3 Tips To Prevent Bed Bugs
You might have seen them crawling around corners of your house, or you’ve been waking up with itchy red bite marks. Chances are, there are bed bugs in your home.
Contrary to its name, these parasites are not found exclusively on beds. They make a home for themselves in furniture, dark cupboards, an old shoe box, or even within your walls –
Anywhere that is dark, unkempt, and forgotten can house bed bugs.
Widely considered a pest for their significant public health importance, these blood-sucking parasites are known to carry disease and, with certainty, your inconvenience.
Arguably skilled hitchhikers, these wingless bugs are adept at moving from one location to another by simply settling onto clothes, bags, or other personal items, especially those made of fabric.
Found in populated places where people move in and out a lot, bed bug infestation is an epidemic in cities all over the world. Stealth and rapidly reproducing, these tiny bugs have cost people thousands and a lot of headaches.
3 Tips To Prevent Bed Bugs
Clean and Declutter
Bed bugs will infest any space, but a messy and cluttered home provides them a better opportunity to survive. Empty boxes, worn-out books or magazines, unused toys, or broken appliances could be the perfect place for bed bugs to hide and breed. A clean and decluttered home lessens the likelihood of their survival.
Steam-clean and Vacuum
Bed bugs have zero tolerance to heat. That’s why it is effective to wash your clothes and other items in the highest heat setting. Tumble dry them, and if possible, leave them under the sun to ensure that every one of the bed bugs or their eggs is killed.
While the heat from a steamer dehydrates and kills bed bugs, a vacuum aids in sucking out bed bugs and their eggs from the floors, upholstery, and other hard-to-reach places. It is a surefire way to prevent them from escaping, sealing them in a bag, and then throwing it in the trash outside.
For furniture or mattresses that are infested, use a bug-proof cover called an “encasement” to trap the bugs. Since bed bugs can last for months without eating, keep the encasement on for a full year, checking for tears or holes.
Freezing
Items that cannot be washed like trinkets, home decor, and such can be placed in a plastic bag and placing them in the freezer. Extremely cold temperatures can also kill bed bugs.
Talk To A Professional
Despite the at-home ways we can do to prevent a bed bug infestation, these do not guarantee the complete elimination of these pests. The likelihood of these parasites still hiding in the recesses of your home is high.
To ensure that bed bugs are completely eliminated from your home, talk to a seasoned professional from a firm with a solid reputation. They can help you identify, access, and treat your bed bug problems.
Remember: Prevention is always better than cure.
