Answer
Jul 15, 2013 - 07:58 PM
Bedbug control is not always difficult. It is tedious. That is because basically, you have to remove the bed from the frame and do a thorough inspection of the mattress and boxspring. Nothing has to be washed, except the bedding.
Clothes and shoes can be put into trash bags or plastic tote containers.
The bottom line is that you have to find the bedbugs. That is why pest companies charge so much. They are charging for labor. And at $80 - $100 per hour, it can get expensive.
Most pest control companies do not have a standard "money back guarantee" on bed bug control. They will give you a specific treatment period and usually guarantee to retreat during that "warranty period". That's it.
My advice? Take the bedroom apart, totally dismantle it, bed, dresser drawers, furniture, closet, etc. Dust all of the wall switch plates (inside the walls) with Delta dust using a good hand duster.
Treat the mattress and box spring with Zenprox Aerosol. Use Mattress encasements after you treat them.
Next, spray the entire room, baseboards, under, inside and behind furniture, all cracks, crevices, etc, including the floor under the bed and behind the headboard with Transport Insecticide and a good hand sprayer. Be sure to spray the feet of the bed, and even the underside of the box spring. Some people prefer to use Climbup Bed Bug Traps under the feet of the bed frame to capture bed bugs before they climb up the bed frame.
After everything dries, put the room back together. You might even wait a couple days and then vacuum everything really thoroughly to pick up dead bugs.
Then, in 2-3 weeks, do another treatment with Transport Insecticide, just like before. This treatment doesn't need to be as thorough, and you don't need to do the walls again, but the baseboards, under, inside and behind the furniture needs to be treated. The mattress also needs to be removed and inspected. Wash the bed linens again.
2-3 weeks later, do it again.
This is exactly what most pest companies will do. The average cost for a pro with little or no real guarantee? $800 - $2500. The prices range all over the ballpark.
You can do it yourself for under $200, depending on how many mattress encasements you need.
The bottom line? If you can paint, clean carpet, do minor home improvements, or just want to take control of this yourself, you can do it. It's not hard.
We have a complete page on how to kill bed bugs here.
If money is no option, or you just don't want to mess with it, call a local pest company. I would recommend to use a company that is a member of the National Pest Management Association. They are the best equipped and usually won't rip you off. Hope this helps.
Ron
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