If you were to ask what the earth’s most annoying pests are, most people would surely answer “bed bugs” or at least include “bed bugs” in the list. Bed bugs are without a doubt among the peskiest creatures that will infiltrate and cause trouble in your household. The fact that these tiny critters usually don’t get detected easily is already frustrating. Once you start noticing their presence, that only means an infestation is already happening and hundreds of them are residing nearby.
Indeed, bed bugs are discreet when they get close to and attack their host. They are considered nocturnal because they are typically active during night time when people are fast asleep. These creepy crawlies survive by feeding on human blood and in doing so, they leave super itchy bite marks on your skin. You may not immediately notice the sting or itchiness, but once you do and the bites get all the itchier as time passes, you will go through stress, anxiety, and extreme discomfort.
It is widely assumed that bed bugs are harmless pests because they do not transmit viruses. However, people still have to be cautious and carry out measures to get rid of these annoying pests as soon as possible. Otherwise, your home will be crawling with these disgusting critters and everyone in the household won’t have a peaceful sleep anymore.
Fast and Easy Ways to Prevent a Bed Bug Infestation
You can do some procedure to exterminate these ectoparasites called bed bugs. Some people use natural home remedies while others really ask help from a licensed bed bug exterminator to avail themselves of services like bed bug heat treatment and chemical treatment. Basically, here are three basic steps to keep your home protected from bed bugs:
1. Inspect your surroundings for signs of infestation.
When it comes to home inspection, a pest control expert is the best person to call and ask for assistance. Pest control experts know where to look and spot the slightest signs of bed bug activity. Bed bugs love to dwell in dark areas ( usually near the bed) and hide themselves in tiny cracks or crevices on the bed, floors, walls, and other household items (i.e. books, picture frames, paintings, bookshelves, cabinets, electrical outlets, and furniture). Still, as a homeowner, you can also perform a personal inspection of your household as long as you are aware of the signs of bed bug infestation. Here are things to look out for:
- Black or rusty colored fecal spots on beddings, mattresses, and other upholstered materials
- Blood stains on your bed sheets, pillows, and/or pajamas
- Bed bug shells (molted skins) on mattress, box springs, bed frames, and dark crevices near the bed
- Lingering musty odor
- Red itchy bite marks in clusters
- Live bed bugs (one or two bed bugs are enough proof of an infestation)
2. Vacuum regularly and keep your surroundings clutter-free.
If you have confirmed that you have bed bugs at home, your next step would be to clean up and get rid of the clutter. Use the vacuum to eliminate any dirt, dust, and clutter in the surroundings. Clutter, such as empty boxes, unused toys and appliances, and old books and newspapers, provides bed bugs more rooms to hide and breed. Hence, do vacuum cleaning on a daily basis and focus vacuuming in those spaces that serve as potential hiding spots for bed bugs (i.e. mattress, closet, curtains, carpets, and wallpapers). The vacuum hose effectively sucks those pesky pests and their larvae out of their hiding areas. Afterwards, make sure to dispose of the vacuum bag. Place the bag inside a trash bag and throw it into a well-covered garbage bin located outdoors and well away from your house.
3. Apply extreme heat and extreme cold.
Bed bugs have very fragile bodies and there is no way they can survive extreme temperatures. That is why you can effectively kill bed bugs using the hot water technique when you are washing your clothes, bedsheets, curtains, linens, and other washable items in your home. To further exterminate remaining bed bugs, you can place the washed items in the dryer and dry them for 20-30 minutes. Another method where you can apply heat is steam cleaning. You simply have to run the steam cleaner over those areas where bed bugs could be hiding. However, for non-washable items, you can place them in the freezer for at least 24 hours and surely, those crawlies will be gone for good.
If none of the home remedies work and the infestation has gone beyond control, the best thing to do is call a licensed pest control company. Professional bed bug exterminators are qualified to execute procedures such as bed bug heat treatment to get rid of bed bugs fast.