I remember once, while on a business trip, a co-worker I was traveling with informed me that he needed to switch rooms. Seems he woke in the morning with bed bug bites on his person. His bag was already packed, and he wheeled his luggage to the front desk. They gave him another room and that was that. He didn’t make a big deal out of it, and the hotel’s front desk workers were quite hushed about the situation. I am pretty sure the hotel was already aware of the problem, now they were in the need to exterminate bed bugs in yet another room. That was crazy, I thought. However, many hotels have similar issues.
So how about you? Have you ever woke up in the morning with new itchy bumps that weren’t there the night before? If so, it is possible these bumps are induced by bed bugs. And you do not at all need to be sleeping in a hotel room to experience bed bugs. Although mostly harmless, the discomfort that arrives from an infestation of bed bugs warrants quick and decisive action.
So What Exactly Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are fairly small in size but can come with rather large problems. Juvenile bed bugs are rather tiny, about the size of a pinhead. They have translucent bodies. Adult bed bugs are about a quarter inch in size. They grow considerably larger after they have gorged on a blood meal. They are unable to fly, and they have flat backs, giving them a beetle or tick-like appearance. Bed bugs can live for up to a year without a host, and generally travel (from hotel room to house for example) by slipping into luggage or clothing. They can be encountered in many places, from hotels to shops to public transportation to your home.
Bed bugs are fairly elusive. They are nocturnal and tend to stay concealed during the daylight hours. Once inside your home, they generally reside in mattresses and box springs, but they also live along floorboards and within piles of clothes. Bed bugs typically feed off humans and will tend to remain in areas with easy access to a human host. Bed bugs will also feed from our pets, and pet beds can be another popular source for these pests.
What are Some Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation?
If you do have an infestation of bed bugs, you may actually detect the indicators before you even witness any bed bugs at all. Most likely, you will wake up one morning and notice new and itchy bug bites. This is due to bed bugs being nocturnal and fairly adept at hiding during the daylight hours. The bites are fairly small in size. They are uniformly pink in color. You may even notice tiny blood spots on your bed sheets. In regards to leaving behind waste, the marks are generally quite small. On a lightly colored sheet, for instance, you may be able to notice tiny rust-colored specks or particles. If this is the case, that is a sign and, unfortunately, you may have a bed bug infestation.
Remedies of the Do it Yourself Variety
Because bed bugs are effective hiders and their eggs are more or less the size of a speck of dust, removing an infestation on your own may prove difficult, not impossible just difficult. It will take much patience and much diligence to exterminate bed bugs, but it can be done. For starters, clean up the area around the believed infestation. If you believe that area is your mattress, you will need to remove any clutter underneath the bed and also in the surrounding area. You will then need to strip all bedding and pillowcases and wash them in hot, soapy water. All articles of clothing near the bed, should also be washed. Next will come any curtains, shoes, and stuffed animals in the room. These should be also be washed or put in the dryer on high for at least ten minutes. This will help ensure that all eggs are eliminated.
For the next step in removing an infestation, you will need to thoroughly vacuum the bed and the entire room. Immediately following the vacuuming process, make sure you change out the vacuum bag and dispose of it outside. As an added protection, you may desire to purchase a zipper-sealed mattress cover and install it on your mattress. Some effective mattress covers are listed below (links to Amazon.com). Please be careful to select a mattress cover that fits the size of your bed.
| Zippered Mattress Encasement – By: The Linenspa Store | Zippered Mattress Protector – By: Utopia Bedding Store |
| Premium Zippered Mattress Protector – By: SureGuard Mattress Protectors |
Bed Bug Traps and Sprays
A bed bug trap is a fairly small, plastic, pesticide-free trap that can be convenient to pack. To use a bed bug trap simply apply the enclosed flypaper and press the activation button. The trap will release a powerful pheromone and will mislead any bed bugs into believing the trap is a trusted shelter and trapping them inside.
In order to prevent a bed bug or an egg from using your suitcase to hitch a ride to another destination (your home), try using a bed bug spray to kill the bed bugs and dissolve any eggs. While staying inside a hotel room, apply the spray to your luggage, to the hotel bedding, to the curtains and furniture.
Here are some bed bug traps and sprays currently on the market today. All links to Amazon.com
Bed Bug Traps:
| Max Bed Bug Trap – By: Ortho | Bed Bug Interceptor Traps – By: ECOPest Labs |
Bed Bug Sprays:
| Bed Bug Killer – By: Ortho | Safe Travels – Bed Bug Blasting Travel Spray – By: Bed Bug Patrol |
| Bed Bug Killer – By: Reneotech Inc |
Companies that Exterminate Bed Bugs
Whether you have an ant problem, a bee problem or, in our case here, a bed bug problem, there are of course companies that will provide a service for removal. The removal process can be fairly expensive but the result of such a professional service may be well worth the price paid. Price of such a service may depend on the degree of infestation, the size of the space infested and the type of treatment needed.
Some companies that offer treatments to exterminate bed bugs are:
How to Prevent a Bed Bug Infestation?
How to prevent a bed bug infestation? Good question. It is actually fairly difficult to do so. A stray bed bug can be gathered virtually anywhere – hotels, department stores, movie theaters, a friend’s home, a family member’s home – virtually anywhere. To dramatically decrease your odds of getting them, try the following practices.
- When travelling whether staying in a hotel or someone else’s home, Make use of small plastic bags to pack clothes, footwear and personal items. Some people will even use larger covers for their suitcase.
- When you visit a garage sale, please thoroughly inspect that secondhand piece of furniture before buying it and bringing it into your own home.
- When travelling and staying in a hotel, try not to place your clothes or suitcase directly on your rented bed. Bed bugs may be present on the bed and climb into your possessions.
- Utilize the metal luggage racks most hotels provide to you. Try keeping the travel racks a good distance away from walls and furniture.
- Before settling into your rented hotel room, make sure to pull back the sheets and any blankets of the bed, inspect the seams of the mattress, looking for stains or spots.
- Efficiently examine the room before you unpack. Make sure you include examining the area behind the headboard and any sofas or chairs in the room. You can even purchase a bed bug detection light to help examine your area. Some bed bug detection lights are listed below (links to Amazon.com).
| 2 Pack UV Blacklight – By: FOLKSMATE | UV Blacklight/Flashlight – By: uvMonster |
If any pests are identified, inform the front desk and change rooms right away. Even after a safe bed bug free trip, it is also recommended that you make sure to immediately wash your clothes in hot water when returning home (even the clothes never worn on the trip).
In Summary
Bed bugs are not fun to have nor are they easy to remove on your own. If washing your belongings and vacuuming thoroughly is not quite as effective as you would have hoped. Consider getting in touch with a professional. Obviously, bed bugs can be annoying, embarrassing and make you want to scream. The good news is many people have been able to successfully exterminate bed bugs in the past. You will too.
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