Controlling of Ongoing Bed bugs infestation

Soon as you passed the phase one clearing bed, furniture, mattresses, clothes and other from bed bugs, we must get to the most important Phase 2 of laying systematic traps and cover many hiding places as cracks and openings on walls, cupboards, closets, etc.

Bed bugs are very slim and can pass through between gaps less than 1/10 mm. Also, they prefer more to travel on horizontal surfaces and side skirtings of your walls are common places that they go and hide. Especially around the bed and living room where you usually stay. Similarly, they will hide inside any crack on the wall or window frames or similar places in your home. Now, let’s see how we can cover these spaces and/or use DIY pesticides we must contain and eliminate bed bugs that are probably hiding. 

General purpose silicone is the best recommendation for the hiding spaces like side skirting and edges of window frames. If you have a wooden laminated floor, make sure to press little more silicone at where the groves meet perpendicularly to side skirting. Else, since bed bugs are very slim, they still can pass under the micro gap made by the groove. Refer to the image above showing how the silicone barrier is preventing the bed bug reaching its typical hiding place through the side skirting of the wall. If you cannot find silicone, materials life paint filler, tiling cement or plaster of Paris are other options. In fact, you can integrate both silicone and these depending on where you want to cover. by Nalaka Daundaratne & Dhanush M

Bed bugs in Power outlets and Other Spaces

Duct tape is another material that you can creatively use to block cover hiding places and block the path of bed bugs.

The space behind power outlets close to your bed or living area are another place they love to hide in. Unscrew the electrical outlets covers of plugs and light switches and inspect of any presence of bed bugs. If you will find any, use bugs spray carefully by shutting off the main power breaker to prevent dangers caused by electricity. Another option is that using a powder duster as shown in the picture, apply diatomaceous earth inside each outlet. Make sure the surfaces are completely dry if you applied any liquid pesticide before. Remember, Nalaka Daundaratne and Dhanush do not recommend using WD40 inside any power outlet due to the associated risk of fire.

Now, place the covers back and apply any kind of a tape as duct tape or masking tape around the border of the cover. This is very important if you specially live in an apartment building as these outlets are one of the primary paths of bed bugs to love from one apartment to the other.

Now, using the powder duster or simple with hand place a thin layer of diatomaceous earth around the room touching the borders. Do it similarly on any surface as shelves of cupboards that you would suspect the presence of bed bugs or their eggs.  Refer to how to use diatomaceous earth to kill bed bugs to learn pros and cons as well as it’s effectiveness in killing bed bugs as a natural product. by Nalaka Daundaratne & Dhanush M