It’s the ultimate nightmare to discover your bed is infested with bed bugs. These creepy crawlies are tiny, flat parasitic insects that feed on people and animals while they sleep. They can be hard to spot if you’re not looking, so you may end up discovering mysterious bite marks on you signaling an infestation. This icky problem is something one in every five households fall victim to.¹ You’ll need to contact a bed bug removal company to get rid of these pesky insects for good.
Paying for bed bug removal services can be a pricey, but extremely necessary, investment. There are ways to save money on bed bug removal starting with a search online.
Andrey_Popov / ShutterstockHere’s a rundown of bed bug removal costs and how to pay less.
Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bugs are extremely small insects that can be anywhere from 1mm to 7 mm in size.² Since they’re so tiny, you might not even know they exist in your household. That’s why you’ll want to be on the lookout for other telltale signs of bedbugs. This includes:
- Small, flat or raised bites on the skin that may become itchy, inflamed, red, or blistered³
- Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses
- Dark spots on fabrics
- Eggs and eggshells (pale yellow skins that bed bugs shed)
When bed bugs aren’t feeding on unsuspecting humans or pets, they’re lingering in all sorts of tiny crevices. This includes the mattress piping, seams, the mattress itself, tags, box springs, as well as cracks in the actual bed or headboard.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says if a room is infested with high levels of bed bugs, they can appear in other areas of the room too.⁴ Some areas might include:
- Seams of chairs, couches, cushions
- Drawer joints
- In electrical receptacles and appliances
- Under loose wallpaper
- Up where the wall and ceiling meet
Bed Bug Exterminator Cost
The best way to thoroughly get rid of bed bugs is to hire a professional service. Costs for treatment can vary due to a number of factors. This includes the size of the room, the number of rooms you’re treating, the type of treatment, and how severe the infestation is.
HomeAdvisor says it will cost $1,000 to $2,500 to exterminate bed bugs on average. Though if you live in a small studio space, you could pay as little as $300. On the other end of the spectrum, clearing a large house could cost you $5,000.⁵
Keep in mind that you may require multiple visits from the exterminators for a thorough treatment. Depending on the company, you may be charged per visit or offered a package. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to pay per visit based on the size of your space.
- Studio or one-bedroom apartment: $300 to $900
- Two bedroom or three bedroom house: $400 to $1,200
- Three to four bedroom whole house heat treatment: $800 to $2,500
Exterminators may have to charge hundreds of more dollars per visit if the infestation is especially dense. It’s also likely that people living in major cities like Chicago or New York City will pay higher amounts because infestations are more common in these metropolitan areas.
Hiring a Bed Bug Exterminator
When you’re dealing with something as serious as bed bugs, you’ll want to hire the best service for the job. Taking the time to research well rated companies and their treatment methods will ensure your problem will be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Search online for a company that is certified in bed bug removal. Specifically, a company licensed as a PestManagement Professional (PMP). Only companies that have this certification are able to use heat technique for bed bugs, so make sure to check on that prior to hiring.
You can also look into alternative treatment options that don’t require chemicals. This may be something like steam or freeze methods. Regardless, ensure that you research bed bug removal regulations in your state to ensure the exterminators you’re hiring are legit and qualified for the job.
DIY Bed Bug Removal
You might be able to get away with doing DIY bed bug treatments if you’re dealing with a mild infestation. This could prevent you from spending hundreds of dollars on treatment if you successfully get rid of the bed bugs.
For starters, clean anything and everything in sight. This includes:
- Bedding
- Linens
- Curtains
- Stuffed animals
- Shoes
According to WebMD, some other things you can do to get rid of, and prevent, bed bugs include:⁶
- Using a stiff brush to scrub the mattress
- Vacuuming the bed and surrounding area
- Encasing the mattress and box springs with tight, zippered cover
- Repair cracks in plaster and wallpaper
- Get rid of clutter around the bed
While many pest control specialists can remove bed bugs from mattresses, you may need to purchase a new one depending on the severity. Just keep in mind that if you don’t fully get rid of bed bugs, they will only end up infesting your new mattress as well.
You won’t want to wait long before starting bed bug treatment. In many cases, DIY methods won’t be enough and you’ll need professionals to come in with a chemical treatment. Search online to learn more about bed bug removal. Compare companies and see if you can get a quote before hiring a team.