It's not a sign of a dirty home if the bed bugs are in the house.Five-star hotels can have bed bugs.They can be a nuisance and should be dealt with quickly.You can learn how to identify a bed bug.
Step 1: It is a good idea to check your mattress for bugs.
Bedbugs prefer mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards.These are small insects that are red in color.They live in the blood of both humans and animals.You can see the edges of your mattress, sheets and pillowcases.If there is a bedbug problem, you will see a mass of small black bugs ranging from eggs to adults.The size of a pinhead is one of the differences between black and pearl white.Sometimes bedbugs do not mass together.Sometimes they are spread across the entire mattress.To check the edges of your mattress and sheets, use a magnifying glass.A flashlight can help illuminate a dim room.To use the light effectively, hold your flashlight 6 inches away from the mattress.Bedbugs do not fly, but they do move quickly along multiple surfaces, including ceilings, walls, and fabrics.A mosquito or fly is more likely to have wings than a bedbug.
Step 2: Blood spots are a sign of fecal waste on the mattress or sheets.
The bedbugs feed for about 10 minutes a day.Small blood spots can occur from fresh wounds or small spots from rolling onto an engorged bedbug.Their fecal matter looks like small black specks in the human eye.When the blood is released by the bedbugs, it dries up.The bedbug defecates where it originally ate.This is not limited to the edges of mattresses, bed spreads, and cracks in a headboard.If the excrement is spread out over a wide area, you might have to use a magnifying glass.To see if something kicks up or is embedded, Rub your hand over the surface area.It's a good idea to get near the area you think might have the pests.Put your hand near the area that could be affected.You should be able to detect a musty odor from the bedbug's scent glands if they have produced fecal matter.
Step 3: Egg shells and case skins can be found on the mattress.
Bedbugs mate, reproduce, and shed their skin.The production of hundreds of offspring can lead to the creation of a ton of waste products.Look at the edges of your mattress, the bed spread, and the cracks in your headboard.Take a look at if there are small, white larvae bunched together.Look for clear, tan, or dark brown excess skin in those places.You will want to use a magnifying glass to see if there are any problems because the larvae are small and the waste is likely to be clear.You can see if something has been lodged inward or embedded by running your hand over the surface.If there are any brown, black, or red marks on your bed, this could be the result of an insect being killed during the night.
Step 4: Take a look at your box spring.
These places are great places for bedbugs to live, retreat, and reproduce, because they are not primary feeding grounds.Cracks and crevices are perfect breeding grounds.The box spring has a dust cover over it.The wood framing has cracks and seams.To inspect the area, use a magnifying glass and flashlight.Look for black specks.The bed frame is stapled to the fabric.Underneath the surface area, look in the crevices.Bedbugs love to live and breed where wood frames meet, or where the wood has come to be split apart by age and maturation, so you will want to check there too.
Step 5: There is a lot of stuff around your bed.
Bedbugs like to hide in small crevices.Books, night stands, telephones, radios, and even electrical outlets can be included.You can flip through the books by opening them near your bed.Make sure there are no dark red or black specks in the pages.Lift up your telephones and radios.If you want to inspect the places where the wooden boards of your night stand are nailed together, use a magnifying glass and a flash light.Remove the electrical outlets.When you do that, make sure to cut the circuit breaker in the bedroom.You can use a flashlight to see if there are any remnants of the insects.
Step 6: Take a look at the edges of your carpet.
There are different types of flooring that are good places to hide from bugs.These are perfect for seclusion.Peel up the edge if you can do it.You can use a magnifying glass and a flash light.The floor boards have wood panels that meet the floor.
Step 7: Take a look at your closet and clothes.
Bedbugs like to live on the fabrics of shirts and pants if they have not been washed in a while.The easy access to your bed is provided by the closet.Look at your clothes in your closet.Rub the fabric of your hanging clothes with your hands.As you apply pressure, look for any dark black specks.You can put your clothes in a drawer.Rub the fabric with your hands.You can check the cracks and crevices with a flashlight and a magnifying glass.
Step 8: Take a look at your bedroom for loose wallpaper and peeling paint.
The area is a great place for bugs to live.They have easy access to your bed.If the bugs aren't obvious, peel back some of the paint and wallpaper.Use your magnifying glass to look for tiny white larvae.Black specks may pop out when you peel back the paint or wallpaper.
Step 9: If you see bite marks on your skin, it's time to check it.
Bedbugs feed on human flesh at night in order to get blood.These bite marks are not the same as mosquito bites.Take care of your feet in the mornings.The ankle/ feet area is the part most likely to be exposed at night.The marks could be anywhere on your body.You should notice if you see bite marks after you wake up.Compared to the mosquito, bedbugs bite in linear groups of three.Bedbug bites look like small red dots.The bites are painless at first.If you notice that they itch after a few days, they most likely are bed bugs.The swelling can last up to nine days.
Step 10: Call the pest control company.
Sometimes they are hard to find.It's a good idea to call your local exterminator who is trained in the field to come and inspect the house.You will be able to get an exact answer from him or her.
Step 11: Clean your bed linens.
This is the easiest way to get rid of the pests.The insects don't last long in extreme heat, so putting your sheets, pillow cases, and comforter in the washer can help.Put your linens in the washer.The water should be hot.Check to see if your bedding can be washed with hot water.Put them in the dryer at the highest temperature after they come out of the washer.It's possible to do the same with your clothes.You will need to be extra cautious with clothes, as they might shrink in both hot water and the extreme heat of the dryer.For items that can't be washed, put them in the dryer for 30 minutes.
Step 12: Protect your bed with a tight fabric.
Wrap your mattress and box spring with tightly woven fabric.There are cracks and crevices in the mattress and box spring.You can simply throw the fabric in the wash to get rid of the bugs.
Step 13: The cups should be around the feet of the bed.
Place the cups upright as if you were going to drink from them.The legs of your beds should be in one of the cups.The bugs can't get out of your closet or from your carpet onto your bed.
Step 14: There is a lot of stuff around the bed.
Clean up the area around your bed because it's a great place for bugs to hide.It will make your bedroom more sanitary by getting rid of hiding places.Put books far away from your bed or bookshelf.Clothes should be placed far away from your bed.Hang them in a closet or drawer.Make sure that your desk and nightstand are clean.Pick up garbage, cups, plates, utensils, napkins, and tissues.If you want to clean the surface, use a healthy cleaning spray or wipe it down with a damp cloth.
Step 15: You should vacuum the area around your bed frequently.
Bedbugs use the carpet as a way to move around.Make sure your vacuum is powerful enough to pick up embedded materials.There are vacuums with 4-chambers that are great for this job.It's a good idea to vacuum once a day or twice a week.You don't want to attract the bedbugs, and give them time to move about.
Step 16: Repairs cracks.
Bedbugs live in the cracks of furniture and bed posts.To fill in the cracks, use plaster, wood glue, or putty.
Step 17: Purchase a portable heating chamber for your bedroom.
These can be either handheld or upright.The heating chamber will kill them if they live in extreme temperatures.Put the upright heating chamber on the bedroom floor.The heat should be between 80 and 85 degrees.Shut the door to keep the heat in.If there is a fire in your room, be sure to check it out.You can use a handheld heating chamber.It will be very hot if you touch the heating chamber directly.You should clean the area of dead bugs after using either of these.Throw your linens in the washer after vacuuming the carpeting.
Step 18: Get rid of your furniture.
If the bedbugs have overwhelmed the situation, it is best to start over.Take your mattress away from your house.Take the mattress directly to the garbage dump if you leave it near the place where the trash men pick up garbage.Do the same with furniture that has been bitten by a bedbug.Secondhand furniture and mattresses are vulnerable to having bugs in them.If you have secondhand furniture, it's even more of a necessity to get rid of it.They are a breeding ground for more than one type of bug.
Step 19: Chemicals can be used on and around your bed.
Many name brand bedbug removal chemical agents are available at stores across the country.If you want a spray bottle form, find one that is safe to use.You can spray the chemical agent on the surface.Allow it to sit there for a while.It's possible to buy some chemicals which you can leave in a specific room to kill the bugs.After using the chemicals, wash the surface with a damp cloth or paper towel.The cloth will contain chemicals and dead bugs.
Step 20: Call a pest control company.
It might be better to call a professional instead of using chemicals.He or she will be able to provide a solution to the problem.
Step 21: Take care of your temporary housing.
Whether it be an apartment, dormitory, cruise ship, hotel, or homeless shelter, it is critical that you examine the space for any bugs.Five star hotels have been known to have bedbug problems.You will need a magnifying glass and a flashlight.It's a good idea to get up close and personal with your mattress, bedding, headboard, carpet, closets, and anything else you think might be related to the bed bug.Check for small, dark, oval shaped bugs, as well as little black marks and clear or yellowish bedbug shells.The tenant of your temporary home should be contacted if you find something suspicious.They will be able to bring in people who will clean the area.
Step 22: After a trip, inspect your luggage.
When you return home from a vacation, it's important to check your hotel, cruise ship, etc.Have you entered your luggage?If you use the magnifying glass and flashlight, you can see if there are any bugs.You can check your clothes by looking at the crease of the luggage where the fabric is sewn together.It's best to get rid of the bugs regardless of whether you find them or not.After you have taken your clothes out, spray down your luggage with a mild chemical agent.You can wipe the luggage down with a wet cloth or paper towel.
Step 23: You should wash your clothes frequently.
When you return from a vacation or retreat, put your clothes in the washer.Make sure the water is hot.Put them in the dryer at the highest setting.
Step 24: Work related facilities to be inspected.
Work can be a good place to live.They can stay in break room furniture, teachers' lounges, offices, and storage facilities.To check the furniture, use a magnifying glass and flashlight.The fabrics are sewn together.There is wood near the floor.Check to see if there are any cracks in the wall.These are places where they can hide.Look for black dots and clear bedbug shells.If you can, use a safe chemical agent to clean the area.Next, wipe the area with a wet cloth or paper towel.Inform the supervisors if you know of any bedbug problems.
Step 25: It's a good idea to educate the staff at your workplace.
It is important that your co-workers know what to look for.Let them know that it's important to look out for small, dark bugs.There are small dark marks which are bedbug feces.
Step 26: There should be a monitoring program at your workplace.
Each employee has a set time that they are supposed to check for bugs.This will make sure that the pests are being monitored.Ask your employees to let you know when they are free to check the lounge, office, furniture, etc.The list should be put into a block schedule.List everyone's times on a master schedule.Post the master schedule on the wall near the lounge area.This will remind the rest of the staff.
Step 27: There was cowardice amongst the staff.
There should be no hysteria over the office.Even in the most clean environments, these are not lethal insects.Make sure that your employees know what to look for.You shouldn't replace normal work activities with looking for bedbugs.
Step 28: Attach a to-go card to your purse or wallet.
If you want to find out what to look for in a bedbug, write it on a small sheet of paper or on the back of a business card.You can take this with you wherever you go, and always be prepared to look out for insects.