Bed bugs are insects that live in furniture and live off human blood. Unlike other parasites like ticks or fleas, bed bugs don’t spread disease. They can cause discomfort and sleepless nights. Their bites are also itchy and too much scratching can break skin and lead to other infections. These include impetigo which is a bacterial skin infection, and lymphangitis which is a complication that arises from infection of lymph vessels. Some people can also develop allergies to bed bug bites. Health: Different Causes Of Itchy Skin
Bed bugs can travel through furniture, clothes, boxes, luggage, and bedding. They crawl fast but can’t fly. They can also move between rooms, and flats, and live in clean or dirty environments. However, they aren’t like roaches which frequent houses where food is left out. Bed bugs only require a warm environment and holes to hide in.
How can you avoid bringing bed bugs into your home?
1. When travelling, inspect bedding
When going to motels, hotels, Airbnb, or even visiting relatives, check the bedding and upholstery. Even if there may not be visible bedbugs, there may be black-brown stains. Ensure you lift the mattress and inspect every corner of the bed. Check the cushions of the room and lift them up. If you find any stains, find a different place to stay. In a hotel, ask to be moved to a different room if there is no time to find different accommodation. When visiting relatives, find a clean hotel or plan to leave as soon as possible.
Also check for excrement which looks like black flecks, dried blood spots, shell of an insect within the bedding and furniture.
How To Inspect, Spot And Get Rid Of Bedbugs
2. Smell the room
A room infested with bedbugs will have a sickly-sweet smell. Bed bugs secrete pheromones to communicate with each other. This smell is noticeable when the bed bug infestation is heavy.
3. Store your luggage safely
Sometimes there may be no signs of bed bugs but there is still a small risk. To ensure you don’t transfer any bugs, store your suitcase on top of the dresser or use a luggage rack to make it difficult for the bed bugs to reach them. Don’t unpack your clothes and spread them around the room. You can also store your luggage in the bathtub.
4. Inspect your belongings
If you notice bed bugs after leaving that the room has bed bugs, you can still ensure you don’t carry them home or on the bus. Inspect all your belongings for signs of bedbugs. Check your hair, clothes, purse, wallet, shoes, or jackets. If your bags have nooks or tears, ensure you inspect the lining as well. You can use a lint roller to check your belongings for any specks, eggs, and shells.
5. Wash thoroughly
Wash all the clothes you travelled with using hot water. If the fabrics can’t be put in hot water, try to use lukewarm water with extra clothes. Wash even clothes that weren’t used. If you decide to dispose of the clothes, seal them in a plastic bag and store them somewhere extremely hot or cold first. Dry your clothes in direct sunlight. If you have a dryer, use the hottest setting. You can also use a steamer or iron after the clothes dry to kill lingering bed bugs and their eggs.
6. Inspect new furniture
A common way bed bugs get into your home is through buying second-hand furniture and bedding. Ensure you inspect the items before having them brought into your home. It may be impossible to smell them or see them scurrying around because bed bugs can survive without feeding for up to a year. If you have to use second-hand furniture, clean it with extremely hot water and pesticide treatment to help get rid of any bugs and eggs. When they’re dry, subject them to heat again to get rid of bugs.
Here are tips to get rid of bed bugs
How To Inspect, Spot And Get Rid Of Bedbugs
6 Natural Remedies For Household Pest Control
Lifestyle: 9 Common Bedding Mistakes To Avoid
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