You have skin rashes and itching? You may be dealing with a bed bug infestation. These little insects can end up in your home without warning, and in certain cases, without even leaving traces and symptoms. Learn to know these unwanted visitors that can live in your bed or your sofa.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are nocturnal insects with a flat, oval shape, who can also manifest themselves during the day when their population is higher. Adults can measure up to 5 mm. Normally, bed bugs are active during the warm season and hibernate during winter. However, heating inside apartments and houses can keep them active during winter too.
Bed bugs will normally lay their eggs in the corners of your bed, but also in any space as wide as a credit card (baseboards, holes in the wall, furniture, planks, electrical outlets, etc.). It’s possible that the bite incur a reaction on your skin similar to a small skin rash with little red pimples. Itching may happen after a bite. However, some people don’t feel any symptoms after it.
Where do these bed bugs come from?
First of all, know that the presence of bed bugs is in no way correlated to the cleanliness of your house. Often, they come from an outside object that has been contaminated (clothes and second-hand objects) or simply from a place where you sat down or slept (train, bus, hotel, over someone else’s place, etc.). They can easily slip in your pants, your socks, your bag or any cracked garments. If you travel, they also like to slip into your luggage. They are so small and subtle that it’s nearly impossible to tell the exact moment when the insect got in your place.
Bed bugs in my home: what to do now?
Avoid applying insecticides yourself, as these products can contain chemical components that are harmful to your health. If misused, this method can make things worse, since it can make the bedbugs more resistant to the treatment.
If you notice the presence of bedbugs in your home, don’t wait to call our team of certified exterminators. These insects multiply rapidly and can become invasive if the appropriate methods aren’t used. Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, it’s important to follow recommendations from a certified exterminator, since each step in the extermination process is crucial to its success.
How to prepare your house before extermination?
Before the arrival of our team, prepare your home to make everything easier:
- Declutter all rooms
- Remove carpets and curtains and empty the drawers in the infested rooms.
- Verify the state of your mattresses and your padded furniture.
- Vacuum clean the concerned rooms.
How to treat objects and textiles affected by the infestation?
The exterminator will make sure to eliminate the most bedbugs possible. However, you can also apply certain additional treatments to ensure an optimal result.
- In the dryer: Put all textiles or objects that can withstand high temperatures in the dryer. Leave them in it for at least one 30-minute cycle at high temperature.
- In the washing machine: In the case where you need to clean the items that are to be disinfected or if you don’t have a dryer, using the washing machine can be a good option. To ensure its efficiency, this method requires the usage of very hot water during the washing cycle (at least 60 degrees Celsius). The water must submerge all of the items and clothes. Proceed with a normal cycle.
- Steaming: It’s also possible to use a steam cleaner. In this case, treat all objects and textiles at the same time, while ensuring the steam reaches 100 degrees Celsius. Slowly run the cleaner on the objects and clothes to deep-clean them.
- In the cold: Put everything in the freezer at a maximum temperature of -18 degrees Celsius. Leave them in for at least 3 days and a half. (Note that certain freezers do not reach this temperature. Check before applying this method).
Consult with us for any questions!
After the extermination, you (and your pets) will have to wait for a while before you can return home. Moreover, after having used one of the treatment methods on your contaminated textiles and objects, you’ll be able to put everything back into place and resume your daily activities. Nonetheless, we advise you to stay vigilant to the presence of persistent bed bugs that could require further action. Our experts will be able to help you get rid of your bed bugs once and for all thanks to the appropriate methods. Contact a member of our team right now for more details.
