Are you waking up in the middle of the night because of ‘mosquito bites’? Have you been noticing insect bites after waking up? There is a very high possibility of no mosquitos around you, especially if you keep wondering what is biting you when you cannot find any. The real reason behind these bites could be bed bugs.
It’s time to educate yourself about bed bugs to make sure that you don’t perish with these little suckers. As soon as you find yourself Googling about what bed bugs are, we are sure you will run out of patience and make some very necessary changes. No matter how clean your room is and how often you wash your bed covers, these nasty little bugs will somehow find their way into your life.
First things first, contact an extermination company if you experience these occurrences more than often. If your exterminator is not able to get rid of bed bugs completely and they seem to keep coming back for more, it is time to change your service provider.
In this article, we will learn the basics about bed bugs, how to identify them, how to prevent them, and steps to help get rid of them.
What Are Bed Bugs And Why Are They Such A Bane?
We’re sure you have an idea of what bugs look like, even if you have never witnessed them. Bed bugs are oval-shaped, about the size of an apple seed with a brownish-red complexion. These bugs are flightless but can travel quickly. Bed bugs feed on human blood and that is why beds turn out to be their breeding ground. A female bed bug can lay upto 100 eggs in her lifetime. If a female bug finds solace in your bed, you’re in for a prickly ride. This is why we must always look out for these insects and make sure that they do not mess with our sleep cycle and health.
Bed bugs vary in size but typical bed bugs can be compared to the width of a credit card, which is scary. Their size makes it very easy for them to hide in corners or lodge themselves in the tiniest of places, away from our vision. Especially at night, it is very difficult to locate them, even if they are on the prowl. They are primarily found in groups, located on the mattress, in springs of the bed, and on the edges where it is easy for them to come back out and target a sleeping human easily. They can also be found in creases on the bed, loose wallpapers, bedside tables, clutters of objects, etc.
How To Identify Bugs In Your Mattress?
Look out for these signs and symptoms when looking for bed bugs in mattresses:
- You randomly keep finding dead or alive bugs,
- Unexplained blood stains on your sheets and pillows,
- Dark spots on your sheets and pillows (a sign of bug excreta)
- A weird, musty smell that covers your bed
- Shredded skin and small eggshells
- Itching around certain parts of your body that only get triggered when you go to sleep
If you’ve already Googled what a bed bug looks like, our condolences are with you. But don’t worry, it is not the end of the world. You do not need to throw your mattress away unless you were anyway planning on getting a new one. Preventative measures can be taken to make sure you don’t find yourself in this situation again.
Steps To Help Remove Bed Bugs From Your Mattress:
1. Linen Laundering:
Wash all your linens. Absolutely everything, pillow covers, bed sheets, pillows, and mattress. Washing them in hot or warm soapy water is highly recommended. Use rubber gloves to handle all your infected linens, put them in a garbage bag, and send them for a wash. Do not use your regular laundry basket since this can give them access back to your room or other places in the house.
2. Vacuum:
As soon as you send the sheets and covers for a wash, start vacuuming your bed. Do not use the bristles attachment since the bugs can hold onto them and hide. Use the hose attachment and make sure to get every crease and corner of your bedroom.
3. Take Your Bed Frame Apart:
If this is something you can do, get to it right away. Make sure to vacuum every corner and seal any cracks in your bed frame.
4. Insecticides:
Make sure you take professional advice before attempting this. Use an insecticide suitable for your mattress type and keep good ventilation in mind. Insecticides can kill bed bugs instantly, that is exactly what your exterminator would do.
5. Steam:
Steam your mattress at 120 degrees or higher. The heat can easily ride out the bed bugs.
Preventative Measures:
One can only pray that this situation does not show up again. That’s false. Here are a few other things you can do alongside praying, to keep bed bugs away:
- Don’t clutter your stuff and give them a place to hide
- Clean and dust corners and other places where bugs can hide
- Invest in mattress protectors. Silk, bamboo, Tencel, and cotton protectors can go a long way.
- Don’t buy second-hand furniture
- Keep a check on your bed if you have recently experienced a bed bug infestation
Keeping these points and tips in mind will only help you in the long run. We hope you sleep well and stay itch-free!
