Bed bugs are a nightmare! How to get rid of bed bugs effectively? How to make sure you get rid of bed bugs for good!
Bed bugs are usually very small insects, about the size of an apple seed and reddish-brown in colour. They usually feed upon the blood of humans or animals and bite the exposed skin of sleeping humans. The Planet Today brings you the complete guide on how to get rid of bed bugs.
Where are Bed Bugs found?
Most of the people believe that bed bugs are caused by filth but scientists believe that this is a misconception. It is said that bed bugs are usually found in homes of those who travel a lot or spend a lot of time at hotels, restaurants, or other public places. These bed bugs hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, bed frames, box spring headboards or any other objects that are kept around the bed.
How do they reach our homes?
These insects are usually found at public places and are known as hitchhiking bugs that can hitch a ride anywhere or at any time. They can come to your home with you or you can carry their eggs with you at your home. They are usually found in hotels, public transportation, and second-hand furniture. They just need a warm host and plenty of hiding place.
Where do the bed bugs hide?
Bed bugs usually hide in crevices and cracks of the beds, bed frames, headboards, box springs, objects, mattresses, objects or furniture near the beds or any other furniture in your home. You can also find them under peeling paint and loose wallpapers, wall corners, cracks, under the carpets, upholsters, furniture ridges, under the switch plates and other electrical outlets.
What are the signs of bed bugs?
- Every morning you wake up with itchy areas that you don’t have while going to sleep.
- You may have bed bugs bite or red spots on your body when you wake up.
- You might witness blood stains on your bed sheet.
- There are chances of rusty or dark colour excrement on your bed or on anything in the room.
- Another sign is a bad smell. You might smell an unpleasant and musty odour in your bedsheet or the place where you find the egg shells, bed bugs skin and their excrement.
Tips to locate bed bugs
- Bed bugs are often found in isolated and dark places.
- Inspect the adjoining rooms where an infestation is found.
- However, one may not be able to locate bed bugs but indeed there is a surety that you will definitely find spots of fecal material they often leave like other insects.
- Using insecticides in cervices, cracks and corners will definitely flush out all the bed bugs.
Looking further to locate bed bugs
- Check the mattress thoroughly by turning it upside down and also by throwing light on the surface carefully to look if they have not penetrated inside the spring box.
- Thoroughly check your beds, its crack, adjoining areas, frames and edges of all the furniture in the room because bed bugs love these areas.
- Take out all the drawers and the cushions of the furniture because they usually hide in such places.
- Also check all the newspapers, books and bookshelves and electronic gadgets like telephone, audio player, speakers, radio, etc.
How to get rid of bed bugs after locating them
1. Cleaning
- Cleanliness is the first and foremost step to get rid of the bed bugs.
- Take out all your bedding, linens, curtains and other fabric material of the infested room and give them a thorough wash in warm water.
- Also, take out your mattress outside the room in the open area and use a brush to scrub all the eggs and bedbugs from it.
- Take all the stuff toys, shoes and clothes out of the room and empty the room. Wash all the stuffed objects like stuff toy, dolls, rugs etc.
- Vacuum the bed and other furniture and all the infested area. Also, vacuum your mattress.
2. Proper disposal and precautions
- Decompose the bag properly in which you have emptied the contents of the vacuum cleaner.
- Once you have cleaned your mattress and box springs properly, cover them with a tight zipper cover to keep bed bugs away from entering inside it.
- Do not remove the cover for at least a year because bed bugs can survive a year without feeding.
- Cover the mattress and throw it out if it contains too many bed bugs.
3. Repairing stuff where Bed Bugs may breed
- Repair all the cracks of the room and also glue down all the wallpapers.
- Remove all the carpets and give a thorough cleaning to the room.
- Remove all the clutter and other materials from near the bed because there are chances that bed bugs might rescue in them.
- Call the experienced pest controller to give a chemical treatment to your house for getting complete rid of all the pests.
Conclusion
So there you have it, by following the above steps in how to get rid of bed bugs post, you will surely get rid of bed bugs. However, you should always take measures to avoid them in the first place! Continue reading how to get rid of lizards!
