It wasn’t that long ago that bedbugs were creatures only found in nursery rhymes. Unfortunately, this pest is back in force, especially in areas that are densely populated. Places like New York, Washington, DC and San Francisco are dealing with all out infestations. What’s worse is that your own personal cleanliness has little to nothing to do with keeping these pests at bay. Here are a few helpful tips you can follow to keep bed bugs out of your home for good.
First off, it is important that you are able to identify what a bed bug looks like. There are a lot of different bugs found in the home. Many are harmless, while others require a call to your exterminator. A bed bug can be found just about anywhere in your home. The insects are reddish-black and have flat backs that are often the size of an apple seed. If a bug has recently fed, the back will be roundish. It is extremely important that if you find one and positively identify it, you call a pest control professional right away. Do not wait, do not discard the bug and hope you don’t find anymore. The easiest way to rid your home of bedbugs is to treat your home early on.
There are many different ways a bedbug can get into your home. The most common is on your clothes or on a piece of luggage that you recently used in a hotel room. Hotels are the number one spot most people get bugs. Always check the mattress at the hotel you are staying at for bugs. Pick up the mattress and check the space between the mattress and box spring. You’ll also want to check the ribbon around the edge of the mattress for dark spots.
Bed bug control will also look for cracks in your walls or for spaces between apartments or condos. These spaces and cracks make for the perfect passageway for bugs to go from room to room or from apartment to apartment. This is what pest control professionals mean when they say that it doesn’t really matter how clean you keep your apartment. If your neighbor doesn’t keep a clean living space, that can affect you. If you have an outdoor cat or dog, there is also a chance they could be tracked in or brought in like a tick or flea. This method is more uncommon but it has happened.
Finally, bed bug control experts say that bugs tend to congregate where it is warm. Ironically, bed bugs have a very low tolerance for heat, which is why it is important to dry your clothing on high heat. That temperature will kill bugs and eggs dead before they have a chance to make things worse. If you think you’ve been bitten, check to see if your bites line up in a row. If they do, begin the bedbug hunt.
Bed bugs don’t have to be the guest that never leaves. Keep a vigilant eye and you will keep your home pest free.