BAD NEWS FOR BED BUGS
How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can sneak in on almost everything. The flat shape of their bodies make it possible for them to fit the spaces as thin as a credit card. They often come in on luggage, clothing, or used furniture, but they gravitate towards furniture when they move in to your home to be close to their favorite meal, which unfortunately, is you and your family.
People often first suspect they have a bed bug infestation as result of waking up with itchy red spots. Unlike flea bites which are typically located around the ankles, bed bug bites most often appear on any area of the body that is exposed when sleeping. Some people may assume these marks are from mosquitoes, but it's best to check early to be sure it's mosquitoes and not a bed bug infestation
When inspecting your mattress and other furniture, look for rust colored dark spots (fecal stains), egg cases, and shed skins in the crevices and cracks on or near your bed, including nearby books or even in outlets near the bed.
If you suspect that you have bed bugs, the first places to check are your mattress and box spring:
At ANY sign of a possible infestation, call Victoria's Pest Control right away. (908) 572-0911
A female bed bug can cause an infestation of more than 5,000 bed bugs within a 6 month period.
Bed Bugs are Hazardous to Your Health
While bed bugs are not known to cause or transmit any diseases, they create a very unsanitary environment, which, according to the EPA can result in a host of mental health impacts including anxiety, insomnia and systemic reactions.
Allergic reactions to bites can sometimes be severe and range from very little reaction to, in rare cases anaphylaxis, and those bites can also result in secondary infections, especially as the hygiene of the environment declines.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs
One of the most common sources of bed bug infestation are second-hand furniture. Even sitting down for a minute on a second hand couch at a yard sale, thrift store or flea market could transfer a pregnant female to your clothing and make its way home with you.
Most thrift store workers are trained to look for signs of bed bugs, however, if that individual responsible for inspection is distracted that day and not thorough in their inspection, it's essential that you are. Don't get cozy with any furniture that you haven't inspected for signs of bed bugs.
Equally common, is bed bug infestation caused by travel. Hotels, motels, trains, buses, and subways are all areas where bed bugs can fall off of one human and find it's way to another. These pests require a food source to stay alive, so they will always gravitate towards people, even though they've been reported to have a lifespan of up to a year without a food source.
When staying in a hotel or motel, perform a thorough inspection of the mattress and any other furniture. Peal back the sheets, look in the crevices. You may also want to inspect the outlets nearest the bed as bed bugs may gravitate towards those openings. Cloth curtains should also be checked.
Exercise caution in shared laundry facilities. If you have an active infestation, transport your belongings in a plastic bag. Use dryers at high heat to help kill any bed bugs and transfer them directly into a plastic bag to be folded at home. When an option, use well lit laundry facilities with white or light surfaces. It can be easier to spot someone else's hitchikers and avoid them. Folding your laundry at home to prevent gathering hitchhikers is a good idea.
If you live in a multi-unit building, and you or a neighbor has bed bugs, you should seal crevices, cracks and openings especially around vents, baseboards and electrical outlets to isolate your unit from others. A doorsweep can be installed at the bottom of your door as well. Remember, if you give your bed bugs to a neighbor, they might give them right back to you after you've mitigated the infestation, so exercise extreme caution if you suspect an infestation.
If your unit or a unit near yours has an infestation, be sure to reduce clutter in your home and vacuum frequently.
At ANY sign of a possible infestation, call Victoria's Pest Control right away. (908) 572-0911
Bed Bug infestations do not resolve on their own.
GET RID OF BED BUGS
Bed Bug Extermination requires application of chemical pesticides by a Pest Control Expert as well as extensive cleaning and effort by the homeowner in order to be effective.
First, washing bedding, clothing and curtains is essential. Wash all linens and clothing in warm water and then dry on the highest heat setting for at least 30 minutes. The heat will help kill the bed bugs. For items that can't be safely washed such as stuffed animals and purses, place them in the dryer for 30 minutes on high.
Keep all non-essential items sealed in bags while the bed bugs are being addressed, and continue washing your wardrobe and other essential items frequently.
Before vacuuming your mattress and box spring, brush all of the bed bug debris and eggs off. Wrap both in bed bug safe plastic bags and vacuum around your beds and furniture often.
Vacuum bags/canisters should be immediately empties and disposed of in a plastic bag after the vacuum is run. Bed Bugs can live for up to a year without a meal, so if you plan on keeping your mattress and box spring, you'll have to keep the covers on for at least a year.
If you plan on replacing your mattress and boxspring, you'll want to wait until the infestation is completely cleared.
The sooner you call for professional extermination, the easier the cleanup process will be.