mean you must have a dirty home. This is certainly not the case. Bed bugs are not at all picky about where they live, and even 5-star hotels and upmarket boutiques have had their fair share of bed bug issues. However, it is worth noting that keeping your home neat and tidy can help to make sure there are fewer places for bed bugs to hide! Washing your clothing and bedding on a high heat can help to kill bed bugs and eggs lurking in them. Regular vacuuming can also remove some eggs and bugs, making the infestation a little smaller. It is important to empty the vacuum into your outside trash immediately away from your home as vacuuming will only lift the bed bugs, not kill them, so that they will be alive inside the vacuum cleaner.

In short, the only way to deal with a bed bug infestation is with professional bed bug treatment in Knoxville. It is important that you seek help immediately and that you do not ignore the problem. This type of pest infestation will never resolve itself without intervention.

Otis Termite & Pest Control is a full-service pest control company with a focus on outstanding service. We have been serving the East Tennessee area for over 56 years and our reputation is built on prompt and effective service. We’re good at what we do and we’re fast. We do the job right the first time – and that’s an actual guarantee! 

Call 865.690.1662 or visit www.otispestcontrol.net.