It’s another beautiful morning - until you notice the bite marks on your legs. These strange red dots are itchy and irritated, and they confirm your worst fear: bed bugs. If you’ve dealt with a bed bug infestation in the past, then you know how dreadful and drawn-out this process can be. Before you toss your mattress out the window, read on to learn about how you can confirm a bed bug infestation and how to effectively get rid of them:
It can be tough to detect bed bugs; they inject their victims with a painkiller and blood thinner so that it’s difficult to notice when you are being bitten. Keep your eyes open for the shells that bed bugs leave behind when they molt, which are a pale yellow colour. They hide in tucked-away places like mattress seams, the folds of sofas, and in drawers. You may see a live bed bug, which you can place in a plastic bag and bring to an exterminator for identification. The bugs are small and brown-coloured, but when they are full of blood, they take on a reddish hue. As nasty as these creatures are, thankfully there is no evidence that they transmit diseases. They are often acquired when travelling, so when you return home, be sure to wash all your clothes on a high-temperature cycle.
A common misconception about bed bugs is that they only infest dirty homes, but this isn’t true. Bed bugs want blood, and they’ll go to any home where they can find it. There’s a lot of stigma surrounding a bed bug infestation, but given that Winnipeg is the second-most infested city in Canada, it’s a pretty common problem. When you confirm that your place has bed bugs, be sure to notify the landlord immediately - especially if you live in a building with multiple units.
You’ve proven that bed bugs have invaded your home: what now? For starters, get ready to do some laundry. Bed bugs die at high heats, so by washing your clothes and drying them at the highest temperature, you’ll be sure to kill them. It is not advisable to use a DIY insecticide on the bed bugs. Although most pests have developed resistance to these chemicals, insecticides may still be hazardous to human health. You can use a vacuum to suck up insects, but make sure that it doesn’t use a fabric bag - it will become a new home for the pests. Dispose of the bag safely once you’re finished to avoid spreading the infestation. Steam is another way to eradicate these insects; use it on items that cannot go in the laundry, like mattresses and sofas. Whenever you see a live bed bug, stomp on it!
While there are some steps you can take to manage your infestation, it’s best to leave bed bugs to the professionals. Improperly treating bed bugs or failing to sanitize your belongings can allow the infestation to get worse. A pest infestation takes a toll on both your physical and mental health. For bed bug removal in Winnipeg, call Gilles Lambert Pest Control. We use a dynamic treatment plan to fully eliminate bed bugs from your home.
