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We all know that bed bugs are a nuisance and frankly a creepy subject that most of us really do not want to think about. But bed bugs extermination is a serious topic. Unfortunately they are a reality even in the cleanest of homes… you may constantly clean your house and think that there is no possibility of bed bugs being able to ‘nest’ in such a clean environment. Sadly, clean or dirty, these uninvited guests maybe setting up a comfortable home in those hard to reach places… and you won’t even know about it!
It is in fact hard to spot these little bugs due to their somewhat shy nature, only coming out of their hiding place when it is safe to do so ie. when you are fast asleep (horrible thought I know) Once you start to wake they quickly return to safety and out of sight.
So how to find them.
As mentioned the bugs are nocturnal and only come out whilst you are in deep sleep. Obviously this makes it hard to spot them – luckily there are some tell, tell signs that give them away. Firstly, a bed bug infestation gives off a particular odor. The bugs have a rather unpleasant ‘musty’ smell which is detectable to the nose because it basically smells horrible and offensive. A room with an infestation will have a nasty smell about it.
Bed bugs like being close their food, their pray, …us humans! So their number one hiding place is where we spend most of our time, where we rest and relax like the living room for example and of course the bedroom. They can be in other nooks and crannies around those and other areas of the house also. Along with the smell another feature of any bed bug presence is staining, so if you detect the odor and see an accompanying reddish brown stain in the suspect area you have a couple of good indicators that you have found an infestation. Typically these areas are the bed mattresses and the crevices within the sofa and chairs. Other visual clues are; white sprites found there as these are evidence that the female has been laying eggs, any bed bug excrement, and any shed skins.
Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye. They resemble the shape and form of an apple seed only a little thinner and rounded on top. If you are committed to seeing then you will have to set an alarm for the middle of the night but try and stay as still as possible. Whilst keeping still you may feel them crawling on an exposed part of your body (creepy I know!) If you move the bug will stop moving and stop advancing toward the exposed part. Moving too much and the bugs will return to their hideout.
What to do if you find a Bed Bug infestation.
Ridding your home of bed bugs is unfortunately not as easy as exterminating most other insects. For successful bed bugs extermination you have to put a little work into the situation. The process is as follows.
The number one priority is to actually ensure that it is indeed a bed bug infestation buy looking for the tell, tell signs. Once you have verified that you have them living in a certain area move as much furniture, clutter, boxes or any other items in the near vicinity so too limit any hiding place for them to go. If any eggs are found on your bed they can be easily removed with a brush.
Once the area is clear grab the vacuum and head straight for the mattress making as thorough job as humanly possible. Pay particular attention to the crevices, vacuum both sides as the bed frame as well. Once done move onto the surrounding furniture and floors.
Next stage is too deal with the soft furnishings. These need to be washed in the washing machine so don’t forget to include any clothes, cushions and curtains as you want to be doubly sure. They need to be washed at a high temperature and dry them for long period again at a high temperature.
Repeat.
The first attempt may not get rid of them all so repeat the process every week for about a month.
Treating the area.
Now arm yourself with a chemical bed bug eradication solution or spray. There are a few sprays on the market so they shouldn’t be too hard to find. Obviously follow the instructions and pay attention to all those nooks and crannies as there may still be eggs there. Unless the manufacturers instructions say otherwise add this process to your weekly cleaning session as you want to make sure that all those eggs are exterminated. It is highly advisable to hire a professional as they tend to treat the infestation with the use of steam cleaners. Again it is the heat in the steam that kills the bugs as it takes temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit before the bugs start to die off. A professional exterminator will be well versed in dealing with bed bugs extermination and will in all likelyhood make a far more thorough job than you and I could do and in far less time. You can also rest assured that they have done the job properly and relieves the worry, giving you more piece of mind.
Prevention.
Once you have completed this course of action and rid yourself of the problem you will want to stay bed bug free. Try to clean your home in this thorough method periodically and pay particular attention to those problem areas where the original infestation occurred. Remember that bed bugs can travel with you so be mindful when returning from vacation or visiting. They are an unfortunate fact of modern life but hopefully you are now better informed as to how to deal with them if the need arises… stay bed bug free.