A good night’s sleep works to support your brain and physical health. So when critters are in your sleep sanctuary, it can be not only frustrating but detrimental—especially when those critters are bed bugs.
There are ways to get rid of them but there are better ways to effectively exterminate them that have the added benefit of preventing them from coming back.
How to Identify Bed Bugs
To know what to do, it is important to first recognize the problem in the first place. Here are the signs of bed bugs:
1. Size and Shape
Adult bed bugs are the same size, shape, and color as apple seeds, whereas young bed bugs are straw-colored and the size of the “L” in “LIBERTY” on a penny. You can see eggs, nymphs, and adult bed bugs with the naked eye.
2. Small Itchy Bites on the Skin
If you wake up feeling like your body has been mildly attacked, beware. When your skin is exposed while you sleep, the bite marks that bed bugs leave typically will be small and itchy.
3. Blood Stains and Spots on Sheets/Pillows
Upon further inspection of your sheets or pillows, you may notice blood spots. This results from when the bugs are crushed after feeding, leaving behind a red or rusty-brown stain.
4. Musty Odor
Bed bugs are often accompanied by a sweetish, berry scent alongside the musty scent they leave behind in large groups.
5. Bed Bug Fecal Spots and Dead Skin Flakes
In some cases, bed bug fecal spots (dark spots) or shed exoskeletons and eggs may also be evident—don’t confuse this with the dark spots found on your sheets and pillows.
Bug-Free Routes to Take
Perhaps the signs that you have bedbugs in your midst are there, but you don’t know what to do next. Here are a few options that can help:
1. Get a Pest Control Professional to Kill and Eradicate Bed Bugs and Eggs
The most effective way to get rid of an infestation is by hiring a bed bug control professional. The treatments available include sprays, which are sprayed in cracks and crevices, and heat treatments that use high temperatures to kill off the bugs. Bed bug control is a surefire way of making sure they stay away for good.
2. Thoroughly Wash Linens/Pillows/Bedding
Laundering these soft items on the hottest setting possible is a great way to get rid of any existing bedbugs. It’s critical that you dry the items on the highest heat settings as well in order to ensure that the bugs don’t survive.
3. Vacuum Mattress/Box Spring and Carpeting
If your vacuum has a beater bar attachment, it can help to get rid of eggs and other debris from the mattress, box spring, or flooring. It’s important to be extremely thorough with all your vacuum attachments to clean your floors, mattress, and box spring.
4. Put a Strong, Zippered Cover on the Mattress and Box Spring
A strong, zippered cover can help to keep any existing bugs from escaping or new ones from entering your mattress or box spring. No way in, no way out.
Say Bye to Bugs with Terminix Bed Bug Control
The bed bug elimination process is not only daunting but gross to many. Letting bed bug control experts handle it for you means your safety, peace of mind, and a better night’s sleep. Terminix has the experience to help you get rid of bed bugs quickly and effectively. If you suspect signs of bedbugs, it is important to take action right away before they become an even bigger problem.
Don’t let bed bugs keep you up at night. Ensure you and your family sleep soundly with the help of Terminix bed bug control services.