Knowing the Signs of a Bed Bug Problem

Everyone’s heard of bed bugs, but they are typically hard pressed to tell you how their presence can be detected once they have arrived. That’s why it is so important to know your enemy at all times. A bed bug is usually very small, but when they are allowed to live inside of your house for lengthy periods of time, they can grow until they have reached the size of an apple seed.

Their coloration splits the difference between brown and red. They are parasitic pests and they require regular meals of human blood in order to survive over the long haul. While some people will immediately notice their bed bug bites, others do not, which allows them to remain inside of your home without any sort of detection.

Frequent Checks

Being aware and knowing what to look out for is crucial. While it may seem deceptively simple, the best tool at your disposal when it comes to maintaining order in your home is a flashlight. Bed bugs are more than happy to live up to their name and they will usually set up shop in and around your mattress. 

But don’t be content to simply give the mattress an occasional once over. You also need to check on the box springs of the bed, as well as the frame. The more thorough your investigations are, the better. Lift the mattress and check on the underside. Look through every nook and cranny, even the seams.

Bed bugs also love to migrate to other pieces of furniture inside of the home, as well. This is especially true of furniture that exists within close proximity to your bed, so start your search there and work your way through the house. Night stands are a common area, as well as any chairs that rest close to a bed.

Bed Bugs and Traveling

There are a few places where a person can become exposed to bed bugs. The most common way for a person to contract bed bugs is on vacation. When we travel to new and exotic locales, we do not always have our guard up and this causes bed bugs to make their way into our luggage, without our knowledge. 

All it takes is a few moments of unpacking for the infestation to make its way back home with you. To avoid these issues, be sure to keep your luggage elevated when you are staying in a different region. Do the aforementioned flashlight inspection with your hotel bed and the surrounding furniture. Don’t forget to check the luggage storage rack while you’re at it. 

Laundering your items with hot water and detergent can also help to eliminate the presence of bed bugs. Once you’ve laundered the items, place them in a sealed plastic bag to prevent further outbreaks. If you find signs of bed bugs, contact the hotel’s service staff, so that they can properly remove the threat for future guests.

Purchasing used furniture can also cause a bed bug outbreak in your home, as many people will attempt to throw out older pieces that have become infected. Used upholstered items and bedding items should be avoided at all costs and always purchased new.

Proper Removal

Should you decide to take a vacation, taking the proper precautions to clean your luggage is pivotal. While you can remove bed bugs by washing clothes in warm water and detergent, it is important to keep them sequestered from your clothes that are not potentially infected. 

Using a vacuum to clean your luggage, both inside and out, is helpful for keeping bed bug infestations at bay. Bed bugs love nothing more than to grab themselves a free ride home with you and spread throughout your home.

After the luggage has been cleaned and vacuumed, take a moment to empty any additional contents that need to be disposed of into a plastic bag. Be sure to throw the bag in an outdoor trash bin, so that bed bugs cannot meander back indoors.

Act Quickly

The moment that you see bed bugs in your home or a sign of a possible infestation, time is of the essence, so act fast. One of the worst mistakes that a homeowner can make is trying to remove them on their own. Bug bombs can often serve to irritate the bed bugs, causing them to spread out further and procreate at a more furious rate.

If you are renting your home, contact your landlord in an expeditious manner. Make them aware of what is going on and resist the urge to handle the problem on your own.

There are numerous ways for a homeowner to come into contact with bed bugs. But with the right amount of vigilance, mixed with the proper precautionary measures, can help to keep your home free of bed bugs. Should you notice an outbreak, it is time to contact a pest control professional as soon as possible. Any attempt to take care of the issue on your own can cause additional problems and is not advisable.

Bed Bugs can become a very serious pest problem.  Alliance Pest Services offers a variety of treatments to remove and eliminate all your Bed Bug problems.