After a long day at work, there is nothing more important to us than a good night’s sleep. Sleep is important for us to be productive throughout the day, and lack of it can have serious consequences to our personal and professional lives. Regardless of how comfortable your bed is, there is no way you can sleep soundly on a bed full of bed bugs. Furthermore, since bed bugs are barely visible to the naked eye, it becomes very difficult to completely remove them.
Following steps you can take to exterminate bed bugs from your house:
1. Remove clutter from your home
One of the first things you must do to prevent bed bug infestation is cut down on clutter in your household. Remove any items that you no longer use. Remember, if you have items cluttered together, you are less likely to keep away infestations. You should start by removing clutter along your bedroom walls. This is due to the fact that clutter along walls create the perfect hiding spot for bedbugs. You can either donate, recycle or dispose cluttered items. If you don’t want to give up on your items, then you can organize them and store them properly as long as these items aren’t already infested.
2. Block power outlets when not used
Bed bugs are already quite invisible to the eyes. To top that off, they tend to hide quickly between small gaps and cracks. Power outlets are one common place where bed bugs often take refuge. You should use power outlet covers to block off power outlets, and prevent bedbugs from hiding there. Bed bugs can also use power outlets to travel in other rooms of your house. This alone makes the use of power outlet covers very important.
3. Use vacuum-sealed bags to store clothes
Hotels are notorious for bed bug infestations. This is why people sometimes bring bed bugs to their homes while travelling. In order to avoid this problem, you can try carrying clothes in air tight vacuum-sealed bags. Your clothes can easily be kept away from bed bugs and other types of pests this way. In order to remove the air from the bag, all you have to do is use a vacuum cleaner to siphon the trapped air out. Moreover, these bags let you store sweaters and blankets easily for future usage.
4. Purchase second hand furniture carefully
Buying second hand furniture can be economical, but they do pose other types of risks. For example, bed bug infestation is one of the common type of problem you might face when you purchase a sofa or bed used by a previous owner. Therefore, you should inspect second hand furniture properly before you purchase them from the thrift shop. Don’t forget to wipe off the furniture with soapy water and vacuum them after you take them home.
5. Wash and heat-dry your bed sheets and blankets
It is important to regularly wash your bed sheets and blankets to prevent bed bugs from repeatedly reappearing. After you wash them, apply heat to dry them to effectively eliminate any bed bugs present on them.
6. Call an exterminator
You can take this step when none of the other methods for eliminating bed bugs were effective. Since bed bug treatment is difficult on its own, sometimes it’s wiser to enlist the help of an expert. Only pest control service providers know the exact methods that need to be implemented to effectively remove bed bugs from your home once and for all. On top of that, only exterminators know how to safely use proper equipment to get rid of bed bugs. Some of the chemicals used to kill bed bugs may be dangerous for you to use on your own.
7. Vacuum carpets and other household items
Vacuum cleaners are probably the safest and most effective tool at your disposal to fight against bed bugs. You should regularly vacuum your carpets, drapes, and mattresses to keep your house bed bug free. However, the removal of the vacuum bag can be a bit tricky. Once you remove the vacuum bag, remember to place and seal it in a separate trash bag before disposing it off. You should also dispose it in an outdoor garbage can, and not inside your home.
8. Watch out for bed bug signs
Since bed bugs are quite difficult to observe on your own, you should keep an eye out for bed bug bite marks on your skin. They are distinct from other types of bite marks because they leave out itchy red marks, often appearing in rows. If you are able to pinpoint these bite marks early, you will be able to take measures against bed bugs.
9. Keep a check on your pet’s bed as well
When it comes to bed bug problems, pet owners have it worst. Not only do they have to keep an eye on their own beds for bed bug infestation, but on the beds of their pets as well. Bed bugs are always on the lookout for warm areas where they can lay eggs and feed. Just like normal beds, pet beds are also a perfect target for them just for this purpose. If you own a pet, then you must regularly wash and heat-dry your pet’s bed to keep away bed bugs.
10. Use safe covers to prevent mattress from being infested
One good step that you can take to prevent your mattress from being infested is using a mattress safe cover. This does not guarantee prevention of bed bug infestation, but your mattress will remain protected. These safe covers are made in a way so that they remain impervious to tears and folds.
Resorting to any of the above listed methods should help you tackle bed bug infestation. However, even after you have dealt with such an issue, you should always maintain a clean home. You must always use your vacuum cleaner to vacuum all your furniture. This is the only way you can prevent bed bugs from reappearing.
