Bed bugs are tiny creatures that are a brownish shade in colour. They live off human or animal blood and they can digest your blood while you are asleep. This is obviously not a good thought, so you need to get rid of bed bugs as soon as possible. Females lay hundreds of eggs, so the faster you act, the more likely you are to stop the problem spreading.
As you can with any household pests, you can ask an exterminator for advice about getting rid of bed bugs. However, you may want to try and deal with the situation yourself to start with.
Knowing you have a problem with bed bugs
Often the first sign of a bed bug infestation is the bites. Some people mistake them for flea bites but bites from a bed bug do not have a red spot at the centre. They are still itchy though, and very annoying. If you, or anyone in your household, discovers this type of bite, you should look for further evidence that bed bugs are present.
- Blood spots on bedding.
- Bug excrement in the form of dark spots.
- Skin that bugs have shed.
- A strange and unpleasant smell.
If you do find that you have a problem with bed bugs, it’s time to start getting rid of them.
Remove items from the area
It’s important to remove items such as stuffed toys, blankets and electronic devices from the area, so that you have plenty of room to clean. Remember that some of these items may be infested with bed bugs, so it’s a good idea to seal them in airtight packaging, until they can be cleaned or disposed of.
Take bed frames apart
If beds can be dismantled it’s a good idea to do so. This allows you to locate any bed bugs that are hiding inside the frame. If you think that the mattress of a bed has become infested, you can cover it with a mattress encasement. Keep the encasement on for twelve months and any bugs that hatch die as they cannot escape.
Clean the area thoroughly
It’s important that you clean extensively and well, in order to get rid of the bed bugs and eggs that are present, and ensure that your pest control measures are successful.
- Use a stiff brush to scrub the area so that any eggs which are present are disturbed.
- Vacuum the entire area. Make sure that you use the hose attachment to reach any hard to access spaces or cracks.
- Empty cupboards and dressers and clean the drawers.
- Vacuum curtains and upholstery.
Never use the bristle brush for your vacuum while you are cleaning as you can spread bugs and eggs by doing so. Place vacuum bags in the outside trash as soon as you have finished.
Once you have dealt with the bed bug problem remember to be vigilant. They may return and you need to be ready if they do.