Best to evade insecticides as much as possible
When a home is infested with bed bugs, it is better to first try other control methods than insecticides because the latter are the cause of many poisonings, French health authorities warned on Wednesday.
“To get rid of bed bugs, and before resorting to insecticides (…), it is recommended to first favor non-chemical means”, recalled in a press release the National Health Security Agency (ANSES) .
Bedbugs are insects whose bites cause itching, among other things, which develop in mattresses and sheets, as well as furniture and nooks.
A phenomenon on the rise
While they had practically been eradicated in France in the middle of the 20th century, the phenomenon is experiencing a resurgence. According to a study by the Ministry of Health in 2020, bed bugs are the cause of 70,000 annual consultations with the general practitioner.
Faced with this problem, people often feel helpless and sometimes try to fight bedbugs directly using insecticides. But this method is risky, because such products can be “unsuitable”, “ineffective or even dangerous”, warns ANSES.
Between 2007 and 2021, it reports that 1,056 cases of poisoning were recorded following the use of insecticides against bed bugs, one of which resulted in the death of a child.
In case of failure, the call to a specialist
The authorities therefore recommend instead to vacuum all surfaces of the accommodation very closely – and then clean the device while immediately throwing the bag outside.
Another tip: go to the washing machine for clothes and household linen, at more than 55°C, even if this temperature risks damaging certain clothes. If people don’t have a machine, they can put their clothes in the freezer for three days.
ANSES also recommends cleaning the nooks and crannies of the accommodation with a steam device, at more than 120°C, recalling that it can be found for hire. This operation normally destroys bedbugs, regardless of their stage of development. “If this fails, it is recommended to contact a pest control specialist rather than applying the insecticide products yourself,” insists the agency.
