Bed Bugs are tiny wingless parasites found all over the world. They feed on human blood. Bed Bugs hide in bedding and mattresses. Their painless bites become itchy and swell into reddened spots. Their presence is stressful and annoying.
Bed bugs are little creatures that cause awful infestations at homes. They transfer from one place to another by clinging to the clothes or luggage. Having bed bug infestation does not mean that your home is dirty and shabby; it simply means you or your belongings came in contact with an infected area.
Causes and Precautions
Traveling is a primary cause of bed bug infestations. Places like hotels and motels are the exclusive spots for picking up bed bugs. These bugs can find a way into your luggage if you put it on the bed or closet in these places. Bed bugs hide in the seams of the mattresses, bedding such as sheets and blankets, beneath loose edges of wallpaper, between the cracks of wooden floors, and wall cracks or crevices. Moreover, they can be found in carpets and seams, and cracks. They ride on infested items, including furniture, suitcases, clothing, purses, and backpacks.
Avoid buying used furniture, which is another cause of pest infestation. You may not know if that piece of furniture already has some bed bugs. Use a flashlight and look carefully at the edges, seams, or possible cracks for bed bugs.
Bed bugs come into your homes via schools, colleges, and daycare centers. Since these bugs transfer so easily through clothes and other materials, your kids can bring them from school or when they come during a college break. They can survive pesticides too, by moving away from sprayed areas and finding new places to live.
Is The Bite Poisonous?
Bed bug bites are not severe; the bites clear up on their own in a week. If a bed bug bites a person, they can apply a clean, damp cloth to the affected area to prevent itchiness and swelling. Do not scratch the bites; you might get an infection.
- Prevention is the best way to try to stop these tiny infestations. Clean your home every day. Wash the bed sheets once a week and dry them in a dryer. Vacuum the carpets and cushions regularly and keep the rooms clutter-free.
- When traveling, check the bottom seams and folds of the bed before using them. Clean all the luggage with alcohol after coming back from traveling. Wash all your clothes thoroughly.
- Please get rid of unused things like old magazines and newspapers; a cluttered home is a perfect space for bed bugs to hide and lay eggs. Dark crevices provide a great place to hide.
- Check for any cracks or crevices and seal them. Make sure that the wallpaper is not loose and repair any damage. Bed bugs can hide in cardboard. Do not keep clothing and accessories on the floor. Throw away any unused items you no longer need.
- Clean the pillowcases, sheets, and mattress cover and wash everything in hot water. Dry the items on high heat. If you expose bed bugs to excessive heat, they will surely die. So iron or steam-clean all the clothes and bed linens.
Bed bugs are unwanted and the sooner you identify them, the quicker you get a resolution. Call a reputed exterminator in San Antonio today.