Bed bugs are not to be ignored. They can be hard to treat and can ruin furniture all throughout your house. Depending on the circumstances they can be hard to detect as well. Here are 4 signs of bed bugs in your home.
This sign doesn’t show up on everyone so don’t just look for red, itchy bites. Sometimes bed bug bites don’t show up on people or they aren’t noticed. Bed bug bites differ from other insect bites by how close together they are. They usually appear in a zig-zag pattern, straight rows, or in small clusters. They are itchy and can be very annoying. If scratched they can bleed and cause infections.
- Dots of Blood or Fecal Matter
If the bed bugs are biting then small red blood dots will show up on your sheets or pillow. They will also small dots of fecal matter. Bed bugs are tiny, so their fecal matter is tiny as well. The blood and fecal matter dots will usually have a small smear to them.
A strong musty smell, similar to a wet towel, could be a sign of bed bugs. Bed bugs release pheromones, so if there are a lot of them, the smell can be strong.
Bed bugs have an exoskeleton so they shed their outer layer. If you find something that resembles a bed bug but with nothing inside it, a further inspection of the area may be necessary to see if you find more.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Once you’ve confirmed that there are bed bugs in your home you should not waste any time in getting rid of them. Female bed bugs can lays hundreds of eggs at once. Follow these steps.
- Clean bedding, curtains, clothing in hot water and dry them on the highest dryer setting. Put shoes, stuffed animals and other items that can’t be washed in the dryer for 30 minutes on high.
- Use a stiff brush to scrub your mattress and mattress seams. This will remove bed bugs from their eggs.
- Vaccuum your bed and the surrounding areas. Once you’ve finished vacuuming, remove the vacuum bag and put it in an outdoor trash can.
- Place a zipper cover around your mattress and box spring. It needs to be tight enough to prevent bed bugs from entering or escaping. This has to be kept on your mattress for a year in order to kill all the bed bugs. If it is too far gone then get rid of your mattress.
- It may be necessary to hire a professional to do a chemical treatment of your home to ensure that all the bed bugs are gone.
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