Do you suspect that you have bed bugs? Bed bugs are small oval insects that thrive off of blood and body heat. They generally live in dark spaces, typically mattresses, box springs, inside bed frames. Bedbugs choose these places because it is the quickest way for getting to you if you have a bed bug problem!
Although not impossible, once bedbugs enter a living space, it can be a fairly difficult task to get rid of them. They spawn and multiply quickly. A full grown adult sized bedbug can be about the size of an apple seed. Fortunately they aren’t known to spread diseases but they can be a real nuisance and a health hazard. Once they feed, they won’t need to feed again for days.
Bed bugs are creatures of habit, and will feed on a regular schedule and target exposed areas while you sleep. Areas that become bitten will become quite itchy and excessive scratching may be a risk to a secondary skin infection. For those who have a bed bug infestation, they may suffer from insomnia, lack of sleep, anxiety, stress, and itchiness due to bites.
What you need to know about a bed bug infestation
Bed bugs are now a world wide issue. Initially bed bugs were an issue in non-western countries, but with travel being a lot more abundant in the last few decades, bed bug infestations have been on the rise. They usually occur in high density areas such as cities, and high density places like apartments, hotels, shelters, and public transportation.
Bed bugs like to hide in areas where people like to sleep. Habitually, bed bugs will stay in areas of immediate vicinity to places of sleep. You can find them hiding in and around areas where there are cracks, nooks, or crevices. They will also congregate around areas of clutter, or underneath objects close to your bed.
Although bed bugs aren’t known to spread diseases, if you are allergic to bed bugs, they can be a major health issue. Bed bugs also have the capability to be very sneaky when they feed. They produce an anaesthetic when they bite, so it leaves victims unaware that it’s happening.
If you suspect you have a bed bug infestation, it may be worth while to call a professional services like BRILHO. This is important because using DIY insecticides, or weak insecticides will flush bed bugs out of the area they have nested in, but it won’t kill them. This means what may have been a localized issue to one area of your home, may now be a bed bug issue terrorizing other rooms in your home!
As part of a complete concierge home care service, BRILHO is here to help with bed bug issues. If you suspect that your furniture, mattress, carpet, or clothing have a bed bug issue, contact us and we can help you out. Most insects have a defensive mechanism that they have biologically hardwired into them. Unfortunately bed bugs have developed some resistance to certain insecticides over the years.
Our bed bug removal service is done by professionals – we will take a look at all potential areas where the bed bugs are hiding. This will include an inspection of your mattress, box spring, bed frame, furniture around the area, behind wall paper if there are areas that we suspect bed bugs may have gotten into, carpet, appliances. We will also help with rearranging your living space around your mattress if there is clutter: majority of bed bug infestations will be within a 3-5 feet radius of your bed.
Our bed bug services will be a mixture of insecticides, deep cleaning of your home, and consultation of how to move forward with staying bed bug free.
What are signs that you have a bed bug infestation?
Unfortunately, the most common way of knowing you have a bed bug infestation, is when you’ve already been bitten! Areas that bed bugs will bite are areas where human skin is the most exposed. This means that they will target the face, arms, legs, hands, feet. Chances are though, when you are asleep anywhere on your body is fair game.
Bites often may not show up immediately, it has been documented that it may take up to two weeks for your skin to start reacting to bed bug bites. Here are some other signs that you can look out for in the case that you suspect you have a bed bug infestation:
- Are there any small rusty stained blood spots on your bedding or mattress?
- Inspect your mattress or bedding for any insect exoskeletons that are the size of up to an apple seed
- Inspect for any moving insects the size of a grain of sand up to the size of an apple seed
- Pay attention to any sweet musty odour – similar to berries: this will be difficult to ascertain, as it usually takes a large infestation to notice this
This is not something we suggest you do at all! There are mattress encasements that you can purchase in order to seal in any pests that may be living in your mattress. Ideally, this is what happens: you call us, we come and do a deep clean and a bed bug treatment. Our cleaning will also include using heat cleaning methods on your mattress, as heat is one of the most effective ways to eliminate living bed bugs. After a treatment, we suggest you make a purchase for a impermeable mattress encasement that covers all sides of your mattress. Leave this encasement on for up to 12 months, to ensure than any bed bugs that weren’t killed during the treatment and cleaning process, have been eliminated.
In most cases when it comes to cleaning, we think a DIY approach is great, but when it comes to pests, you might be better off investing in hiring a professional. This is because the potential of spreading bed bugs around your home when you use a sub-optimal treatment method is a risk we think you would rather not take! We suggest you do your research with the company you choose to get assistance from. Pest control companies should offer a follow up inspection with you as well as give you a consultation on how to protect you and your home from future infestations.
Heat is your best friend and the worst enemy for bed bugs. It’s suggested that you throw your clothing into the dryer and run it for up to 30 minutes. Set your dryer on the highest heat, and let it run. The heat will kill off any bed bugs that may have been hiding in your clothing and laundry. Just a heads up: don’t worry about washing your clothes first. This is more of a heat-treatment instead of a cleaning process.
If you feel like you need to do something to make progress with getting rid of your bed bug problem, the best thing you can do is to clear up the clutter around the problem mattress, and vacuum the area. Promptly throw out the vacuum bag or empty the canister into a garbage can, and remove the trash from your home premises. Any larger sized bed bug that you see scurrying around, go ahead and squish them.
If you have a bed bug issue, the best way you can keep from spreading the issue is to inspect your clothing and bags before you head out into a public space. Make sure to do a look over on the exterior of your bag. If you leave your bag or clothes in the room that is infested with bed bugs, make sure to zip up said bag, or leave your possessions further than 5 feet away from the mattress. Bed bugs tend to stay within a 5 foot distance from your mattress for easy access to their meal.
