Bed bugs don't carry disease, but the pain and itching associated with their bites can be intolerable. If you're waking up in the morning with new welts, have blood spots on your sheets, or notice an unpleasant odor around your bed, you probably have a bed bug infestation. Dick's Fumigation Services in Wailuku, HI, knows what to do to correct this uncomfortable situation.

Here is their advice for eliminating a bed bug infestation:

• Call A Professional Exterminator: The most effective way to kill bed bugs is to hire a pest control company for fumigation. A bed bug is about the size of a pinhead, and an egg is comparable to a speck of dust. A pesticide that is safe for home use but strong enough to eliminate a bed bug population is the easiest way to reach all their hiding spots.

• Brush & Vacuum Mattresses & Upholstery: Bed bugs hide in the seams of your mattresses, carpets, and upholstered furniture. Use a stiff-bristled brush to sweep out the crevices, then vacuum up the bugs, larvae, and eggs. Throw out the vacuum bag in an outdoor garbage container. Repeat this process daily.

• Encase Your Mattress In Plastic: It can take up to a year for a bed bug to die between feedings on blood, so all your preventive measures must continue that long before your house can be declared bed bug-free. Use plastic covers on beds and upholstery to prevent them from finding new hiding places.

Eggs may linger even after fumigation, so the year-long cleaning regimen is crucial to eliminating bed bugs from your home. To get started on your bed bug eradication program, call Dick's Fumigation Services in Wailuku at (808) 244-7496. Visit their website to find out more information about their pest control services.