Identifying a Bed Bug Infestation
The signs of a bed bug infestation will appear in your home and on your person. Waking up withnew irritating itches, or marks on your skin is a sign you may be being troubled by bed bugs. As well as this, things like blood stains on bedding, alongside other dark, brownish spots and detritus from the bedbugs themselves, like shed skins and small egg shells, are another sure sign of bed bug activity. Another sign of bed bug’s presence is an unpleasant, musty odour emitted by the bed bugs scent glands, often likened to coriander.
Any one of these signs, or multiple together, is a good enough reason to begin a more thorough check for bed bug hotspots in your bedding, clothing and furnishings. Bed bugs do not build nests like other household pests, but instead will congregate out of sight during the daytime. If your searching for bed bugs important places to check are under the bedding, around wooden framing, and tucked under any little disturbed fabrics. As well as the bed itself, check closets and other furnishings, as bed bugs can cling comfortably to clothing and lay dormant in quiet, dark locations behind cracks or crevices.
Dealing with Bed Bugs in the Mattress
Once you have determined there is a bed bug problem there are multiple ways to deal directly with the bugs themselves, and other measures to make the environment less hospitable to them. Tackle the bugs directly by thoroughly washing all personal clothing, bed clothing, linens and curtains in a hot wash cycle, followed by the hottest drying setting. Other similar items that can’t be washed should go in the dryer on a high run.
Next tackle the bare mattress with a stiff brush, scrubbing thoroughly all over to remove the bugs and their less visible eggs. This includes awkward to reach spots where bed bug activity can be heaviest. Once brushed, bring out the vacuum to tackle the bed and the surrounding area. This should be done regularly, and the vacuumed contents disposed of in an outside bin. You can also get mattress and bed covers which will seal any remaining bed bugs inside, to starve them out.
To ensure a thorough extermination job, or to find help with queries surrounding a bed bug infestation, consider calling in pest control professionals like those at Excel Pest Services who know the important places to clean and check, and have the equipment and know-how to see it done.
Preventing Future Outbreaks
Once you have managed to eradicate bed bugs from your home, it’s a good time to pay attention to preventative measures to stop bed bugs returning in the future. Once you have thoroughly cleaned the area, it is a good time to get rid of general clutter, which provides the bed bugs cover. As well as this, pay close attention to cracking and peeling fixtures on walls, which can provide places for the bugs to hide, and have them filled in.
Bed bugs are not nomadic creatures, rarely straying from food sources, so it is more than likely bed bugs were carried into your home in things like suitcases after returning from accommodation with a bed bug problem, in clothing, and in second hand furniture. With this in mind, in future be sure to thoroughly check and clean these items when they come into your home.
