A bedbug infestation can happen to anyone, any place and at any time. If you have a bedbug problem, getting rid of these pests would require you to cooperate with your licensed pest control technician in order to achieve the desired effects. Hiring Perth's top-rated pest control service isn't a one-sided operation.

Here's what the cooperation will entail. In order to get rid of the infestation and keep pests out, you'll need to collaborate with your pest control specialist and follow their specific requirements so you can adequately prepare your home for a bedbug pest control treatment.

Prior to performing the bedbug treatment, Perth's pest control specialists will provide you with a list of requirements that need to be completed before your technician arrives. The success of the service depends on the prep as well as on the whole treatment. Your part as a homeowner or resident in an apartment building includes following a list of preparation steps so you can get your home ready for pest control.Let's take a look at the steps you'll need to take to properly prepare your home for a bedbug pest control treatment:

Focus on the rooms that will be treated

Go through all the areas of your home that will be professionally treated, clean up any clutter and throw away any unwanted items.

Inspect items for signs of bedbugs

Take a look at the items you have in your room and leave only those that have signs of bedbugs. Put all other things in bags or storage containers and set them aside. Leave any items you suspect are infested with bedbugs for the technician to inspect.

Remove all linens

Take all sheets, pillowcases and bedding out and put them in plastic bags so they can be washed. If you can, take out all plastic bags and containers outside, and let them sit in the sun for a few days to kill any bedbugs that are trapped inside. If that's not an option for you, make sure you pack each item properly and set them aside so they can be washed later on.

Store all personal items

Use plastic bags or containers to store all your personal items, clothes, toys and books that are lying around the house.

Empty out closets and drawers

Remove and pack everything from your closets and drawers and mark each bag, so you know which items will be washed and which will be run through the hot dryer cycle only. Things like fabric-based items, stuffed toys and clean clothes will need to be run through the hot dryer cycle for at least 15 minutes, while dirty linens, bedding, pillows, worn clothing and so on will need to be washed and dried as well.

Prepare to leave your home

Prepare your family and pets to leave your home during the treatment and a few hours after, just to be safe. Remove all pets except for fish tanks. You can cover your fish tank with a plastic wrap and turn off the pumps during the treatment to keep them safe.

Once you've completed your required preparation steps, you can leave everything up to Perth's pest control experts and come back into a bedbug-free environment where you can finally feel at home.

No matter how clean and tidy you keep your home, bedbugs can still find their way in. All bedbugs need is a means of entry, which can be almost anything including a purse, clothes, second-hand furniture and other similar items. Once they enter your home and find a food source, they can start multiplying fast, leading to a serious problem.

How to Tell If You Have Bedbugs

Since they reproduce quite rapidly, even a small problem can quickly escalate to an infestation if left untreated. To help you figure out if you’re dealing with a bedbug problem, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 telltale signs of a bedbug infestation so you can detect your problem faster and start working on a solution.

1. A distinct smell

Bedbugs leave behind a strong musky odour similar to that of a wet towel. The smell is caused due to the pheromones they release and can be noticed by smelling your linens and your mattress. Depending on the severity of the situation the smell can also take over the entire room.

2. Stains

As they moult or shed their skin, they leave behind rust-coloured stains and spots on your mattress and bedding. These can usually be found near the corners of the bed. You can also look for red, blood stains on your sheets, bedding and on your skin. These can be caused by unconsciously squishing bedbugs in your sleep.

3. White spots in joints or crevices

If you find tiny white spots in the joints or crevices of your mattress and furniture you may be looking at tiny bedbug eggs which have been laid there. Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass to do a more thorough investigation of your furniture and see if you can find more signs of bedbug activity.

4. Bite marks across your skin

If you wake up with a bite pattern all over your body, or on areas of your body that have been exposed during sleep, such as your legs, arms, neck and so on, you may be a victim of a bedbug infestation. Before you start cleaning your entire home, make sure your bite marks aren’t caused by mosquitoes, spiders or other insects and start looking for additional signs of infestation by inspecting your mattress and bedding right away.

5. Itchy, red spots

Similarly to the bite marks on your skin, you may also notice itchy, red patches which may be a reaction to the bites. While some people don’t manifest any reaction to bedbug bites, those that do often experience this symptom.

To help you avoid a possible bedbug infestation, we’ve compiled a short list of all the things you can do to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place.

1. Do a quick inspection when staying in hotels

When staying in hotels, it’s always best to conduct a quick inspection of the room, particularly the bed and mattress, to make sure there are no signs of bedbugs. Check the edges of the bed and mattress, look in the corners and the seams and continue searching throughout the rest of the room, including the carpets and the closets. Look out for reddish-brown spots and moulted bedbug skin with dark brown colour, which are some of the most common signs of bedbug activity.

2. Steam clean second-hand furniture

Remove any washable covers or pillows from the furniture and throw them in the washer. Use a high setting to get rid of all bedbugs that may be hidden in the fabric. Vacuum up the entire surface of the furniture then use a steam cleaner to kill any potential bed bugs or eggs that can be found in it. Alternatively, you can put all the cushions in a black plastic bag and place them under direct sunlight. This method can kill off bedbugs in all stages of their growth. This also goes for other items that are made from some sort of fabric such as luggage, bag packs, purses and so on.

3. Wash all second-hand before wearing them

Wash all second-hand clothes on a high setting, as soon as you bring them in your home to make sure you don’t bring bedbugs with them as well. If you can’t do the washing right away, you can store them in sealed plastic bags until you can get them washed. These last two methods are also applicable in case of an infestation, not just as a preventative method. So if you do end up having to deal with a bedbug problem, make sure you follow these two simple steps to clean your furniture, clothes and other items that are made of fabric so you can slow down the infestation and stop it from spreading.