Can you think of anything creepier than going to bed alone only to realize you’re not truly by yourself? Because bed bugs are small and often hard to detect, that’s exactly what can happen if these critters have invaded your sleep space.
About Bed Bugs
The size of an adult bed bug is comparable to an apple seed. Prior to feeding on the blood of a person or animal, their bodies are brownish and flat. After they feed, bed bugs swell and they have a disturbing red-like color that makes what they feasted on quite obvious.
Female bed bugs can lay hundreds of eggs, with each egg being nearly invisible to the naked eye. Before they become adults, they will shed five times with a meal required before they shed. Depending on the environment, a bed bug can reach maturity in a month and they can produce at least three successive generations every single year.
Bed bugs can make their way into your home via luggage, clothing or furniture. Because of their size, they can fit into small spaces with ease. If they haven’t taken over your entire home yet, you’ll probably find them in your mattress or box spring or along your bed frame or headboard because those locations make it convenient for them to feed while you sleep.
It’s important to note that bed bugs are not an indication of filthiness or a sign that a home is unkempt. These critters are indiscriminate and they’ll infest well-maintained homes just as readily as they’ll invade messy places. In other words, you can find these bugs in any location where they can feast on the blood of humans or animals.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
If you’ve seen signs that you’ve been bitten by bed bugs, such as blood stains on your sheets, and you suspect you have bed bugs, it’s time to take action. Getting rid of bed bugs is a bit of a chore, but it’s a worthwhile one for you, your family and your pets.
Hit the Laundry Room
The first thing you should do is wash everything you can in your bedroom, including your bedding, linens, and clothes. Wash these items with hot water and dry them on the highest setting allowed by your dryer. For items that can’t be washed, put them in the dryer and use the highest setting for at least a half-hour.
Break Out the Brush and Vacuum
While your bedding is being laundered, use a stiff brush to sweep bed bugs and their eggs off your bed. When you’re done, vacuum the surrounding area thoroughly. Remove your vacuum bag when you’re finished, put it in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of the bag outside.
Encase Your Mattress with a Cover
Finally, you should encase your mattress with an impenetrable cover. This cover should remain on your mattress for at least a year to ensure all of the bed bugs that remain are dead.
Replace Your Mattress at Ben’s
No matter how well you clean, the thought of crawling into a bed that once had a bed bug infestation may keep you up at night. If that’s the case, we invite you to buy a new mattress at Ben’s.
Ben’s sells an array of comfortable mattresses at a variety of affordable price points. Visit one of our Atlanta-area retail locations or shop with us online today and try our online comfort test to find the mattress of your dreams.