Have you discovered bed bugs in your bed? Or, compromising your sleep for a few days due to bed bug bites? Then removing those tiny bloodsuckers is the need of the hour. Their presence in your personal space is really daunting because they feed on your blood.
So, how do you get rid of them? Keep reading to discover.
Bed bugs are one of the most stubborn pests in the pest world. Their number increased along with the growing human population. They can survive without single blood for more than a month, besides due to their tiny and flattened body, they can hide in almost every possible place, including the smallest cracks and crevices.
First of all, if you discover bed bugs in your bed or couch or any other area, don’t panic! Just calm down! Make decisions wisely; otherwise, you may end up creating a mess.
How Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Bed bugs are tiny, reddish-brown pests. Around 4-5 cm long, due to their appearance, they sometimes are mistaken with ants or cockroaches. They feed on the blood of humans or other animals. They are mostly nocturnal but can bite you whenever you are available, and they feel hungry.
They cannot fly like roaches or other insects, but they can run really faster. They also reproduce faster than other pests, which is why if you have bed bugs, you have to be prompt regarding eradicating them from your place.
How do bed bug bites look?
Bed bug bites are small circular and appear in a cluster to the areas like your back, neck, hand, thighs, etc. those areas that keep touches your bedding material at the time of sleep. In most cases, you won’t feel their bite because while biting, they inject a small amount of anesthetic into your blood.
These bites tend to be itchy and swelling. If you have sensitive skin, you may feel extreme itchiness. Dermatologists always recommend not to itch the bite site to prevent the further urge of itching. Try to cut your nails short if it helps to suppress the urge.
Sometimes the bite site also feels warm while touching; under such conditions, try to apply ice to soothe the area. If the itchiness and scar don’t disappear naturally after a week, don’t forget to check with your dermatologist.
Do bed bugs spread harmful diseases?
According to reports, bed bugs do not spread harmful diseases like mosquitoes or cockroaches. But sometimes they may spread parasites of Chagas disease, though this is extremely rare. Under such disease, swelling and mild fever can happen to the victim.
Problems with bed bug bites
Though bed bugs don’t spread harmful diseases but their bite can be distressing. This is because they tend to bite during the night due to their nocturnal nature. But our biological clock is contradictory; if you have bed bugs, you may experience sleepless nights.
Those sleepless nights may cause serious health issues, which may result in insomnia. It can also result in serious medical conditions like heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, etc.
You can be in real trouble if you fail to realize their bites for a long time. This can happen due to less sensitive skin. Under such conditions, if you have bed bugs, you don’t realize their presence, which may lead to a larger infestation.
Bed Bug Inspection Tips
If you are tired of fighting with the bed bugs and determined to remove them, then before calling an exterminator, start inspecting their presence so that it will be easier for them to start the treatment. You have to do the same if you want to remove them on your own.
Start with the corners of the bed since they love to hide there. Bed bugs are smart; they like to be close to their food source (human) so that they feed and quickly hide back to their places. Thoroughly check the bed frames, cracks, and crevices, couches, carpets, etc.
If you are trying to find them in the day you need to carry a torch, as bed bugs don’t like natural light, they always like to hide within dark areas where light cannot enter easily.
Check your couch and carpet following the same procedure. You can take that furniture to an exposed area where there is enough sunlight so that it will be easier for you to find those tiny bloodsuckers.
If you think they might hide within cracks and crevices, seal them at your earliest. Don’t forget to check your closet as they may hide within your clothes. Bed bugs also like to hide within drawers and desks. Turn over your furniture to get a proper view.
Bed Bug Treatment Procedure
Tough it is hard to remove bed bugs from your house, but do you know bed bugs are sensitive to heat? They cannot tolerate heat above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. So instead of applying bed bug sprays or powders, you can go for heat treatment.
Ask your exterminator what can be best for your bed bug infestation. Be careful if you are going to perform the treatment on your own. You must be aware of the procedures regarding how to apply the heat on the infested furniture.
If you target belongings like mattresses or couches, make sure the materials are not sensitive to heat. The heat needs to be applied evenly on the target furniture; otherwise, bed bugs may reinfest later. You can go for heaters and steamers, which are effective in killing bed bugs. Keep a handy one (heater) if you are a traveler.
In case you are applying steam, remove heat-sensitive materials before starting the treatment. Do not throw your mattress or other belongings in case of large infestation as those can be treated as well.
After the heat treatment, try applying a bed bug spray with strong residual property, it will help to kill those bed bugs that might escape the heat treatment. Before purchasing any bed bug killing product, try to consult a professional exterminator, let them inspect the target area first.
If you are suffering any respiratory problems like asthma, then do not apply the sprays without proper instruction. Carefully read the user manual before applying any insecticide. If you have children and pets, try to keep them away while applying the sprays (or powders).
Preventing Bed Bug Infestation
Here we have highlighted some of the preventive measures which will help you keep the bed bugs away.
- Try not to purchase second-hand furniture as bed bugs may hide within the cracks and crevices and crevices of the furniture. If you have to buy second-hand furniture, make sure you treat them with heat and bed bug spray before taking them within your house.
- If you are a traveler, treat your belonging with steam or heat after coming back to your home.
- Try using bed bug traps, which will help you track the presence of bed bugs in case they enter your house.
- Use vacuum cleaner every day to keep a strict eye on your bedding materials for the presence of bed bugs.
- Do not overlook early signs of infestation like itching or red bite marks.
- Call an exterminator if you think you have bed bugs.
Do not jump on purchasing random bed bug killing products. Every product claim to be the best due to their marketing techniques, but most of them fail to perform in practice. So, consult with an exterminator before taking any constructive decision regarding killing bed bugs.
Author: Tanaya is a Senior Content Developer at PestTactics, who helped to build the content of the site along with several other sites with her compassionate SEO driven content. She is also a HubSpot, certified Content Marketer. She brings her five years of experience to her current role, where she is dedicated to developing the content of different websites.