It is not easy to recognize bed bug infestations unless they have spread out on your bed mattress or in different hiding places in your home. Here are three steps to understand if you are being bothered by bed bugs, how to look for them and seek exterminator services in time.

  1. Look out for Signs of Bed Bug Infestation

It is better to know the symptoms to look out for and be aware of the same at the early stages of the infestation of bed bugs in your home. It is convenient to treat small infested areas than when it becomes widespread. In many cases, it is confusing to know whether your bed is infested by bed bugs as one could also mistake them for carpet beetles.

  • One of the sure signs are bites on your skin; these might look like bites from chiggers or mosquitoes which resemble small rash-like bites on the skin; they could also resemble fungal or eczema infections or hives in people.
  • Reddish or rusty stains on mattresses or bed sheets are another sign which is usually caused by bed bugs that get crushed under our body weight.
  • Eggshells and eggs are more difficult to identify which are tiny and the nymphs that are produced are pale with yellow skin.
  • If the infestation has become large, you would see bed bugs under your mattress or corners of your bed under the sheets.
  • In rooms heavily infested you will find stains on old box spring coverings, in seams of couches and chairs, between cushions and in curtain folds which showcase eggs, feces, skin castings, and adult bugs.
  1. Check Other Areas of the Home

There are other spaces of a home where bed bug infestation can spread as well such as:

  • They can spread to wardrobes in bedrooms.
  • Drawer joints in tables and cupboards.
  • Appliances and receptacle joints.
  • Under wall hangings or loose wallpaper.
  • Junctions of ceilings and walls.

It is important to know that small breaks and crevices are usually the ideal infestation points of these bugs. If a break can have a credit card slide through then it can house bed bugs as well. A close up look at the corners of your mattress or bed frame or under it, corners of walls, power point sockets, window corners where the frames are – these are places you need to keep a close look at. Reddish dots in these areas will indicate an infestation.

  1. Plan for Extermination

If you are able to identify infested areas or corners in your home, then it is important to get help from professional services to exterminate such pests. Home remedies such as washing bed clothing with hot water also prove effective in ensuring hygiene and safety from bites and scratches for your family members. However, only professional pest control methods can help to eradicate their habitats and prevent the infestation from spreading across your home or to surrounding homes and premises.

How can you detect bed bugs?

Signs of Infestation
  1. Blood stains on your sheets or pillowcases.
  2. Dark or rusty spots of bedbug excrement on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes, and walls.
  3. Bedbug fecal spots, egg shells, or shed skins in areas where bedbugs hide.
  4. An offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands.

Can you see bed bugs with the naked eye?

They are visible to the naked eye. Adult bed bugs are usually brown in colour. When filled with blood, their colour ranges from red to dark brown.

How do you know if you have bed bugs without seeing them?

Occasionally you may see evidence of a bed bug infestation without actually seeing any bed bugs. Bed bugs leave fecal stains in the areas they inhabit. These stains are actually partially digested blood but remember that it will not be red unless you crush a bed bug that has just recently fed.

How do you draw bed bugs out of hiding?

Move beds away from the walls and use active traps like our BeapCo 6-hour CO2 trap. It has a 6-hour window of detection using CO2 and heat, which will attract bed bugs and trap them on the glue cartridge. You can vacate your room and put this on top of your bed or nearby furniture to attract the bed bugs.

What do bed bugs hate?

What Scents Do Bedbugs Hate? (Updated)
  • Fresh mint. While people love the smell of fresh mint, bedbugs cannot stand the smell.
  • A solution of garlic. The aroma of garlic in your home can make the bedbugs really uncomfortable.
  • Cayenne Pepper.
  • Alcohol.
  • Lavender.
  • Cinnamons powder.

Should I throw out my mattress if I have bed bugs?

No, you do not need to throw out your mattress after a bed bug infestation. In fact, this is discouraged entirely. Disposing bed bug infested items can be seen as reckless, as it could contribute to the infestation spreading.

How do I permanently get rid of bed bugs at home?

Below, we bring you some simple home remedies to get rid of bedbugs immediately:
  1. Vinegar. Apart from its use in the kitchen, vinegar can also be used to kill bedbugs.
  2. Diatomaceous Earth. This is considered to be most effective in treating bedbug infestations.
  3. Baking Soda.
  4. Rubbing Alcohol.
  5. Borax.
  6. Essential Oils.

Can you ever really get rid of bed bugs?

Heating infested furniture or the entire apartment to a very high temperature—more than 100 degrees, in most cases—will kill bed bugs. If you have a hand-held steamer, blast breaks and crevices. Use an insecticide alternative.

Can bed bugs be completely eliminated?

When it comes to getting rid of bedbugs, one of the most common questions homeowners ask is: “Can bed bugs be completely eliminated?” The short answer is yes.

What to do if you slept in a bed with bed bugs?

Although it sounds like a grim choice, it is best to continue sleeping in the infested area until the bed bugs are eliminated. DO NOT immediately throw items away For many people, the immediate reaction to a bed bug infestation is to throw the infested items away.

How do you get rid of bed bugs without an exterminator?

Kill the Bed Bugs
  1. Heat treatment: You can use a clothes dryer on high heat.
  2. Cold treatment can be successful in the home environment if the freezer is set to 0o F.
  3. Steam cleaners (wet or dry) can get into breaks and fabrics to treat carpets, baseboards, bed frames, and other furniture.

How do you get rid of bed bugs overnight?

How to Help Get Rid of Bed Bugs Fast: 5 Steps to Take Now
  1. Reduce Hiding Spots and Cut Down on Clutter. Consider getting rid of anything unneeded such as old magazines and newspapers.
  2. Clean the Infested Space.
  3. Make it Hard for Bed Bugs to Hide.
  4. Be Mindful of Your Bed.
  5. Give the Experts Access.

What is the main cause of bed bugs?

Travel is widely recognized as the most common cause of bed bug infestations. Often unbeknownst to the traveler, bed bugs will hitchhike on people, clothing, luggage, or other personal belongings and be accidentally transported to other properties. Bed bugs can easily go unnoticed by humans.

How do you get rid of bed bugs in one day?

Will rubbing alcohol eliminate bed bugs?

While isopropyl alcohol, known as rubbing alcohol, can eliminate bedbugs and their eggs, it isn’t an effective way to get rid of an infestation. Alcohol has to be directly applied to the bugs, which can be hard to accomplish since bedbugs hide in breaks and crevices.