Bed bugs initially may not appear like a big deal, but if left untreated, they can prove to be pretty harmful. It is essential to be cautious and careful with bed bugs because when will one multiply into a hundred is unknown. Many homeowners have complained against these bed bugs. But if you want to protect yourself from the trap of bed bugs, you must stay prepared.[1]
What are bed bugs?
Who doesn’t know bed bugs? But if you aren’t familiar with them, bed bugs are small oval pests that feed on human or animal blood. Although they are tiny, the adult bed bugs appear as if they are an apple seed. Since they feed on blood, the bed bugs appear reddish and are mostly swelled.
One of the biggest complaints homeowners have is that these bed bugs don’t move. Well, they don’t fly but can quickly run within your bedsheets, walls, and ceilings.[2] Moreover, it is very hard to spot the bed bug eggs because the females lay more than hundreds of them at a time, which look like dust.
These small bed bugs before becoming adults tend to shed off their skin at least five times. However, they need to feed on blood before shedding their skin. If one does not take care of it, the bed bugs may eventually grow within a month and develop generations in the coming years.
Initially, bed bugs weren’t considered to be harmful.[3] However, it is necessary to determine that these surely are. Although they cannot transmit any disease, they are going to make your bedroom a living hell. No one will want such a thing to happen with them.
Do bedbugs bite?
Has your house ever been infested with bedbugs? If not, you don’t know the pain. These bedbugs become active during night time and tend to bite people when they are sleeping. They pierce through the skin and start sucking out the blood.[4]
Their bite is so sharp and small, that one might not notice it immediately. Experts say that the bedbugs suck on the blood in the pierced area for 10 minutes and then move to another location.
The bedbug bites aren’t problematic, and they do not cause any pain. But, they can eventually become itchy wells, which is why you need to be careful with it. The bedbugs do not have a specific area for biting; they only attack the exposed area. Also, if proper cream and ointment aren’t applied, the bedbug bites can turn red.[5]
Most people are unaware of the infestation of bedbugs in their houses. Thus, it is this reason that they shed away the bedbug bites as mosquitoes. People who have bedbugs in their houses are very much prone to itching. Since they are so small, it is often hard to notice these. But there is no other option than manual search to determine whether bedbugs infest your house or not.
Can I know if my house is infested or not?
One of the common complaints of the homeowners has been how they will know if bedbugs infest the house or not. Well, bedbug infestation comes with certain signs that are easy to locate.
If you have been noticing itching around your body mostly during the night, it is one significant sign that you have bedbugs. However, it is always advised to avoid using used beds or any other furniture that was once infested with bedbugs.[6]
But, some of the most common signs of a bedbug infestation include the following.
- Bloodstain on your pillowcases and bed sheet
- Dark or rust-like spots on your bed sheet, mattress, and walls that may potentially look like excrements of the bugs
- Signs of fecal matter on the bed sheet or bug skin lying around
One of the most significant signs to spot bedbug infestation in your house is the odor. The presence of the bugs can make your house smell like a must. This is usually the secretion from the glands of the bugs.[7]
If you notice any of these signs, you need to ensure that you check your bed properly. As the name suggests, bed bugs tend to infest beds the most. It is for this reason, checking your bed is the easiest thing to do. Also, if you find any such excrements or skin, you need to ensure thorough cleaning of the space.
Apart from the bed, these bugs can be found around walls and corners. Thus, you must check it properly. These bedbugs can infest your closet and destroy all your clothing. Therefore, you need to ensure that you keep your closet clean as well.
Most people prefer reaching out to an exterminator to find out the bedbug infestation. It is necessary to start from the bottom and take preventive measures to avoid bedbugs from returning.[8]
How to remove bedbugs?
Hygiene is the key to removing bedbugs. Since bedbugs are found around corners, it is essential to clean up space where they live. Some of the prominent spaces that you should be cleaning up on a thorough basis include the following.[9]
Clean the bed linings, curtains in hot water, and use the highest dryer setting to dry it. You need to soak these in warm water for at least 30 minutes to ensure the bugs are removed.
You may either reach out to the professionals to clean the mattresses or do it on your own by using a stiff brush.[10] This ensures that not only the bug but the eggs of the bug is removed as well.
You won’t need blankets in summer. Also, if you are planning to keep away your mattresses, you need to ensure that you put them up in a tight zipper cover to avoid the bedbugs from escaping. Bed Bugs can live for years without eating.[11] As soon as you notice bedbugs infestation around your mattresses, make sure to cover it up for a year so that the bugs die.
Killing the bedbugs isn’t as easy as it sounds, but at the same time, it isn’t impossible. You need to keep your house clutter-free to ensure the best. You must clean the spaces properly to avoid the bugs from further infesting your space.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255965/
[2] Anders D, Bröker E-B, Hamm H. 2010. Cimex lectularius—an unwelcome train attendant. Eur. J. Dermatol. 20: 239–240 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538128/
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[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3060893/
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[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5007277/
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[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3320350/
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