Bed bugs or Cimicidae are a parasite originated to infest bird nests. It is a small, brownish creature that feeds on warm-blooded animals’ blood in order to survive, including humans.
Able to hide in the narrowest crevices, they will swell and reddens once they feed on blood.
While bed bugs can’t fly, they can walk and move quickly on the floor. Additionally, the female ones are also able to lay hundreds of dust-sized eggs.
Due to its size, it is hard to detect bed bugs that have infected your beddings and mattresses. If you’re staying in a hotel or simply doing a spring cleaning, you can always look for signs such as excrements, blood, as well as the smell of them.
How to check for bed bugs on a mattress? You can follow these methods to avoid unwanted bed bugs outbreak.
Discover the Signs of Bed Bugs on a Mattress
You might think that bed bugs in mattress are hard to find due to their size. However, if you know what to look, you’ll notice them almost immediately.
Step 1: Wear Gloves
As a precaution, wear gloves or plastic to prevent bug bites or contact with their blood.
Step 2: Look for Red Stain
Next thing you need to do is look for red stains in your beddings. Since bed bugs feed on blood, they will leave blood streaks or red stains when smashed.
Step 3: Bug Hunting Using Flashlight
Afterward, check on bed bugs excrements and eggs using a flashlight. Their excrements look like black spots that stain the mattress as well. In contrast, their eggs look like white pearls sizing about 0.10 centimeters. You might also see sheds of skin from nymphs before they grow larger.
Bed bugs usually emerge undetected from clothes, luggage, or items exposed to the outer world. Once they’re in, they will hide in places where they can easily bite their prey.
These signs are most apparent in beddings and mattresses. Learn below to know where bed bugs might occur.
Inspecting the Mattress Where Bed Bugs Live
The most common places where bed bugs live are in beddings and mattresses. Consider removing the linens or duvets before pulling them off from the mattress.
Once the mattress is exposed, shine on the light to the mattress and inspect the seams, frame, and joints. Afterward, flip the mattress and do the same reproducing. During these steps, you might find bed bugs in mattress crawling out to protect themselves.
To prevent another outbreak, don’t forget to run thin objects such as hotel or credit card to the mattress seams. This step is important to remove eggs, feces, nymphs, and other parts of the body that bed bugs might left.
As a precaution, inspect furniture and fabrics located near the bed. Examples include a couch, curtains, carpets, and other locations people usually rest at. Pay attention to the cracks and the bottom of the furniture asthe bugs might hide there.
Checking Less Common Areas of Bed Bugs
If the bed bugs population is large, consider checking other than the spots where the they usually hide in. For example, beside and under the desk.
Take out the stuff and check every corner of the drawer. Spots such as tables, toy boxes, or lamps are also prone to bed bugs. Inspect every crevice and corner that theymight hide in, especially the one that doesn’t let the light go through.
Additionally, you can also inspect loose or ripped wallpaper and laundry baskets for a sign of bed bugs. It can be tough and time-consuming at times. However, it’s better than having them troubling your sleep at night.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs Going in Your Mattress
Once it infests in your mattress, bed bugs can be severe to get rid of. As a precaution, follow these steps to ensure your good night’s sleep.
1. Replace or clean your mattress every two or three years
While mattresses can go for a long time, an old mattress is more likely to bed bugs. Moreover, once your mattress is infected, it’s hard to determine how many of them you need to banish.
2. Use protective plastic for your mattress:
Protective plastic will prevent bed bugs from infesting and proliferating in your mattress, thus reducing the chance of an outbreak.
3. Spray essential oils around your home:
Bed bugs mostly avoid places with cinnamon, lavender, thyme, and lemongrass scent. Dilute essential oils in water and spray it to the furniture around your house.
Bed bugs are one of many problems that can ruin your good night’s sleep. After you know how to read the sign, you’ll know what to do once bed bugs outbreak happens and how to prevent it.