Bed Bugs Bite
What pest are you trying to get rid of? If you say “bed bugs,” I cringe. It’s not so much in disgust – although, they are nasty little things. It’s that I know you have entered into a battle. A long, hard battle.
Bed bugs multiply quickly. A single female can produce over 200 eggs during her life. Eggs will hatch within 6 – 10 days and these newbies will look for food immediately. A biting insect in less than a week? Yeah, that’s fast.
They spread easily, too. While these pests don’t jump, they do crawl and they will crawl on anything. It’s why they’ve become a problem. They crawl into mattresses, behind baseboards, and that suitcase you used on your last trip.
Speaking of travel, wash and dry all of your clothing on high heat immediately upon returning from a trip. This will stop them from infesting your home. Even if you aren’t sure, I’d do this. No offense to anyone you’ve stayed with, but bed bugs are not something you want. Ever.
They can be tough to find because they will hide in many different places in the home during the day as they are active mainly at night. That’s why there is that saying: Don’t let the bed bugs bite. They feast on us at night when we’re tucked asleep in our beds.
When searching for bed bugs, check the following:
Mattresses, such as along the seams, in the tufts and the box springs. (They’re called bed bugs for a reason.)
Every nook & cranny, such as baseboards, cracks, door casings and moldings.
Use bed bug detectors to let you know when/if you have them.
Now, on to the fight. And, yes, it is a fight. There are products that will help, but you will still have to throw out some punches to get rid of them as well. Start today, not tomorrow.
Wash & dry all bedding on high heat. Seal up mattresses, pillows, and box springs with covers that are labeled allergen-free to keep away dust mites.
Vacuum every spot you can. Remove vacuum bag, place in tied up the trash bag and toss.
Spray non-toxic bed bug spray on clothing, furniture and any other area that may be affected.
Any items you toss should be given a warning label in big letters with a permanent marker. That will help keep another from thinking they scored a great find. You don’t want another to have to go through this.
Above all else, do not give up. You can come out of this the champion. I have confidence in you.
