As a homeowner, have you experienced sleepless nights due to the itchiness you feel on your body? Well, if you have, it might be from bed bug bites. You might think that bed bugs aren’t real, but yes, they are real.
Bed bugs are known to scare children after reading a story at night. However, it is important to remove bed bugs from your home. Why is that? If you want to sleep perfectly during the night, sleeping without any itch in your body is better than sleeping for more than eight hours a day.
Bed bugs don’t affect your health directly, but they still negatively impact your health. Aside from your health, your home can also suffer from them. If you want to know more about the importance of getting rid of bed bugs, here are some things you should know.
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Understanding Bed Bugs
The naked eye can easily see bed bugs. Adult bed bugs are usually in reddish brown color, wingless, and usually the same size as an apple seed. However, immature bed bugs are usually whitish-yellow but are more difficult to spot than adult bed bugs.
Infestations from bed bugs are also easy to notice, and the signs are
- itchiness while lying in bed
- bite marks and red marks in your body
- digested blood of bed bugs that leave marks in the house, and
- foul odor, especially when the infestation becomes severe
The behavior of bed bugs is easy to predict. However, since they are very resilient, treating them becomes challenging. The most common behavior of bed bugs is they are drawn to body heat and fed on blood.
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The Dangers of Bed Bugs
Bite marks are the common physical danger coming from bed bugs. Although bed bug bites do not affect physical health, some cases lead to a more severe reaction, especially in people with sensitive skin.
The physical health risks associated with bed bugs are:
- Allergic reactions
- Anaphylaxis when it becomes too severe and
- Secondary infection leads to impetigo, ecthyma, and lymphangitis
Since bed bugs are also nocturnal, it is common for homeowners who suffer from infestation to have insomnia.
Also, here are the other mental and emotional effects of bed bug infestation
- irritation
- emotional distress
- psychological distress and,
- discomfort
If you suffer from bed bug infestation physically and emotionally, the next problem you’ll suffer from is financial. Severe cases of bed bug infestation require more treatment and are sometimes expensive. Lastly, recovering your home from all the damage from bed bugs is also expensive.
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DIY Bed Bug Removal Methods
Bed bug removal methods can start in your home. The first step is to inspect your home and identify bed bug infestation. You can begin by lifting your mattress and seeing your bedframe’s gaps. Bed bugs usually hid in those small and tight spaces.
Non-chemical approaches for eliminating bed bugs
After you have identified if there are bed bug infestation in your home, you can try the Non Chemical approach, such as
1. Vacuuming and steam cleaning
Vacuum is a great DIY tool against bed bugs. Since bed bugs are only the size of an apple seed, they can easily get sucked by vacuum.
Also, bed bugs don’t like hot temperatures, and steam cleaning is a great way to eliminate them. You can easily buy vacuum and steam cleaners in stores near you, so use this advantage to counter bed bug infestation.
2. Heat treatment methods
Heat treatment methods are another way to get rid of bed bugs. You can raise the temperature to around 113°F for 20 minutes, and they will die due to the hot temperature. To achieve a 100 percent mortality rate, leave the temperature at 113°F for 90 minutes.
3. Cold treatment options
Aside from heat treatments, cold treatments are also a way to treat them. You can freeze the bed bugs, but it must be 0° F or C for them to freeze. However, you must leave them for four days before getting rid of them.
As a homeowner, you can treat bed bugs using the tools around your home. Natural ways of treating them include using baking soda or Diatomaceous earth. Lastly, regularly clean your bedsheets and mattresses to get rid of any bed bugs.
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Professional Bed Bug Removal Services
There’s a reason why you need professional bed bug removal services. The first reason is the benefits they provide in treating bed bug infestation. Here are the benefits of what a professional can provide
- More options to treat bed bugs
- Experience in dealing with bed bugs
- Have the proper set of tools or equipment against bed bugs and
- Allowed to use chemicals suitable for treating bed bugs
You can expect excellent work if you hire a professional for bed bug removal in Sacramento, CA. You can rest assured that bed bugs are gone after the professionals do their job. Compared to the DIY method, professional methods are more efficient in removing bed bug infestations.
Hiring a professional can be costly, but it’s an investment you should get if you don’t want to suffer from bed bugs in the future. Lastly, they will keep your home safe and secure.
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Prevention Tips to Avoid Bed Bug Infestations
As mentioned earlier, bed bugs hide in your sheets or mattresses. To prevent bed bugs from multiplying their population, here are the steps for proper bedding and mattress care
- wash your bedding weekly
- Vacuum under the bed
- Use dry cleaning to get rid of bed bugs
Furthermore, did you know that you can acquire bed bugs while traveling? You can acquire them through hotels, and the bed bugs can crawl up to your luggage. To prevent that, disinfect your luggage before entering to eliminate unwanted guests.
Lastly, to have a bed bug-free home, ensure and be disciplined about the cleanliness of your home.
Have a bed-bug-free home starting today!
Bed bug removal methods can start with the tools inside your home. You can take preventive measures to ensure you won’t have any problems with bed bugs. Getting rid of bed bugs is essential to be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
A good night’s sleep is essential for every homeowner. So, suppose you are currently experiencing bed bug problems. In that case, you can always call for professional assistance if DIY methods no longer work.
