How you react in the first 24 hours after spotting bed bugs has a huge impact on how hard the infestation is to eliminate. Here are the rules our Chicago technicians give every customer.
Do
- Do confirm the bug before treating — many lookalikes need different treatment.
- Do bag bedding, clothes, and soft items and run them through a hot dryer cycle (30+ min on high).
- Do keep sleeping in the affected room. Bed bugs follow CO₂ — if you move, they spread.
- Do photograph anything suspicious and save samples in a sealed ziplock.
- Do call a licensed pest control professional for confirmation and a treatment plan.
Don't
- Don't use foggers or bug bombs. They scatter bed bugs deeper into walls and adjacent rooms.
- Don't throw out your mattress and furniture. Bagged and treated, most can be saved.
- Don't move to the couch or a guest room. You'll start a second infestation.
- Don't apply rubbing alcohol or kerosene. They're flammable and ineffective on eggs.
- Don't store items in other rooms or hand them off to family. That's how infestations spread.
Why these rules matter
Bed bugs respond to disturbance by hiding deeper and spreading farther. Every common mistake — bombing the room, moving rooms, tossing furniture to the curb — makes professional treatment harder and more expensive.
The right next step
If you're confident you have bed bugs, get a professional inspection within a few days. Sleep Tight Pest Control offers free inspections and same-day treatment across Chicago. Catching it early is the cheapest fix you'll ever get.
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Sleep Tight Pest Control offers same-day inspections and a written guarantee across Chicago and the suburbs.