The resurgence of bed bugs has not been healthy for many. The fear of bringing home bed bugs through second hand furniture and clothes, or the fear of being attacked by bed bugs in a hotel room has bothered plenty of people in the recent years. Unfortunately, bed bugs are excellent hikers and they can also hide well, making them very difficult to eradicate. If you do try getting rid of bed bugs from your home and happen to miss a few, you will certainly end up as a food source all over again. However, there are ways for to you get rid of bed bugs from your home effectively and easily. Just remember that if the infestation is too great, it is always wise to hire a professional instead.
How To Detect If You Have Bed Bugs At Home
There are several ways for you to detect the presence of bed bugs in your home. Bed bug infestation can be identified when –
- You find clusters of tiny oblong eggs stuck to the sides and piping of your mattress or even in cracks and crevices of walls beside your bed.
- You find small nymphs that are light in color by the headboard, along the mattress and in cracks and crevices in walls.
- Empty molted skins are left behind by bed bug nymphs underneath mattresses and even under the sheets.
- You discover adult bed bugs hiding in your mattress and even in the walls, headboard, bedside table or in wooden floorings.
- There are spots of undigested blood left on bedding and other places around the bed. Their colors range from red to black.
- You wake up the morning covered in itchy red bumps that form a cluster or a straight line, on areas of skin that have been exposed during the night.
- A sweet musty odor lingers in air, and then you are dealing with an infestation. The stronger the scent you smell, the greater the infestation you are dealing with.
Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs
In order to get rid of bed bugs, you will first have to locate them. You will mostly find them hiding in dark and dry places near the bed or anywhere humans sleep and rest. Thus, you must check the areas of your bed and couch. Bed bugs can be found hiding in seams and tears of mattresses, in box springs, in crevices of the headboards and in nightstands. Once you find the tell-tale signs of bed bugs then you must begin the task of eliminating them.
First clear your room from any clutter, by bagging items such as clothes, bedding, books and other objects. Your bedding and clothes must be washed separately in hot water and soap and hung under the sun to dry. Books, other objects and even furniture pieces can be left under the hot sun for a day. Heat can kill bed bugs so hot water and the sun are easy and affordable ways to eliminate bed bugs.
Then vacuum the floor, couch, furniture and your bed everywhere possible. You can even use a hard brush to scrub off any bed bug eggs and nymphs that may have gotten stuck. After scrubbing, you must vacuum all over again. Do not open the vacuum bag, instead seal and keep it in your freezer overnight to kill the bed bugs you have caught. Then throw away the entire bag. Aside from heat, bed bugs cannot stand the cold.
Do not forget to scrub the cracks and crevices of your walls as well. To be on the safe side, after you have scrubbed them with hot soapy water, have the cracks and crevices caulked up.
Citations:
- Photographed by earl53
Valerie Matthews is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes articles to admiral pest control and other pest control websites.