Did you know that as many as 1 in 5 households report having bed bugs every year? These pests are incredibly common, with no sign of stopping.
Bed bugs are masters of hide-and-seek. They hide in the shadows during the day, then come out to feed at night. They’re also masters of hitchhiking, clinging to the luggage and clothing of unsuspecting travelers.
Thus, The Exterminators in Port Hope recommend that you take preventative action. Here’s what you can do to prevent a bed bug infestation in your home.
Get rid of places where bed bugs can hide
Bed bugs like to hide in crevices surrounding the bed or couch. Getting rid of these hiding spots will make it easier for you to detect an infestation, so you can get rid of it right away.
Take a good look at your bedroom and seal every crack you find in the walls, door frames, windows, power outlets, bed frames, night tables, and baseboards. Fix peeling wallpaper and make sure that curtains don’t drag on the floor. Vacuum often and get rid of clutter.
You can protect yourself even further by using a bed bug mattress cover. Bed bugs won’t be able to get into the mattress, saving it from stains and damage. The bugs will have very few places to hide.
Be wary of used furniture
Beware of furniture you see on the side of the road – it might have bed bugs. Inspect things very carefully before you bring them in your home. Ask vendors why they are selling and check the folds and crevices of furniture very carefully. Bed bugs can lay dormant in these items for several weeks, only to emerge once they have moved into your home.
Wash your clothes in hot water
Bed bugs cannot survive extreme heat. So, wash your bedding in hot water and dry it at the hottest setting. If you do your laundry at a laundromat or shared laundry room, wash everything in the same fashion. Bag up your laundry as soon as it has dried, then fold your things at home. Bed bugs may linger in the laundry room.
Inspect your luggage after staying at a hotel
One of the most common places where people get bed bugs is in hotel rooms. Not because hotels are dirty, but because of the amount of traffic they get. Check your clothing when you pack up your luggage to leave, then re-inspect when you get home.
Signs of Bed Bugs
Bite marks
Often, the first sign of a bed bug problem is finding bite marks on one’s skin. Bed bug bites are very small and red. In some cases, they may be swollen, like a mosquito bite. To differentiate, look for a pattern between bites marks. Bed bug bites usually come in groups of straight lines and zig zags. They may or may not be itchy, either. Many people don’t notice their bites until later in the day.
Stains on the bed sheets and mattress
Finding a mysterious blood stain on your bed sheets may point to bed bugs. This happens when bed bugs are crushed while you sleep. Stains are red, brown, or rust colored.
Bed bugs may also stain the mattress seams or other parts of the bedroom with their feces. These stains are very dark and small, as if someone had dotted the area with a black marker.
Bugs in the bedroom
If you spotted a bug crawling on the bed, it’s probably a bed bug. Few insects like to come near our beds. Bed bugs are small, round, flat, and brown. They’re also very difficult to crush. If you spotted one, assume that there are more nearby and conduct an inspection right away.
The Best Way to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to hire a pest control company. Technicians have specialized equipment that allows them to get rid of bed bugs at every stage of their life cycle. Store-bought products are not nearly as effective. Bed bug eggs will survive commercial sprays, whereas professional steam treatments will get rid of them. The pesticides that professionals use also have lasting effects, so if a bug was missed, it will perish later.
If you want to get rid of bed bugs by yourself, get started as soon as possible. Take apart your bed and spray every bug directly with a bed bug pesticide. Add traps to the bedroom and put diatomaceous earth in the crevices of the bed frame. Repeat the process again in a week or two to ensure that you got every single bug.