Types of pest control methods for bed bugs – What are they and how do I choose them?

It is no surprise that Toronto has been ranked number one on the list of cities that are worst for bed bug infestations in Canada for the second year in a row in 2022. No wonder we are getting an increasing number of calls for bed bug extermination, every day, from affected clients from all parts and strata of the city of Toronto.

Bud bugs are not only responsible for physical trauma, but also for triggering mental traumas. Apart from getting rid of bed bugs, a sizable portion of my job includes educating, empathizing and calming the anxieties of our clients in the context of bed bugs.

After dealing with hundreds of clients, I have observed that most people are unaware of the types of bed bug extermination solutions available in Toronto.

That is why I wrote this article which lists the types of bed bug pest control i.e. extermination methods available to you in Toronto. I also provide you with detailed information of each type and compare them, so that you can make an informed decision on what suits you the best.

What are bedbugs?

Bed bugs are small reddish-brown insects that feed on human blood and are comparable to apple seeds in their appearance. They are about 1 to 5mm in size and have flat circular body with horizontal groves on their backs. Bed bugs lay tiny white elongated oval shaped eggs that are generally clustered together.

What are the causes of bed bug infestation?

• Bed bugs are sneaky and can get transported into your home by hitch hiking onto your handbags, travel luggage, clothing etc. from infested places you may have visited.
• They can get-in through infested furniture and furnishings that you may have brought into your home.
• Bed bugs can crawl into your home from infested neighbours.
• They can also hitch hike onto you from public transport, movie halls, restaurant seats, hotel beds or Uber seats.

Types of pest control methods for bed bugs.

We can broadly classify professional bed bug treatments available in four broad categories:

1. Pesticide spray treatment to get rid of bed bugs
2. Heat treatment.
3. No-chemical (biological/natural) pest control treatment.
4. Powder dusting treatment.

Table of comparison between different types of pest control methods for bed bugs.

I have made a comprehensive comparison of various factors of available treatments for bed bugs. This will help you decide what type of bed bug treatment suits you better. The factors are as mentioned below.

• Effectiveness of the treatment
• Time required to show results
• Residual effect of pesticide
• Chemical pesticides used or not used.
• Do residents have to prepare their home before treatment or not.
• Do residents have to leave premises or not
• Is the treatment advisable or not not advisable for residents with conditions such as pregnancy, babies, immuno-deficiency and old age.
• How much does a professional bed bug treatment extermination cost in Toronto GTA Canada? I have provided a price comparison of bed bug pest control in Toronto GTA Canada in the table below considering a standard 3-bedroom housing unit.

1) Spray treatment method to get rid of bed bugs

This is the most popular treatment and majority of the services that we perform are done using this procedure. It is effective, affordable and shows great results in comparatively less time. It is effective on all levels of bed bug infestations, be it low, medium or high. We have had tremendous success in exterminating bed bugs with this treatment process.

Few days before the treatment, we provide a detailed list of instructions on how to prepare your house in order to receive a comprehensive treatment. For example, heat drying all fabrics in the house, moving concerned furniture, re-entry time etc.

The actual process of bed bug extermination involves 3 steps.

In the first step we vacuum all areas where we find clusters of bed bugs and their eggs. This helps in reducing the infestation instantly and restricting growth due to hatching of eggs.

The second step involves a thorough steaming of all seams, cracks and crevices of mattresses, beds, couches, head boards, baseboards etc. Bed bugs are extremely heat sensitive and die at temperatures more than 60 degree Celsius. Steam can also destroy the eggs of bed bugs. It reaches deep inside cracks and openings where pesticide spray cannot reach and kills the bugs and their eggs.

Here, I want to answer a very common question that arises in people’s minds.

What do professional exterminators use to kill bed bugs or treat infestation?

To kill bed bugs and get rid of bed bug infestation, professional exterminators in Canada use pesticides containing active ingredients as listed below:

• Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids
• Imidacloprid
• Beta-cyfluthrin

Products containing these active ingredients are in the restricted category and are only available to licensed pest control technicians and operators for purchase and application in Canada.

After steaming, we apply a residual pesticide to all cracks, crevices and infested areas using a sprayer tank. The pesticide that we primarily use for bed bug treatment is ‘Temprid SC’. It has 2 active ingredients which work as double whammy on the bed bugs. Also, Temprid SC is labelled to kill all life stages of bed bugs i.e., eggs, nymphs and adults hence it gives excellent results.

Four weeks after this treatment, we call our customers and take a review of the situation. If any bed bugs are still active, we repeat the pesticide spray treatment using a different pesticide. Changing the pesticide is necessary to destroy the bugs that may be immune to ingredients of Temprid Sc.

The other pesticide that we use is ‘Demand Cs’, which also has 2 active ingredients but these are different from those in Temprid Sc. Also, Demand Cs has extremely long residual effect, this kills any existing bugs and protects from any new infestation for several months. Both these pesticides are odorless and have not stained any surfaces in my experience.

How many times does an exterminator have to spray for bed bugs?

Exterminators have to spray about 2 or 3 times till they completely get rid of the bed bugs and the infestation from your home.

Using the techniques and procedures that we provide, bed bugs get eliminated right after the first treatment. Only in about 5% cases did we have to repeat the spray treatment.

Spray and steam treatment for bed bug extermination is not recommended for residents who are:

1. Pregnant
2. Have a baby
3. Immuno-compromised
4. Allergic to pesticides.
5. Not able to prepare their residence before the treatment as per instructions.

Pros: Very effective, affordable, relief in comparably less time, long time residual effect.

Cons: Requires preparation by residents, requires residents to be away for 4 to 6 hours, Chemical pesticides are used.

2) Heat Treatment method for bed bug extermination

How does heat treatment for bed bugs work?

Bed bugs and its eggs are heat sensitive and die instantly if they are exposed to a temperature of 50°C (122°F). The heat treatment process is designed around this biological fact about the bedbugs.

During the treatment we raise the air temperature inside each infested room to about 60°C (140°F). We use a propane fueled heater to generate heat in the rooms. Heat-mover fans are used to strategically focus heat in certain spots or to evenly circulate hot air in the room, while constantly monitoring the temperatures. We dedicate about 60 to 90 minutes to each room depending on the size of the room and amount of furniture inside it.

When you book a heat treatment with us, we provide you with a detailed list of instructions on how to prepare your home for receiving the heat treatment. You will have to carefully remove all heat sensitive items and electronics from your house as the heat could affect them. On the day of the treatment all humans and pets will have to be away for the duration of the treatment and at-least 2 hours after it is complete.

What is the most effective professional bed bug extermination treatment available?

Heat treatment is the most effective bed bug treatment that gets rid of bed bugs in 1-day, without the use of any kind of pesticides.

So why doesn’t everyone choose a heat treatment?

The primary reason is that it is very expensive. I have made a comprehensive price comparison in the table above. It is also very important to choose a trusted company as there are risks of property damage and unsuccessful extermination due to careless execution or inexperienced professionals.

I personally recommend using heat treatment if you can afford the price because it will give you relief from bed bugs, effectively and instantly, in 1 day, without the use of any pesticides.

Spray and steam treatment for bed bug extermination is highly advisable for residents who are:

1. Pregnant
2. Have a baby
3. Immuno-compromised
4. allergic to pesticides.
5. Ready to prepare their residence before the treatment as per instructions.

Pros: Very effective, relief in 1 day, no use of pesticides

Cons: Expensive, requires thorough preparation, requires resident to be away for almost 8 hours, risk of damage to property.

3) No-chemical (Biological/natural) Pest Control Treatment method for bed bugs

There have been several natural remedies available in the markets to get rid of bed bugs for decades now. But they have proven to be mild or completely ineffective.

In 2011, research in Penn State University’s Department of Entomology led to formulation of a biopesticide that was stable and effective. This biopesticide is called ‘Aprehend’ and it is the best and most effective, no-chemical, natural pesticide available in the market right now.

Aprehend treatment does not require extensive preparations before the procedure. Simply decluttering the room is enough. The residents are not required to leave their homes during or after the treatment.

In this natural pest control for bed bugs, we spray a narrow band of Aprehend formulation along the perimeter of mattresses, beds, baseboards, couches etc. When a bed bug crawls over this band of biopesticide, it gets infected by a fungus that grows into their exoskeleton and kills them.

Also, when they go back to their nest, they carry the fungus to their nest and infect others. This destroys all the bugs in the nest. The residual value of this natural pesticide is 90 days, which is enough to get rid of the complete infestation.

The cost of this treatment is fairly high, but not as high as heat treatment. You can see a comprehensive comparison in the table above.

I advice this No-chemical (Biological/natural) Pest Control Treatment to clients who are:

1. pregnant
2. have a baby
3. sensitive to chemical pesticides
4. senior citizens

Pros: Very effective, no use of pesticides, preparation not required, residents do not have to leave the premises.

Cons: Expensive, takes at-least 2 weeks to show results.

4) Powder dusting treatment method

This treatment works for clients having very low infestation. You neither have to do preparation before this treatment nor do you have to leave your residence.

We will dust a powder called ‘Drione’ in all the cracks and crevices of your beds, baseboards, furniture etc. and along the seams of the mattresses and couches. When the bugs come in contact with this dust, the micro crystals in the powder crack-open the exoskeleton of the bugs and dehydrates them resulting in their death. The powder dusting treatment requires one to two weeks to show good results.

The price of this treatment is very low but you may require 2 or even 3 treatments in intervals of 30 days to get rid of a bed bug infestation.

Powder dusting treatment to get rid of bed bugs is advisable to clients who are:

1. On tight budget
2. Not pregnant
3. Do not have a baby
4. not sensitive to chemical pesticides

Pros: Economical, no preparation required, residents do not have to leave the premises

Cons: Mildly effective, requires 2 to 3 weeks to show results, may require repeating the treatment.

Conclusion:

I have tried to give you detailed information on the types of pest control methods available, so that you can be better equipped to make informed decisions in choosing the right pest control solution for getting rid of your bed bug infestation.

If you have any queries you can contact us via text or call us on 437-985-5552

All recommendations are my personal opinions. You should consult a qualified medical doctor before deciding what treatment suits you best.

This list is not exhaustive. Different companies may use different processes for bed bug extermination. Also, it does not mean that other treatments are wrong or ineffective.

The bed bug control processes and the pesticides that I have listed above, are developed as per our experimentation and experience. These have proven to be extremely successful for us. The pesticides mentioned above are in the restricted category in Canada and are only available to licensed pest control technicians and operators for purchase and application.