So, it’s just been a couple of weeks since you’ve put up those awesome drapes. You adore your window treatment because it’s modern, it’s cozy, and it’s just so you. But while sipping coffee and marveling about how nice your windows look, you notice tiny critters edging their way to the top of your drapes. Then, you notice others who are flying around, hopping or generally just moving on your expensive drapes. If you’re not a queasy person, you’re first reaction may be to squelch the tiny insects with your bare hands. How dare they infest your expensive silk or jacquard drapes? But remember that mashing them will only soil your curtain and leave your hands smelling bad. You could even get germs on your hands. Who knows where these bugs have been, right? So, what do you do?
The first thing that you should do is properly identify what kind of insect is crawling about on your curtain. There are actually several species of bugs that can happily live on your costly damask drapes. Two of the most common types are bed bugs and stink bugs. Many kinds of plant insects also find their way into your house and onto your curtains if you also put plant indoors.
Bed Bugs
These parasitic sneaky insects are minute bloodsuckers that attack you while you are at your most vulnerable. Have you woken up with bite marks not knowing how or when you were bitten? Well, the most likely culprit would be a bed bug. These vampiric bugs will suck your blood as you enjoy dreamland.
How to Spot Them
Adult bed bugs are brownish, while nymphs or younger bugs will either look whitish or golden. These insects normally appear flat and grow as big as an apple seed. But their bodies become more rounded after they’ve engorged themselves with your blood. Plus, you’ll also recognize adults because of their just-sucked-your-blood brown-reddish glow.
How to Get Rid of Them
Vacuum – Suck the suckers up. Vacuum your curtains, as well as furniture and mattresses. Get rid of the vacuum bag carefully.
Seal – Place your drapes in an airtight plastic bag. Leave the bag alone for a week or more to suffocate the bugs. You can also wrap your mattress in plastic.
Clean – Clean up your space. Bed bugs can live in many kinds of things, including small pieces of clutter. Check your furniture, as well as bags and clothes. The cleaner and more organized your area is, the easier it will be to find the bugs. Put clothes, curtains and linen in your washer. Wash and dry using the highest temperature possible to kill the bugs and their eggs.
Stink Bugs
The name itself is a clue as to how you’ll be able to recognize these bugs. Yes, they stink. The stink will annoy you but they like it. Stink bugs usually return to areas that already have their odor. So, it’s important to purge your space from the smell of these creepy-crawlies.
How to Spot Them
Stink bugs are also known as shield bugs or chust bugs. They are from the superfamily Pentatomoidea. Their most distinctive characteristics are that they emit a foul smell, and they also look like they have shields. They produce the rank smell to deter predators. But they could also give off bad smell when they are manhandled. As for their shields, these actually protect them from many kinds of predators, and these also make them impenetrable to some kinds of insecticides.
How to Get Rid of Them
There are several ways to eliminate these nasty critters from your home and your curtains. Here are some tips.
Vacuum – You can also use your vacuum on stink bugs. But try not to squeeze the bag so that the insects won’t be bothered overly much that they all release their stinking fluids.
Treat – Treat the exterior and interior of your home with an apt insect repellent. There are “spreader stickers” as well as dusting treatments that work best on tough stinkers. Ask your pest control company about which method is most efficient at getting rid of these kinds of bugs.
Citations:
- Photo courtesy of kangshutters at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Claire Willows is a freelance blogger who usually writes articles about Chicago Roller Shades. She provides pointers about window treatment maintenance, and she blogs about window decorations as well.