Latest Trends In Bed Bug Products

by | Mar 28, 2016 | Bed Bug Treatment

bed bug nyc

bed bug under a microscopeLatest trends in bed bug products. Responding to the resurgence in bed bug infestations, bed bug products claiming to get rid of the blood-sucking pests have flooded the market. But consumers should be wary of this trend toward off-the-shelf “solutions.”

Two other trends also must be considered: 1) bed bugs are developing resistance to chemicals designed to kill them, and 2) government regulations have stiffened regarding what pesticides are available on the open market. Chances are that any pesticide bed bug products you can buy in a store aren’t going to work.

Specialists in bed beg removal will know what pesticides are still working and, unlike consumers, they’ll have access to those products.

According to the University of California’s statewide Integrated Pest Management program,

“The most effective bed bug pesticides are available to commercial pesticide applicators only. Professionals also have the equipment and expertise that allow a more effective application of insecticides than residents could do themselves. In addition, professionals have the training to detect and isolate infestations, which often allows for more effective control. “

So when it comes to bed bugs, do-it-yourselfers would be wise to recognize their limitations. Much time, money, and frustration can be saved by hiring bed bug removal professionals and taking their recommendations on which bed bug products should be used.

Nonetheless, there are several increasingly popular and worthwhile bed bug products on the market that consumers can put to use themselves.

Latest trends in bed bug products:

ActiveGuard mattress liners. Unlike traditional mattress protectors, ActiveGuard liners not only trap bed bugs, they kill them using Permethrin, which is contained in the liner but can’t escape into the air. These liners are thin, odorless, and safe.

packtite bed bug removal productPackTite portable heating units. After traveling—where your clothes and luggage could easily come into contact with bed bugs—you can place your packed luggage in the heating unit, which heats the contents to a temperature that kills any bed bugs, without damaging or disrupting the contents. These heating units can also be used to heat-treat items that can’t or shouldn’t be dried in a clothes dryer (e.g., sleeping bags, heavy bedding, dry-clean only clothes).

ClimbUp Insect Interceptors. These plastic cups are specially treated with a thin talc layer, which makes them too slick for bed bugs to crawl on. By placing these cups under the legs of beds and other furniture, bed bugs trying to crawl up will be trapped, as will bed bugs trying to leave.

Best Bed Bug Products for Professionals: Pesticides

Professional bed bug exterminators rely on chemical-based pesticides as their primary product. These have been proven to kill the bed bugs on contact. Despite fears otherwise, these pesticides do not have a negative residual effect or cause harm to healthy adults that come near treated areas. Such chemical treatments might want to be avoided where small children and pets are concerned.

Best Non-Chemical Bed Bug Products: Numerous Products

  • Vacuums: Vacuums can physically remove as many bed bugs from an area as can be sucked up. It is just as important to check the vacuum after disposal and find a secure place to put the vacuum bags, such as sealing them in trash bags and placing these outside of the property and as far away from the structure as possible.
  • Steam:  Steam is another very effective product for treating a wide array of items, including beds, curtains, and furniture. Steam machines are available for purchase or rent.
  • Mattress and Box Spring Liners/Encasements: A mattress liner or encasement, such as the economical Active Guard Mattress Liner, can seal in bed bugs and eggs and work to protect an area from future infestations. Those bugs trapped inside the encasement will eventually die and those trying to get to the mattress will not be able to breach the liner material and, thus, cannot embed themselves. The liners or encasements must be installed correctly, of course.
  • Heating Unit: A heating unit like the one from PackTite works well for shoes, clothing, and small bags so that you can get rid of bed bugs without resorting to throwing these items away.

Travel Bed Bug Products to Tote

A great portable devices is a bed bug monitor or trap as these can help you take your bed bug identification and protection on the road with you. In particular, the Climbup Insect Interceptor is a bed bug monitor that is easy to use, inexpensive, and actually works on current infestations and particularly if you have faced bed bugs before. Then, there is the highly accurate NightWatch Bed Bug Monitor, which emits CO2, heat, and a pheromone scent to lure bed bugs.

You can also pre-treat suitcases with Permethrin spray and use inexpensive Ziploc bags to protect clothing and other packed items.

Laundry Solution: Dissolvable Laundry Bags

From GreenClean comes a natural solution for getting potential bed bug-ridden clothes to the washer without spreading the infestation further. While on the road, just put your dirty clothes in and the laundry bag that then dissolves in the wash.

In Review
Here are the main points from this blog post on best bed bug products:

  • There are best bed bug products for various applications, including professional use, non-chemical, travel and laundry.
  • It may be that you will need a combination of products as some work for extermination and some are better for proactive prevention of bed bugs.
  • Be sure to weigh your need, degree of infestation, and budget when you select a product.

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