Bed Bugs in Raleigh: Prevention & Treatment Strategies
Bed Bugs in Raleigh: Prevention & Treatment Strategies
"Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." It's an expression we've all heard but, until you've actually dealt with a bed bug infestation, you probably won't fully appreciate its meaning. Bed bugs are some of the most reviled pests in the world because they can show up seemingly out of thin air and often prove nearly impossible to exterminate.
Bed bugs drink our blood as we sleep and, while not known to spread disease, these bites can leave itchy welts behind that some have allergic reactions to. The mere presence of bed bugs can also lead to anxiety and insomnia; after all, who can rest easy knowing there's something in their bed biting them when they sleep? If you're concerned about bed bugs invading your home in Raleigh, continue reading to learn how to prevent an infestation and what to do if one happens.
4 Tips for Bed Bug Prevention
Encase Your Mattress - While bed bugs can live in any furniture, their name is derived from their tendency to live in mattresses, where their favored source of food - us - sleeps. By encasing your mattress in an impervious plastic protector, you'll make it impossible for bed bugs to get into it. While this won't necessarily prevent a bed bug infestation in your home in Raleigh, it will help to protect you from being bitten in your sleep.
Be Wary of Secondhand Furniture - Be cautious when bringing secondhand furniture into your home, especially if that furniture is found for free on the side of the road. If the furniture you buy or pick up for free contains bed bugs or their eggs, it won't take them long to spread throughout your house. Some people make the mistake of thinking only mattresses are at risk, but any items of furniture can be infested with bed bugs, including chairs and sofas.
Travel Carefully - Bed bug infestations often begin when people travel, especially to foreign countries. If bed bugs are living in your hotel room, they may enter your suitcases or clothing without your knowledge and come home with you, then spread to your furniture and clothes. To avoid this, store your luggage off the floor and away from the hotel bed while traveling.
Keep a Clean Home - As with most pests, while bed bugs can infest any home in Raleigh, they're more likely to appear in one that's not cleaned very often. Vacuum your home on a regular schedule and try to avoid leaving around clutter that bed bugs can hide in during the day. Dirty clothes, in particular, can become an excellent bed bug refuge if you don't do your laundry often enough.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Because bed bugs are tiny, incredibly resilient, and often live in groups of thousands, exterminating them is no easy task. In fact, it's almost impossible with do-it-yourself methods. If you discover a bed bug infestation in your home, you should contact a bed bug control company in Raleigh immediately. Licensed pest control technicians can carefully inspect your home to find out how widespread your bed bug infestation is. Depending on the severity, the bed bugs may be contained to your bedroom or living throughout the house.
There are two main ways that professionals can exterminate bed bugs: chemical treatments and heat treatments. Chemical treatment will involve applying pesticides engineered to kill bed bugs to any possible bed bug hiding spots to thoroughly eliminate the bloodsucking pests. In heat treatments, exterminators will raise the temperature of infested rooms to over 120ºF for several hours, eradicating both adult bed bugs and their eggs. Depending on the circumstances of your infestation, both treatment strategies may be used in tandem.
Raleigh's Top Bed Bug Exterminators
Have you discovered bed bugs living in your home? Call Sustainable Pest Systems today
if you're in need of bed bug control services in the greater Raleigh area!