Bed Bug Chemicals

Many people have issues with the traditional treatments which are given by doctors-and many would say quite rightly so. The strong insecticides which are routinely prescribed can have short-term unpleasant side effects which are not dissimilar to those caused by the scabies themselves, such as itching and burning. What is more worrying though is the fact that some of them have associations with quite serious conditions.

The three most popular treatments are Permethrin, Lindane and Malathion.

When looking at how to kill scabies, Permethrin is the most widely prescribed treatment. The side effects include stinging, itching and burning. Having said this, these can be short lived and some would argue that these are minor complications if the scabies mites are being eradicated! Permethrin is made from Pyrethrum, which is a common ingredient in insecticides and some people prefer to avoid the use of it altogether as there is some speculation that it may be a carcinogen.

Lindane used to be the most widely prescribed treatment for scabies but since the FDA reported a higher incidence of seizures amongst users, it has fallen out of favor. It is banned completely in 40 countries and its' use is strictly regulated in 20 others. It has been associated with an increase in leukemia in children and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in farmers who routinely use it on cattle and grain.

The chemical Malathion, although used more for head lice, is also sometimes prescribed for scabies. There is evidence to suggest that Malathion can cause headaches, dizziness, muscle weakness and nausea and even difficulty breathing.

When used correctly, these conventional treatments will kill off the scabies. Increasingly though, many people are choosing to use natural remedies as they are often kinder on the skin and have less side effects.

One excellent home treatment for scabies is tea tree oil. If you are wondering how to kill scabies with it, there are are two things you should do. Firstly, take a warm bath into which you have added around 20 drops of tea tree oil. Soak in the bath for around 15 minutes. You can repeat this twice daily. It can also be very effective to use a cotton wool ball and put diluted tea tree oil on the areas with the worst irritation twice daily.

There are certain measures you should take to prevent reinfestation. It is advisable to wash all bed linen and towels in very hot water-indeed as hot as the fabrics will tolerate. The scabies mites can live outside the body for around 3 days, so good general hygiene is absolutely essential, as is treating all family members at the same time. It is particularly important to prevent scratching, as the mites and eggs can be trapped under the nails, making reinfestation more likely. For young children, this could mean wearing gloves and for both children and adults, keeping the nails short will help as will using a nailbrush and thoroughly cleaning the nails several times a day.

In the long run, a full blown infestation might require a professional exterminator. After all, how many is to many? Before you decide to take action, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Bed bugs can live a year without feeding on a hosts blood (usually you). An adult female can lay 200 - 500 eggs in her lifetime. It generally takes an egg 50 days to mature. So whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or hire a pro, it will take several treatments and constant observation. With that said... If the problem has not gotten to far out of control there are several ways to win the fight against bedbugs. The first 3 listed here are required no matter what you do next

1* Wash everything in site in the hottest water you can find. Begbugs start dying off at around 114 degrees F. Then use a dryer on its hottest setting. Not out on the line to air dry. Temperature is key. In hot, dry climates (Phoenix for example) it is just as effective to out your bedding and cloths in a black garbage bag and set it out in the sun for an afternoon.

2* Vacuum. Vacuum every corner, crook and cranny. Vacuum the drapes, the box springs, the furniture, etc. Vacuum like your life depended on it. Bed bugs are not dirty critters. They don't care about crumbs or old food like cockroaches. But they need vacuumed up and then take the whole vacuum cleaner outside to change bags... Vacuum again.

3* Steam Clean. Now that you have their attention, combine #1 and #2. Put hot, HOT water in the steam cleaner and go over the room again.

4* Just as effective as heat is, cold works also. Problem is that it needs to stay below freezing for 2 weeks to work.

5* Biological warfare. Prior to WWII beg bugs were all but eliminated. Around that time the government outlawed DDTs. Sense then there numbers have been rising and forced tamer chemicals and traps. There are numerous chemicals on the market but nearly all of them are not intended to touch the skin. These are best meant for non-traffic areas, box springs, drapes, etc.

6* Mattress Bags. Depending on the level of bedbug infestation, your best bet may be to discard the mattress all together. For milder cases, the chemicals from #5 can be sprinkled on and injected into the mattress before you seal it in a waterproof mattress bag. They start at about and go up depending on the size needed.

7* Diatomaceous Earth. This is the alternative to harsh chemicals. It is an all natural powder ground up from little tiny fossils of single-celled algae. They even put it in dog food as a preservative. On a microscopic level it has jagged edges that cut and kill the bedbugs as they crawl across it. Basically it is just dirt.

8* Traps and Tape. This is more for monitoring but flypaper, roach traps and the like will allow you to keep tabs on how effective your efforts have been so far. And then from any shipping supply store you can pickup double sided sticky tape to wrap around the sides of the mattress. Yet another way to trap and monitor bed bug traffic.

9* Thyme and tree leaf oil. These are a repellent more then anything else. It does not kill them. They get a whiff of it and head the other way. But remember that bed bugs can live a year without feeding so they are still reproducing.

10* Neem. Neem oil and neem extract. If you find that you have been attacked by bed bugs, this will sooth the itching and moisturize the skin. Matter of fact it is good for the skin whether you have bed bugs or not. Bonus is that it keeps the bedbugs off of you while sleeping.

There we have 7 ways to kill bed bugs and a few ways to monitor your progress in controlling bed bugs. The more you combine the above recommendations the better luck you will have before the need for an exterminator. Just a work of warning though... if you do break down and need to hire an exterminator, they will ask you to clean up anyway before they even show up. Get rid of clutter. ' ziplock ' bag all cloths, bedding, sheets, and so on. Vacuum and basically do everything mentioned above in 1 though 3.

In closing, know that before you begin, it will take weeks and months of constant cleaning, washing, monitoring, vacuuming over and over again to successfully kill the bed bugs throughout there whole life cycle. And hopefully you can catch it before it spreads through out the house. All it takes is a couple of stowaways in the laundry, luggage, sleeping bags or any fabric that you tote around.

The following 5 roach repellents might just do the trick to make your home the last place a roach wants to live:

Pepper Spray - Roaches don't like red pepper. So, if you spray surfaces in your kitchen and bath with a solution containing red pepper, the will avoid those surfaces. An easy recipe to whip up a batch of spray is to mix 2 tablespoons of Tobasco Sauce (the primary ingredients are red pepper and vinegar) with 1 quart of water. Pour it into a pump spray bottle and mist it onto surfaces. A word of caution, you will be misting pepper spray into the air. Until the mist settles, you are likely to sneeze more than a few times. Consider wearing a mask when you apply the spray.

Moth Balls - Roaches, like moths, don't like the smell of moth balls. One common remedy is to drop a couple moth balls behind the stove to keep the bugs from hanging out back there. One or two in the cabinet under the sink can be helpful as well. Moth balls are not good for humans, so don't place them near food or food prep areas.

Cedar Products - The oils in cedar wood are an effective natural deterrent for a host of bugs. There are many products available to take advantage of this fact. Look for thin cedar veneers that can be used to line drawers and cabinets, cedar balls, blocks, chips, etc to place in drawers and closets, and (of course) cedar boards and paneling to line closet walls for the ultimate protection.

Mint Oil - Mint oil is a primary ingredient in several non-toxic roach sprays. The roaches avoid it, and when coated with it, they suffocate. The sprays don't kill as fast as typical poisons, but they are safe to use in the kitchen and around pets and children. It is possible to create a spray, like the pepper spray, by diluting some Dr. Brauner's Peppermint Castile Soap in water and then applying with a spray bottle. I haven't tried it, but you might be able to create your own roach spray this way if the soap concentration is high enough.

Bay Leaves - Bay leaves are another sent that roaches avoid. You can pick up a bunch of dry bay leaves in the spice section of any grocery. Place whole leaves or small sachets of crushed leaves in closets and cabinets. This is a good option for kitchen cupboards.

With the exception of moth balls, there are no hazardous chemicals in any of these roach repellents. Give them a try, in combination with baiting, sealing, and applications of diatomaceous earth and boric acid to eliminate roaches from your home.

All the same, if you are determined to buy the most suitable spray, read on to realize how. Even though the situation in your house is getting desperate, calm yourself down. There is nothing that matters in this world than the safety of your family. You have to focus on the safety of your family when choosing the right chemicals to use. The insect killer component in spray options is permethrin, which is a harmless chemical substance. Some types do not have pesticides in them and their main component is natural oils. Their main role is killing the live pests and hindering hatching of the eggs.

As you look for these items, pay attention to the product descriptions and features. There are many details you can discover by taking a few minutes to read the label. Specifically, check if the bed bugs spray is non-flammable for extra caution as well as non-toxic to be used around your pets and family. For additional safety, look for the Environmental Protection Agency mark. A good product should have this label. It is very important to perform a thorough cleaning in your house before you can even buy the spray. This can help reveal the extent of infestations you have to deal with.

Secondly, it might reveal the generations of bed bugs you have in the house. The best sprays allow you to exterminate these insects in all stages of manifestation. You want to make sure that the item you have found is able to destroy eggs, nymphs and adult bugs. Get a very strong type if you suspect that you have been living with these parasites for a while and the number of adult ones seems very big. You can find plenty of them in the headboards, bed frames, under the mattress covers and other areas. As a result, you can only get rid of them by spraying and treating all infested garments, furniture, beddings, carpets and other stuff.

Sometimes the mattresses and covers cannot be used again and one has to order new ones as the only workable solution. All in all, focus your attention on the most appropriate sprays. There are product reviews on the internet that you can read and find out what other people who have used a given product think of it. Even though you want an effective bed bugs spray, get a cheaper type. If possible, choose water-based styles to avoid staining your expensive upholstered furniture, sofa, beddings and so on. If you need it to treat these items, choose a non-residue type because it is harmless to humans.

1. You're overwhelmed by their numbers.
While you may be able to handle pests in small numbers, it can be a different story when they number in the hundreds or more. If you find your basement or crawl space is teeming with creepy-crawlies, you probably have an extreme case that's too big to handle on your own. Ants, termites, roaches, or other mass-reproducing insects can create a situation where you need to call a professional pest control expert.

Besides the nasty experience of battling such a large pest population, here's the best reason to call in a professional exterminator: Taking on a job that's too big will end up costing you more in time, energy and money for chemicals and supplies than the cost of having a professional do it.

2. You can't get to the nest.
Some insects, such as termites, ants, and cockroaches, tend to form nests in hard-to-reach places. These nests can be in the foundation and sub-foundation, between walls, behind ceilings, under floors, inside stairs, and in other hidden areas of your home.

Sudden weather changes, such as a shift from hot to cold, or dry to wet, will often drive insects from their original nesting spot into your home as they search for more favorable conditions. This is when not taking care of a subterranean infestation can really come back to bite you. You can avoid this scenario by calling a pest control professional who has the right tools to get to get to the source before it becomes a major problem.

3. The pest infestation poses a health risk.
Infestations can range from a nuisance to a health hazard, depending on the pest in question. Rats, mice, and fleas can carry diseases. These pests can not only contaminate your food, but also threaten the health of you, your pet, or your child.

Sometimes you may face a more immediate threat, such as poisonous spiders, bees, wasps, or aggressive ants. Infestations of poisonous spiders, such as the black widow or hobo spider, should be dealt with by a pest control service. If you deal with these hazards yourself, you run the risk of serious injury if you're bitten. Having such dangerous pests around poses a risk to loved ones, especially to those with allergies to bee stings and spider bites. Call in a professional pest control service whenever a pest could threaten your health.

4. You're not sure what pest you're dealing with.
A key part of pest control is knowing exactly which insect is the culprit. Feeding and nesting behaviors can vary among species. Even different subspecies can require different strategies. Ants are one example of this; although the different types can be hard for the homeowner to distinguish, different types of ants often require different treatment plans.

Sometimes, you may not even see the pest. If you find damage but aren't sure what kind of pest has caused it, a professional should be able to figure it out and take care of the problem.

5. You're losing the fight.
If you've already attempted some do-it-yourself pest control and haven't cured the problem, it's probably time to get some help. Most of us don't have the kind of time required to fully commit to pest control; we have other obligations like a full-time job and care of the family to keep us busy. If you end up spending more than half your day or weekend dealing with a pest problem, it's probably time to let a professional deal with it.

Extermination service professionals usually offer weekly or bi-weekly checkups. This way, rather than trying to quickly fix it in one go and hope for the best, you can prevent future pest infestations from happening altogether. A good pest control provider will not only fix a current pest problem, but will take steps to prevent future pest infestations.

If you have a snake problem or want to get rid of snakes, a natural snake repellent can help with this issue. A natural alternative is better because as a whole it is going to be safer for you, your children, and your pets as well as better for the environment.

Mothballs do work as a snake repellent, but if consumed they are unsafe. A curious pet or child might try to eat or become exposed to mothball or mothball flakes. There are concerns about what mothballs could do to the quality of your soil making them a bit of a problem to use.

Sulfur works well, but certain types of sulfur and sulfur powders are not good for your plants and are generally not very good for the soil as well.

Get rid of high grass, piles of sticks, rocks a snake can hide under, and even rodents in the yard. If you take away food and shelter, a snake will move on to a better place to live.

Cat litter or very small pebbles annoy snakes. These can get lodged under their scales and make the snake very uncomfortable.

Spicy smells are also something snakes typically do not like. Take spicy sauces or peppers and mix with a bit of water and spray around the area the snakes are living in your yard. Be sure to reapply this after the rain and as long as you still notice the snakes around.

Find commercial repellents without the chemicals naphthalene and sulfur in them. The ones without tend to be more natural versions of snake repellent which are safer for people and soil.

Be smart about a snake in the yard. If you are not sure what it is and it doesn't leave, call animal control to get the snake out of your life since this is safer for you than other alternatives.

If you have a snake problem, you probably want to get rid of them. Learn how you can use some natural repellents to help you get rid of your snake problem.

You would think that a clean room, being the raison d'etre of a hotel, would merit some standards, but cleaning standards don't exist in the hospitality business. Each hotel chain has their own standards. There is no universally accepted guideline or standard when it comes to such things as permissible levels of bacteria or detergent residues, suggested time intervals for bedspread and pillow laundering or replacement, and no list of safe cleaning agents.

I am not suggesting there is no data or criteria on the subject of housekeeping in the hospitality industry, There is an interesting report written by Michael C. Sturman for the Cornel University School of Hotel Administration, funded by JohnsonDiversey Inc. a subsidiary of Johnson Wax Professional, which addresses the measuring of housekeeping performance. While this report focuses more on the efficiency of housekeeping rather than the effectiveness, it does provide a window into the way the industry thinks about cleaning and the cost of cleaning.

The CDC ( Centers for Disease Control ) publishes guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care facilities. which encompasses surface cleaning as well as bedding. There is no reason why we would hold the hotel industry up to the same standards as a hospital but there are a few constants when dealing with bedding. The need for water temperatures to exceed 70 degrees celsius, the use of chlorine bleach, required high heat drying and or pressing, the need to monitor cleaning agent residues.

While the CDC states that, " Although contaminated textiles and fabrics in health-care facilities can be a source of substantial numbers of pathogenic microorganisms, reports of health-care-associated diseases linked to contaminated fabrics are so few in number that the overall risk of disease transmission during the laundry process likely is negligible." there are no guidelines for the hotel or hospitality industry on the CDC website.

There are plenty of companies that train and certify workers as housekeepers, and other companies that certify the hotel, I have never seen any certification presented on any website or in the lobby of any hotel I have ever stayed at. Not enough hotel chains adhere or advertise that they adhere to any certification at all. It seems like hygiene is a taboo subject, the unwritten law, don't talk about how clean , talk about how soft.

The more I researched this topic, the more I realized that we, as the traveling public, look upon the Hospitality industry as just that, an industry, run by professionals to corporate standards. But in actuality, the way your room is cleaned is a more a function of how efficient, knowledgeable and conscientious the person who cleans it is and the chemicals utilized. When the odd room is inspected by management, what is the criteria, a visual inspection, a sniff of the air, swab tests ? The cleaning agents used by each hotel, are they safe, is enough used to complete the task or is too much used causing residues over the healthy limits.

I realize that it's just a hotel room, not a bio facility. That's true but, who would have thought 20 years ago that staph ( MRSA ) bacteria would transmit infection through gym towels. When you were a kid, your mom didn't ask you if the bleach residue in your underwear was causing you discomfort. Allergies were hay fever, maybe peanuts or cats, but not " chemical sensitivities ". The times, they ARE a changin'. In a study published by the University of Virginia Health System, residual rhinovirus was found on 35% of items handled by people who were asked to spend a day and night in a hotel room while they had colds.

Is it any wonder that so many protective products like anti allergy travel sheets, hand and ultra violet light sanitizers, and portable air filters are marketed towards the traveling public ? Every few weeks a new article or television news spot highlights the ongoing bedbug problems in hotels or how clean the drinking glasses are in hotel bathrooms. Why aren't these public health matters addressed by the hospitality industry or the government ? Possibly because the problem is too big, too wide spread and too hard to police.

With all the maladies and allergies and sensitivities, the bed bugs and lice, wouldn't you rather read how your room is prepared and, with what chemicals, than what junk food in the guise of a free breakfast is offered. I would want to know my room is free of germs and pests and cleaned according to researched and proven standards, If most large hotel chains train their staff then there are standards, some one buys the cleaning agents so there are names of chemicals used. Why not just make some of this info available. You know the urban myth, "you never see a baby pigeon" well here's mine, " you never know how often the bedspread is cleaned."

Today many more consumers are concerned about the use of chemicals within their homes and on their food products. The results of this concern has led to more research in natural techniques to kill pests with no chemicals. Not all natural methods are successful, but still the search continues. Using steam such as that from cleaners is a technique which avoids chemicals, and with repeated applications can help eradicate bedbugs.

Steam kills bedbugs because they have little tolerance to extremes of heat. However, the extremes are only around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This level of heat can easily be achieved by using a steam cleaner. In most cases an appliance like a steam carpet cleaner is safe to use on the mattress, but also in on almost any other surface.

The common household pest called bed bugs is a very small translucent brown insect. They prefer dark cracks and crevices and may often be found living in the seams of a mattress. They also can migrate to the carpeted walls and curtains or almost any other area within a house.

In addition, all clothing and pillows, covers etc should be removed and washed in hot water. Just treating the bed with steam may not be enough for a population of bedbugs which has spread out to other parts of the house. In that case, a steam machine can be used to spray all except surfaces with electrical wiring.Steam and wiring is rarely a good combination.

Steam cleaning all carpet surfaces can be helpful and paying particular attention to the area where the carpet meets the wall. If possible, repairing all cracks in the walls and then sealing them with fresh paint can help with in the campaign against the bedbugs. Bedbugs can take up residence almost anywhere and a house with a severe infestation may require several treatments with a steam cleaner.

When using a steam appliance to eradicate bedbugs and also should be a wide one in order to effectively kill the bugs. With a smaller nozzle a small area is heated and can give warning to the bedbugs nearby so that they scatter to another area before being killed. It is also important to use as high at temperature as possible and as is safe for the material or fabric.

Environmental illnesses send hundreds of people to their doctors or emergency rooms every spring and summer with mild to severe allergic reactions to something in their daily living environment. Let me share with you some of the most common exposures in our immediate environments that tend to bring patients in with itchy skin rashes, upper respiratory distress, stomach upsets and headaches as well as what you can do to treat and/or prevent them.

Plant Allergen Reactions

I can't tell you how many patients I see every spring and summer with a case of the "itchies", a skin rash caused by handling flowers, grass, or weeds on their property. Usually the rash appears on their lower legs, arms, or face. This type of reaction is called contact dermatitis and can range from mild to severe with slight redness to severely inflamed skin that is badly itching, and fluid-oozing often seen with poison ivy or oak. If you've ever had a plant reaction such as this, you know how miserable and uncomfortable it can be.

What To Do:

If you are wheezing, feeling tightness in your throat, having trouble breathing along with a skin reaction, please get to a doctor or walk-in clinic immediately, as you could have a severe systemic allergy to the offending plant.

In the case of poison ivy or oak, if the reaction is severe with weeping blisters and intense itching, your doctor can give you a prescription steroid to stop the immediate reaction and lessen its course from the usual 2-3 weeks down to 2-3 days. If the reaction is milder, you may want to treat it yourself by taking a lukewarm soap shower to help open the blisters that form so the itch-causing fluid can drain. Applying refrigerated witch hazel mixed with a few drops of lavender oil will help dry out these oozing lesions and lessen the itching. This mixture also works well for the itching associated with mosquito or chigger bites.

Many plant allergies respond to cleaning the areas with witch hazel and applying Calamine lotion. Taking 1 tsp of Benadryl liquid will help with the itching and/or swelling.

It's important to find out what caused the reaction as often times the second exposure can bring on a worse reaction. You will likely need to visit an allergist who can perform skin testing to common plants, grasses and weeds. Wear long cotton pants and socks, long sleeves and gloves while gardening or removing brush or weeds. Be careful not to rub your face while working as this transfers the offending agent to your facial skin.

If your cat or dog likes to lay in your garden or around weeds or ivy climbing up walls, wipe them down with a moistened baby wipe or pet wipe to get any plant oils off their fur which can be transferred to you by rubbing against you or jumping up on couches or beds.

Chemical Reactions

Spring and summer brings out the bug sprays, lawn fertilizers, pool chemicals, house paints, cleaning solvents like bleach and ammonia, construction adhesives, epoxy, etc. These agents contain strong chemicals like DEET, VOC's (volatile organic compounds), urethanes, chlorine, and, often, toluene that need to be used with good safety precautions. Exposure to these chemicals can give you mild to severe symptoms ranging from crashing headaches, upset stomach, skin rash, heart palpitations, and upper respiratory reactions, depending on the level of exposure to them. Follow the directions on the containers and wear gloves and/or a respiratory mask in a well-ventilated area when applying.

Chemicals that go into pools, hot tubs, and outdoor water parks, like chlorine and other bactericides/fungicides can cause serious reactions like upper respiratory (wheezing, coughing), to skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, headaches, heart palpitations. Even gasoline we use in our lawnmowers, motorcycles, and go carts, can give us a bad headache, especially on a hot day as the vapors from the compounds in these products intensify.

What To Do:

If you're wheezing and/or short of breath, vomiting, or have a pounding headache, dizziness, rapid heart beat after exposure to insecticides, pool chemicals, paint/cleaning solvents, adhesives, please get to a doctor immediately. Symptoms like these indicate a severe reaction and you need medical attention.

If your symptoms are milder, such as only skin irritation, and you are not in any immediate respiratory or other distress:

1. Take a cool shower with a mild soap and remove the chemical from your skin.
2. Rinse out your nasal sinuses with an aloe/saline spray.
3. Rinse your mouth with some warm water (don't swallow, spit it out).
4. Rinse your eyes out with saline solution (same used for contact lens cleaning).
5. Drink several glasses of water with some lemon juice in it to help your liver more quickly process the chemical out of your body.

Air Conditioner/Dehumidifier Illnesses

As soon as we start turning on the AC and dehumidifiers is when I start seeing patients with upper respiratory conditions. Bacteria and mold spores which have been forming in AC window boxes, or dirty AC venting systems, blow bugs into the ambient air that people breathe and lodge in their sinuses and airways. Before long they can have an acute infection of the sinuses, sore throat, bronchitis and sometimes even pneumonia!

What To Do:

Keep window AC boxes tilted slightly backwards so any condensation that is in them has a chance to drain out at the end of their season. Keep the box covered tightly over the fall and winter so rain, leaves, snow, doesn't have a chance to get down inside and grow bacteria and mold. Make sure filter screens are kept clean wipe down the screens and surrounding areas with an antibacterial cleaner, and spray the air vents with a good antibacterial household spray such as Lysol.

Keep central AC venting systems clean with regular vent cleanings. Be sure to change/clean any ceiling intake screens with an antibacterial cleaner.

Dehumidifiers - make sure you empty the water they collect on a regular basis and wipe collecting pan clean so it doesn't have a chance to grow mold spores.

Aloe/saline nasal sprays can help wash out mold spores and bacteria from your nasal passages before they cause infections. These can be used safely a few times a day.

Sick House Syndrome

This situation can occur in any season, but happens most prominently in the late spring/early summer, especially if the weather has been very humid and/or rainy. Dangerous black mold can grow on dark basement walls, bathroom showers, wood paneling and fiber ceiling tiles and give off mold spores into your environment.

Similarly, dust (and their mites) can build up in a house. You breathe in these mold spores and dust mites and serious upper respiratory infections can ensue as well as neurologic disorders, chronic fatigue, aching joints, depression. These are some of the common aspects of sick house syndrome which affects many Americans and people around the world. Others include off-gassing of formaldehyde from materials like fiberboard in your home or radon gas emitted by your furnace.

What To Do:

Good housekeeping practices of dusting and general cleaning go a long way to prevent the type of illnesses that come with sick house syndrome. Use bleach (wear gloves and face mask), or bleach alternatives like lemon juice, to remove black mold wherever it grows in your house.

Replace mold infected wood paneling and fiber ceiling tiles as it thrives on wood and paper-derived building materials. Run a dehumidifier in the basement to dry out any moisture. Make sure there are no leaking pipes or windows, any possible way moisture could develop in the basement. Put a few daylight lamps in dark areas and run them for a few hours to discourage mold growth. Have your house inspected for mold even if you don't see it anywhere, yet have the above-mentioned symptoms.

There you have just a brief overview of some of the most common environmental agents that can cause chronic and acute reactions and illnesses. They can be hard to overcome and deal with since they are part of your everyday activities in the environment around you. However, with a little common sense and preventative measures you can stay reaction-free from your environment and get back to enjoying the spring and summer!

Some of the bed bug products that are available to you include powders and liquids that are toxic to the insects, traps that bait the bedbugs into entering and prevent them from leaving and heat wands that allow you to kill the bed bugs thermally. There are a wide variety of other products offered by bed bug extermination product manufacturers as well, meaning that there are a number of options for you to give consideration to before you make a purchase. It is important for you to weigh all of your options before choosing an effective bed bug treatment for your home.

The first thing that you need to know is what kind of infestation you are dealing with. Are the bed bugs primarily in one area of your home, or have they spread? Are they primarily in the bed or carpeting, or have they spread into the walls? You also need to consider who lives in your home. If you have young children living in your home, or pets, then you are going to want to avoid the chemical means of eradicating bedbugs, because these chemicals can sometimes be harmful to your pets and children.

There are products that are non-toxic, pet safe and child safe, but you need to make sure you are choosing the right products. Be prepared to really address all of the options that are available to you when it comes to bed bug products. You should consider the pros and the cons associated with each product, and once you know which ones you feel comfortable using, you should launch a combined attack, mixing different treatment options for the most effective attempt at alleviating the infestation.