Bed bugs are tiny pests that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They can enter your home through cracks, crevices, old furniture, travel bags, etc. Even if you keep your home thoroughly clean, bed bugs can still infest your home. It is important to know the signs of bed bug infestation so that you can take immediate action to eliminate them from the house. Here, in this article, we will discuss several warning signs of bed bug infestation in the house and tips to prevent them.
Signs that You Have Bed Bugs in the House
Though bed bugs are hard to detect, various signs indicate their presence in the house. Here are some warning signs that show that your home is infested by bed bugs.
Bite Marks
Bed bugs mostly bite at night when their host is asleep and unaware. Multiple bed bugs can feed at this junction, it can result in lines or clusters of bites. These bites are red accompanied by itching and bumps. If you see bites in linear form, especially in the exposed body parts, then it is a sure sign that there are bed bugs in your house. Though bed bugs do not transmit diseases, they can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Blood Spots on Sheets and Blankets
Unusual red or rust-colored stains on bedsheets, clothing, and pillows are also a sure sign of bed bug infestation in the house. After a bed bug is filled with blood, it resembles a tiny football. You may unknowingly crush bed bugs when you move or shift your body in sleep. Though they may not get killed after getting crushed, some of the blood will leak outside and cause stains on the mattresses and bed sheets.
Bed Bug Eggs
If you see a yellowish-brown, translucent shed, it is an obvious sign of bed bug infestation in the house. They are easier to find than bed bugs itself. They can be found anywhere where bed bugs feed and hatch. Check seams of mattresses, upholstered furniture, and holes, cracks, and crevices within wooden furniture.
Sweet, Musty Odor
A severe bed bug infestation can smell like rust, wet towels, and moldy laundry. If you notice an unusual, musty odor in your house and it tends to grow over time as the infestation worsens, it is a sure sign of bed bug infestation in the house.
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Bed Bug Droppings
Tiny, dark brown or black spots about the size of a pen tip are also a sign of bed bugs thriving in your house. These are bed bug droppings which consist of digested human blood. Bed bugs fecal spotting can occur anywhere on pajamas, mattresses, and sheets. It is difficult to wash out fecal marks on fabrics.
Live Bed Bugs
If you see small, reddish-brown insects around the size of a flaxseed. They are mostly found in tight cracks and crevices. Normally, bed bugs don’t like to wander around unless they like to feed. Bed bugs are nocturnal pests and you can see live bed bugs in the night.
Tips to Prevent Bed Bugs in the House
- Wash and dry heat bed covers sheets, and other clothing that touches the floor. Bed bugs and their eggs can hide in laundry containers and you must clean them once you have done the laundry.
- Clean up the clutter in the house as bed bugs like to hide in dark and secluded areas. Use special bed bug covers for your mattress so that they do not access them. Be sure to buy products that are effective in preventing bed bugs.
- Take special care while traveling. Inspect your hotel room for bed bug infestation. Keep your luggage elevated from the floor. When you come back to your home after travel, try to empty your bag in the lawn or garden, safely wash the luggage bags, and dry them in proper heat.
- Vacuum the carpets, sofa, and other furniture of the house to remove any potential bed bugs in the them. Empty the canister in a sealed bag outside the house. Make sure to not touch them with your hands. This should be done at regular intervals.
- Bed bugs are good hitchhikers. If you are disposing of an infested mattress or furniture, destroy it in some way so that others do not pick it. Do not pass the infestation to others.
- You can also apply heat treatment or freeze treatment to get rid of bed bugs in the house. However, this treatment requires Bed Bug control
- Hire a professional bed bug removal company as it is difficult to get rid of bed bugs using DIY methods. They will apply the required treatment that can effectively remove bed bugs from any property.
Conclusion
If even being careful, your home is infested with bed bugs, you must act quickly. It is easy to get rid of bed bugs in the early stages. Do not wait for the infestation to get severe. The longer they are in your home, the more difficult it will be to clear them out. Remember, preventing bed bugs is much easier than dealing with a full-blown infestation. DIY methods may not be that effective to completely and safely eliminate bed bugs. In severe infestations, it is crucial to hire a professional pest control in Ludhiana to remove them from your house.
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