Though bedbugs pose no disease risk, their bites can incite severe allergic reactions in some and lead to distressing household infestations. Complicating matters further, these unwelcome guests can live in houses for a year before perishing, and those facing infestations are met with the harsh reality that there's no swift solution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has some advice when it comes to tackling bed bugs, suggesting a mix of chemical and non-chemical methods.
They explain: "Treating bed bugs is complex and can take weeks to months, depending on the extent of the infestation. Your likelihood of success depends on many factors, including how many bed bugs you have, how much clutter is available for hiding places, whether your neighbours have bedbugs, and whether all residents of a house or building will participate.
"To be successful, everyone in the home will need to cooperate and do their part." As part of the process, expect to be doing plenty of vacuuming around the house, along with other steps like sealing up entry points, disposing of infested items, and possibly bringing in a professional pest control service.
While vacuuming won't completely eradicate bed bugs, it's a useful way to cut down their numbers. Make sure to thoroughly vacuum potential hideouts such as beds, dressers, carpets, and other soft furnishings. However, there's one critical error you must avoid after vacuuming – hanging onto the vacuum bag for too long.
