Battling Bed Bugs
Most of us are quite picky about who and what we share our beds with. Unfortunately, there are a number of bugs and pests out there that we don’t really notice because they are good at hiding. Bed bugs are one lot of bugs that not only give people the creeps, but are also a health hazard.
Forget the vampires
When it comes to blood suckers, we all know that we don’t have to worry about vampires. Bed bugs are much more efficient blood suckers and they don’t generally leave the tell-tale bite marks that vampires do.
Many people are allergic to bed bug bites but are unaware of this. Rashes are the most common symptom and many sufferers endure endless trips to doctors and many different remedies before the cause of the problem is properly established.
The rashes generally don’t respond properly to normal treatment – the only real “cure” is to get rid of the bed bugs – and this can be very stressful to sufferers as it can seem that nothing is working.
Bed bugs are also quite difficult to spot – after all, they hide out in the creases of the mattress and in the bed linen itself. They generally come out to feed at night and so you usually don’t see them unless you are actually looking for them.
Mobile bed bugs
It is scary how simple it is to pick up bed bugs – you could be staying at a hotel or friend's house and they could just hop into your luggage. They can go for long periods without eating so they are pretty hardy.
Because they are so tiny, they often go unnoticed and travel easily between locations. Once they find a nice, comfortable environment – beds, couches, etc. – they breed quickly and easily and become a problem in no time flat.
Finding bed bugs
Fortunately, it can be fairly easy to find them if you know what to look for – look in the creases of your mattresses, on both sides and creases in the furniture. You will generally find marks left by their excrement during your informal pest inspection.
Getting rid of bed bugs
Some facts: bed bugs have increased in appearance in Australia since the 50s by more than 8000%. Yes that's right, an amazingly scary number.
There is a Bed Bug code that needs to be adhered to so definitely call the pest professionals at Pest'a La Vista.
We need to try and seal off any affected areas and treat them. If at all possible, affected clothing and bed sheets should be washed and dried in more then 60°C to kill off any bed bugs and their eggs.
This is not practical when it comes to furniture, however, so we will need to treat the affected areas and rooms. You should make sure that you expose as much of the furniture’s surface area as possible before treatment. Air out all rooms and furniture thoroughly once the treatment is completed.
The best defence against bed bugs is vigilance. Make sure to turn your mattresses and air them frequently. Get the vacuum cleaner into the creases every once in a while to make doubly sure there are no bed bugs.
Bed bugs are easily prevented if you are careful about keeping your home clean. More information.