A bed bug infestation is the last thing anyone wants to deal with. They’re tiny, they’re persistent, they infest quickly, and take up residency wherever they feel like.
It’s important to have a plan of attack for bed bug infestation. The best offense, as the saying goes, is a great defense. In other words, it’s crucial that you’re vigilant about potential sources of bedbugs and keep an eye out for early signs.
We’re going to discuss bed bug control in this article, giving you some insight into ways to prevent infestations from happening and control them when they do occur.
The Ins and Outs of Bed Bug Control
Everyone’s situation is bound to be different, but the following tips should apply broadly to anyone who is having an issue with bed bugs. That said, let’s get started!
1. Know the Signs
Because bed bugs are so tiny, it can be hard to watch out for them. That said, know that they don’t only nestle themselves in your bed. They’re also commonly found in headboards, end tables, wallpaper, couches, chairs, and more.
They generally like to be near a location where a person sleeps, though. This is because they require blood meals and sleeping humans are a perfect source. They choose to feast while their prey is sleeping, this helps them avoid the chance of getting noticed and squished.
2. Identify The Location
If you continuously wake up with little welts on your body and find signs of excretions like brown stains in a particular location, you know that bed bugs are present and their home is close.
Act fast and find the spot where they’re congregating. Be sure to check all potential areas of your bedroom as well, because bed bugs won’t necessarily be confined to one nesting spot.
It may help to grab a flashlight and examine every crevice, cushion, and curtain in the infested area. Once you get a good read on the situation, it’s a good idea to try and contain it.
3. Cut the Infestation Off
The first thing to do is vacuum all of the bed bugs you can see. Trapping a few in a plastic bag can help you or a professional identify which pest you are dealing with. Whatever your method for trapping and containing the bugs, make sure that none of them are able to escape and nestle back into your belongings. Getting rid of the vacuum bag as soon as possible will ensure that no bugs escape.
If the bugs are only present in the areas you vacuum, this process could serve to significantly cut the spread of your infestation and allow you to move forward with efforts to end it completely.
4. Check Other Areas of Your Home
There’s a chance that the infestation has spread to other areas where you regularly relax and or sleep. Your couch could be infested if your bedroom is infested, for example.
These kinds of transfers are common, so being aware of this fact is important. Thoroughly check around the rest of your home to see if there’s been any spread of the infestation.
If you find any more bed bugs in different places throughout your home, do your best to capture them and contain them in an area. It may help to keep the container outside on the off chance that the bugs get out. That way, a mistake on your part won’t lead to an even wider spread of the infestation.
5. Treat Your Items
There may be some items that you can wash and others that you cannot. The nice thing about washable items is that a hot dryer cycle or two can take care of any bugs living in them. That means your bedding, clothes, and towels that could be housing any bugs should be run through the dryer on the highest heat setting.
Next, take your unwashable items and place them out in the sun on a hot day. You should leave items out in the sun for as long as possible. Bed bugs aren’t fond of excessive heat or ultraviolet rays, so the sunshine can help take care of some of those little pests.
6. Don’t Jump to Conclusions
Many people are worried that their habits or their living environment are the causes of their bed bug infestation. If your friend is staying on the couch and your couch gets infested, for example, you might blame him entirely for the situation.
Your messy room or habits aren’t the cause of the infestation. It’s easy to imagine that a cluttered home or a lot of food around the bed could lead to bed bugs, but they do not. You might get mice with those habits, but bed bugs are primarily concerned with where they can find a human to feast on.
Bed bugs need people or other creatures to provide blood meals. They’ll find a place to nest if it’s near a human, regardless of whether or not there’s a lot of clutter in your home. So, while it’s a good idea to tidy up to avoid other issues, bed bugs won’t appear just because you’re slacking on cleaning.
With that in mind, removing clutter is always a good idea. The longer something sits in the same spot, the more time it gives bed bugs a chance to live there.
Can’t Hack it On Your Own?
Practicing good bed bug control is the first line of defense against these little critters. Sometimes, though, the problem is too serious for the average person to handle. That’s where we come in.
Explore our site for more information on bed bugs and how to get rid of them.
