It happened: you were going to go to bed, and when you pulled back the sheets, you found a bed bug. Is there really only one? Are there more? What should you do? Just the sight of these red, oval-shaped pests is enough to make your skin crawl. But knowing that they’re patiently waiting for you to go to sleep before they suck your blood — well, that’s downright terrifying.
If you find a bed bug, don’t panic. They’re opportunistic pests that can live for up to one year without a meal. That being said, you’re going to want to act right away. Here are six things to do after finding bed bugs.
Clean, Clean, Clean
In order to prevent the further spread of bed bugs, you’re going to want to take a plastic bag and bag all sheets, pillowcases, linens, stuffed animals, blankets, and clothing in and around the infested area. You’re then going to want to wash and dry those items on the hottest setting possible (ideally at least 120 degrees) to eliminate any more. But you’re not done yet!
Bed bugs can also hide in the box spring, bed frame, and in any cracks in the flooring and walls. As a result, you’re also going to want to vacuum around the bed, baseboards, furniture, and in those cracks and crevices. After vacuuming, you can scrub the floor with hot water to remove any other pests you may have missed with the vacuum.
Cover Your Mattress and Box Spring
This can’t be emphasized enough: if you find bed bugs, don’t freak out! It does not necessarily mean you have to throw out everything in your bedroom, including your mattress or box spring. What you will want to do is cover both your mattress and box spring with a safe encasing (like a mattress liner).
By leaving your mattress and box spring covered for at least a year, you will guarantee that any bed bugs you missed with cleaning are dead and cannot bite or reproduce. You can also do this with your other linens, blankets, and clothing if it’s a heavy infestation, or if you just want to be 100% sure that the bed bugs are dead and gone.
Check the Bed Frames And Dressers
Bed bugs have been known to hide in more than just your linens, and two of the places they are known to hide are within the bed frames and in dresser drawers. As a preventative measure, you’re going to want to dismantle the bed frames and remove the dresser drawers to inspect for more bugs.
Declutter
By reducing clutter, you are reducing the amount of hiding spaces for the bed bugs. Bag any remaining personal items and take them outside to perform a thorough search for bed bugs. Don’t bring them back inside until you know the infested area is clear.
Perform Daily Inspections
Even after going through this whole process, you’re still going to want to perform daily inspections to prevent the possibility of future infestations. This includes daily vacuuming, sheet inspections for blood spots (a common sign of bed bugs), checking under and around your bed/furniture, and looking through the dirty laundry before washing.
Contact the Professionals Immediately
Getting rid of bed bugs is a daunting task. They’re good at hiding, they can live for a long time without food, and they reproduce quickly. That’s why the moment you identify a bed bug, you’re going to want to call the bed-bug control professionals at Pest Control Unlimited before taking the additional measures listed above.
Our team of experts has the knowledge, experience, and tools needed to track down bed bugs and eliminate them for good. Contact us here, or give us a call at (888) 649-9919 to get the best in bed-bug control with our spray and removal service. Call us today to arrange a visit — as always, satisfaction is guaranteed!
