There are almost no pests in the world that can cause more annoyance and aggravation than the bed bug. They are tiny, flat, red or brown insects that tend to create large nests in bedding and surrounding areas. They survive by feasting on the blood of the occupants of the bed they live in. Not only does this present a sanitary issue for the people who they are feeding on, it also leads to red welts and severe itching on the skin of the affected people.

Over the past century, they were thought to no longer be a problem in most of the United States. But they have re-surged in numbers over the past few years, due in part to the banning of several powerful but dangerous pesticides that are thought to have reduced their numbers in the past. Not only are they no longer subject to these pesticides, but they also are thought to have taken advantage of the increase in international travel that has occurred over the past few decades. Despite where they come from or how numerous they are in the country, whenever they infest your home, there is only one thing on your mind, and that is how to get rid of bed bugs.

The first thing that you should do is to remove all the affected bedding as quickly as possible. Said bedding, including sheets, bedspreads, comforters and pillowcases should then be washed in extremely hot water for no less than thirty minutes, after which time it should be dried on a high heat setting for up to an hour. This will kill and remove all the bugs that have attached themselves to the bedding. After this is done you should take great care in cleaning the bed and surrounding areas, including the bed frame, making sure to vacuum any nooks or crannies where the bugs might be hiding. Once the bed has been cleaned, the next step is to apply the proper insecticides to kill any bugs that might still be hiding in the mattress, box spring or those that might have escaped the earlier cleaning efforts.

Some pesticides that are effective against other household pests will not work against bed bugs due to their natural resistance, so care must be taken to ensure that the products being used are approved for use against this particular menace. Once you have completed all these tasks, you will have answered the question of how to get rid of bed bugs, and will have restored your peace of mind and your ability to have a restful night's sleep without having to wake up to bites and welts.