Bed bug infestations in Europe have increased significantly since the 1990s. In this article, we explain how you can fight bed bugs.

If you travel a lot, then bed bugs are not a rare souvenir. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) hide in suitcases or clothes. A pregnant female can lay up to 300 eggs. Once the parasites are in the apartment, it is not so easy to get rid of them. Bed bugs can only be fought with a lot of effort and care.

Why do bed bugs breed so rapidly?

Researchers have found that common insecticides are no longer effective against bed bugs because the parasites have developed resistance to the chemicals over time. Especially imported strains from Australia and the United States are considered to be particularly resistant. They defy all pesticides and if only a few animals survive, then the pest controller’s work has already been completely in vain.

Ultimately, the aim of fighting is always to kill all animals. However, this is also very difficult because the bed bugs live in their hiding places during the day and are usually not even noticed by humans. Only when it gets dark do the nocturnal animals crawl out of their countless hiding places and go in search of a blood meal. The parasites can travel several meters in search of a host or human body.

Are bed bug bites dangerous?

Bed bugs pierce the skin with two small tubes to suck blood. Through one channel they inject the host with an anesthetic and anticoagulant substance, through the other they suck blood for about 10-20 minutes. Normally, the bites are completely harmless and painless. However, the stings of the blood-sucking parasites can cause allergic reactions in some people, causing redness and itchy hives. Even if the danger is very low: theoretically, bed bugs can also transmit diseases such as hepatitis B. However, the virus can enter the body mechanically. For example, when the landlord scratches the bug’s legacy into the bite wound.

Get rid of bed bugs in 5 easy steps

These step-by-step instructions can help you banish annoying bed bugs from your living space for good. Proceed as follows:

Step 1: Clear Out

First, the affected room should be emptied as well as possible. Loosen the bed frame, loosen if necessary. also, the outlet covers and wall moldings and removes the clothes from the closets. In the evening, if possible, locate the hiding places of the parasites. You can usually find them in cracks, crevices, holes, and cavities.

Step 2: Thoroughly vacuum and steam dry

Vacuum everything thoroughly and take your time. Go into every crack and crevice, no matter how small, with the vacuum cleaner and suck it through thoroughly. We then recommend cleaning with a steam cleaner. Hot steam kills bed bugs and their eggs. Use it to clean your mattresses, carpets, and cupboards in particular. If you don’t have a steam cleaner, you can rent one from a hardware store for a small fee.

Step 3: Do the laundry

Wash your clothes in the washing machine at 60°. Textiles that cannot be washed at 60° are simply packed in a large garbage bag and lay them out on the balcony in the sun for a few hours. Of course, this only works in summer, since the temperature in the plastic bag should be at least 50° so that the bed bugs can be killed.

Step 4: Apply kieselguhr

Diatomaceous earth is a powdery, white powder composed mainly of silicon dioxide. It helps very well against bed bugs and also against mites. It is harmless to humans and animals. However, you should wear a protective mask when applying so as not to burden the respiratory tract. Distribute the Kiselgur in all cracks and crevices, i.e. everywhere where bed bugs could hide. Kieselguhr injures the parasite’s shell and causes mechanical dehydration of the bed bugs. You can buy kieselguhr at the local market or order it online.

Step 5: Use bed bug spray

After the areas to be treated have been thoroughly cleaned, it is advisable to use a good bed bug spray and spray the room well with it and then air it out thoroughly.