Bed bugs are something that can wreak havoc in our lives. We can find them almost everywhere – at our homes and offices and even while traveling. Applying sunscreen or spraying bug repellent will not work.
Preventing the spread of bed bugs is not rocket science but you need to know basic things like how and where to spot them, some precautions and seeking professional help if matters get worse.
Let me walk you through these steps quickly.
Spot Bed Bugs Properly
Before searching for bed bugs around you, you must know how to identify them properly. You might likely confuse other insects with bed bugs. After all, there are plenty of them on this planet.
Talking about physical features, bed bugs are usually reddish-brown, flat, small, and oval-shaped. Typically the size of an apple seed, adults are roughly ¼ inch in length and have six legs and antennae. Baby bed bugs, also known as nymphs, are tiny, and not bigger than the size of a pinhead. Eggs are small, oval, white and are glued to surfaces. They typically resemble grains of sugar.
Stay on Alert. Always!
You might have done everything to eliminate bed bugs from your home or office, but that’s not enough. When traveling to outstations, you should make it a point to thoroughly check your hotel room while paying close attention to the bedroom. You will usually spot bed bugs on or near the mattress. So pull the covers back, and even the mattress pad. Avoid keeping your luggage and bags on the bed; keep them in the valet racks instead. This applies to the airport as well.
After returning from a trip, give the luggage a once-over before stepping into your home. Use a flashlight to search inside pockets and zippers. You can easily repel bed bugs by not allowing them to feel at home and making the environment inhospitable for them. Put your items to wash if they are washable or simply expose them to sunlight after unpacking. But whatever you do with your valuable accessories, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Else it will do you more damage than good.
Some Useful Tips for Your Home
Here are three things that can be done to protect your family from the pesky pests.
- Inspect every bed in your home, and don’t forget frames, mattresses, box springs, and linens.
- Protect mattresses and box springs with good quality bed covers that have zippers.
- Avoid buying second-hand furniture for your home. Used furniture can cause serious trouble if they originated from an infested place.
Professional Help is the Key
Never hesitate to engage professionals in clearing up the mess caused by bed bugs. You can do something from your end but not everything! The professionals have trained in handling heavily-infested surroundings and will ensure that you get to live in a pest-free environment. So follow the tips and tricks that you have just read and keep bed bugs away from your family, always.