Bedbugs have been in the news a lot over the past year or so. Infestations have taken over entire cities, including hotel rooms. They don’t spread disease or cause destruction. However, they do bite and can cause skin irritation. Not to mention the fact that no one really wants to sleep in a bed full of bugs. So how do you know if you have them?
Inspect Your Home for Bedbugs, Their Skin and Their Feces
Bedbugs are so small you may not know you have them unless you actually look for them. Inspect your sheets, mattress, furniture upholstery and curtains and look for live bedbugs or the skin that they shed. They are small, but not so small that you can’t see them. The average bedbug is about a ¼ inch long. Also look for their feces, which resemble coffee grounds. If you see bugs, their skin, or feces then call a professional to help you get rid of them.
Check Your Body for Signs of Bedbugs
Bedbugs bite and feed off of you. If you wake up with red or itchy skin then you may have been bitten during the night. It’s important to keep in mind that not everyone has a reaction to bedbug bites. You could have been bitten and never know it, or you could also be quite sensitive to bites. Pay attention to your skin and the skin of your loved ones.
Look for Signs of Live and Hatched Bedbug Eggs
Finally, inspect your home for signs of eggs. Bedbugs lay eggs and deposit fecal matter in and around your home. Look in your mattress and furniture, behind your headboard, and in screw holes and cracks and joints in the wood of your bed frame. Also look behind chipped paint or wallpaper or in and around your closet or baseboards.
If you do find or suspect that you have bedbugs, the treatment to get rid of them is relatively simple. They don’t like heat. Clothing and bedding can be washed in soap and hot water, then dried thoroughly, and a bedbug control specialist can help you get rid of them. Look for signs you have bedbugs and be vigilant when you travel.
