Bed bugs are elusive and adaptive, and when someone suspects they could have a bed bug infestation developing in their house some homeowners may turn to extreme methods to eliminate them. Before contacting a professional, people purchase pesticides at hardware stores or online retailers and attempt to solve the issue themselves. But, is this the right course of action? Crossfire Bed Bug Concentrate is a popular choice for in-home pesticides.
CrossFire bed bug concentrate spray is a unique insecticide which targets only one pest with a dual action formula. CrossFire is non-repellant meaning it doesn’t get rid of bed bugs by repelling them but kills them by penetrating their exoskeleton. From there it attacks their central nervous system which leads to paralysis and ultimately death, within 5 minutes of exposure. It is designed to be able to kill bed bugs in any stage of their life cycle, from eggs to adults. The water-based concentrate leaves behind no visible residue. However, CrossFire concentrate only has a residual effect of 30 days after the first application.
How is Crossfire Applied?
Crossfire is a liquid concentrate that has to be mixed with water before it is applied. 13 oz of the concentrate is mixed with 115 oz of water. Begin with 115 oz of water in your spray tank, then add the CrossFire concentrate and begin agitating the mixture. Shake the tank to ensure thorough mixing, and you’re ready to go. Once mixed, it must be used immediately because it forms a gel substance in the bottom of your tank if left for more than 24 hours.
The mixture can be sprayed on cracks, corners, baseboards, floorboards, bed frames, headboards, furniture, doors, windows and all such other areas with a bed bug infestation. The pesticide can even be directly sprayed upon the seams and folds of mattresses and box springs. It should be sprayed until the fabric is damp but not wet. CrossFire can also be applied with a paintbrush to walls, baseboards, floorboards etc. floor surfaces should be properly vacuumed before the concentrate is applied to them.
For treatment of a pet’s living environment, the concentrate should be sprayed on and around the bedding, floors and the adjoining area. Crossfire is not meant to be applied to infested bed linens just the box spring or mattress. Those linens should be gathered, sealed tightly in a plastic bag, then laundered and dried at high temperatures prior to using them again. You wouldn’t want to sleep in sheets that are full of a pesticide would you?
Treatments Using Heat with Crossfire
Bed bug thermal treatments are an excellent and environmentally responsible method to deal with bed bugs, killing them at all phases of their life cycle in a single day. Because Crossfire cannot be applied to every cranny or object in the area impacted by the bed bug invasion, thermal treatments and Crossfire can be used in tandem. However, before applying Crossfire, the thermal process must be completed. Heat treatments degrade insecticide residuals, so heating Crossfire directly after use reduces its effectiveness.
Crossfire may not be totally necessary when using a heat treatment, however, as heat treatments are more efficient and can completely eradicate all bed bugs in less than 24 hours. If your looking for a non-chemical bed bug removal method that can eliminate all bed bug life phases in a single day! Contact ECO DC at 202-709-7490 to schedule your inspection today.
