Click Free Pest Control Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free pest control quote today.
Nobody wants bed bugs in their home, but its nothing to be embarrassed about if you do come across them. Despite our natural inclination to run a mile once we notice them in our sleeping space, bed bugs can be dealt with effectively.
Our step-by-step guide will show you how to spot bed bugs on your mattress, along with ways you can get rid of them for good. Know ahead of time that you do need to put in some time and commitment to fully eradicate the problem, but it'll be worth it for your peace of mind and overall quality of sleep.
Not sure which mattress to buy? Our best mattress guide has this years top-rated picks across value and premium models.For now, lets take a closer look at those pesky bed bugs and learn how to clean a mattress and why.
If your biggest issue is a too-soft bed, use our guide to how to make a mattress firmer to fix it fast.
The common bed bug (or cimex lectularius) is a tiny insect of around 5mm (0.2in) in length that feeds on the blood of humans and animals. It has a flat, oval-shaped body and is reddish-brown in color, but because of its size a single bed bug is difficult to see unless it's clustered into a larger group.
Bed bugs are drawn to carbon dioxide and warmth, so a sleeping human is unfortunately an excellent target. They like to hide in the warm crevices of mattresses, box springs and bed frames.
The worst infestations tend to happen in cities where bed bugs can attach to luggage and clothing to move around. The EPA considers bed bugs a public health pest, although they are not known to transmit or spread disease.
If you suspect you have bed bugs, youll want to find them as quickly as possible. As you can probably imagine, its far easier to deal with a minor infestation than a full-blown one. These critters are one of the reasons why even the best memory foam mattresses decay faster than they should (learn more about how long a memory foam mattress lasts).
For some people, the first sign of bed bugs is bite marks or feeling itchy typically on the lower half of your body or the warm crevices of your joints. But some people dont react at all to being bitten by bed bugs, and there are other nasty nuisances that bite such as fleas.
Thus, it's far better to check your mattress for a possible infestation. Look for any of these signs:
If youre going to tackle a smaller bed bug infestation yourself, you may need to repeat the cleaning process several times. Bed bugs reproduce quickly, so be sure youve removed them entirely.
If youve found evidence of bed bugs, here's how to deal with them...
The EPA has a guide to chemicals and sprays that are safe to use. But if you do use an insecticide or even a natural alternative, wed recommend leaving the room for at least six hours before sleeping on it again.
In addition, wed also recommend making sure the space is thoroughly aired out, so keep windows open and doors to other areas of the house sealed off. Plus, if you choose to encase your mattress, this will take time to start suffocating and ultimately kill the bed bugs.
If youve had bed bugs once, youre obviously going to want to make sure that they dont return. To help prevent a repeat infestation there are some simple steps to follow...
Firstly, make sure that you clear out clutter and rubbish regularly. Dust and scrub your bedroom, paying particular attention to any areas you think bed bugs could be hiding.
Next, vacuum your mattress regularly and follow any cleaning instructions suggested by the manufacturer. (Do similar for your box spring if you have one.) It's important to use one of the best mattress protectors on your bed as this can be washed regularly and prevent bed bugs from reaching the actual mattress.
Lastly, if you buy any second-hand furniture make sure to inspect it thoroughly and give it a good clean before you let it through the door of your house.
Deals on the best mattress protectors to keep bed bugs at bay
When theyre not feeding, bed bugs enjoy hiding in a variety of places. In general, youll find them around the bed, near the piping and seams of a mattress or box spring, and in cracks on a bed frame or headboard. But if you have a heavy infestation, you may find them in other places, including:
If you're ready for a new mattress, it's important you dispose of your current one mindfully. Check out our guide on how to dispose of a mattress, with tips for recycling or donating in the US and UK. Some mattress brands may remove your existing mattress while delivering your new one, but this usually costs extra.
Read more:
See the original post:
How to spot bed bugs on your mattress and prevent them from coming back - TechRadar
- Popular Destination In New York State Is Crawling With Bed Bugs - Hudson Valley Post - May 25th, 2024
- Pest Gnome Reports 2024's Worst Cities for Bed Bug Infestations - PCT Online - May 25th, 2024
- This Texas City Is Crawling with Bed Bugs - News/Talk 790 KFYO - May 25th, 2024
- This Texas city is the 3rd worst for bed bug infestations in the U.S. - KTSM 9 News - May 25th, 2024
- Worst MD Cities For Bed Bug Infestations: Report - Baltimore, MD Patch - May 25th, 2024
- Chicago Tops Bed Bugs Cities List for Third Consecutive Year - CMM - May 14th, 2024
- Bed bugs in NYC: 500+ buildings reported pests so far this year; which borough has the most? - SILive.com - April 19th, 2024
- If you dont wash new bed sheets, you should here is the horrifying reason why - New York Post - April 5th, 2024
- Claims of bed bugs, putrid odors at Rotterdam Super 8 where asylum seekers are staying - WRGB - March 24th, 2024
- Why have bed bugs become so difficult to control? We can only blame ourselves - Salon - March 16th, 2024
- Bed Bug Sighting Prompts MSNBC to Clear Entire NYC Studio Floor Ahead of Super Tuesday Coverage - Mediaite - March 8th, 2024
- TikTok Confronts New Threat: Bed Bugs The Information - The Information - February 25th, 2024
- What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like? Pictures, Treatment and Tips - TODAY - February 16th, 2024
- North Carolina cities in top 25 areas for bed bugs - Spectrum News - February 16th, 2024
- A NEW hard-to-kill species of bed bugs may explain why US and 50 other countries have seen growing outbreaks - Daily Mail - February 16th, 2024
- How Hotels And Travelers Navigate The Bedbug Dilemma - Forbes - February 16th, 2024
- Can't Beat Sarah: Which City Has the Most Bed Bugs? - WKML 95.7 - February 8th, 2024
- Bed bugs are increasing. Where does your city rank? - ConsumerAffairs - February 8th, 2024
- The 20 Worst Cities for Bedbugs in the U.S., New Data Shows - Best Life - February 8th, 2024
- Gross! Upstate NY City Included in List of 2024's 'Worst Bed Bug Cities' in U.S. - WTMM 104.5 The Team - ESPN Radio - January 31st, 2024
- NYC nears top of the list for worst bed bug cities but once city was worse (again) - NBC New York - January 31st, 2024
- These Major US Cities Are Dealing With Bed Bug Infestation (Again) - Billings Gazette - January 31st, 2024
- Bed bugs are crawling all over three Michigan cities more so than most - MLive.com - January 31st, 2024
- Here's the one thing you should do immediately when you enter a hotel room - New York Post - January 30th, 2024
- America's bed bug hotspots REVEALED... is YOUR hometown on the list? - Daily Mail - January 30th, 2024
- America's most bed bug infested cities may surprise you - Fox Weather - January 30th, 2024
- Upstate NY city ranked as one of the worst bed bug cities in America - newyorkupstate.com - January 30th, 2024
- Top 50 U.S. bed bug cities: Is NYC high on the list again this year? - SILive.com - January 30th, 2024
- These dirty cities have the worst bed bug infestations see where NYC ranks on the list of shame - New York Post - January 30th, 2024
- Chicago Retains Top Spot on Orkin's List of Top 50 Bed Bug Cities - PCT Online - January 30th, 2024
- Champaign Emerges as a Top 10 City for Bed Bug Infestations - Mahomet Daily - January 30th, 2024
- Oklahoma City named one of America's 50 top cities for bed bugs. How to get rid of them - Oklahoman.com - January 30th, 2024
- Bed bugs in Milwaukee among worst in the nation, Orkin study finds - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - January 30th, 2024
- Experts reveal there's one thing you should immediately do when entering a hotel room - UNILAD - January 30th, 2024
- Walt Disney World's Hometown Ranks as One of the 50 Worst Cities for Bed Bugs - Disney Dining - January 30th, 2024
- From Chicago to New York, here are 2024's worst cities in US for bed bugs - Hindustan Times - January 30th, 2024
- Hot Shot bedbug pesticide ineffective, class action claims - Top Class Actions - January 30th, 2024
- Chicago Listed as Americas Worst Bed Bug City - CMM - January 30th, 2024
- Top Bed Bug Cities: 3 FL Cities Among Worst In U.S. For Bed Pest - Patch - January 30th, 2024
- 50 Worst Bed Bug Cities from 2023 Revealed - CleanLink - January 30th, 2024
- Los Angeles Ranked One Of The Worst Cities For Bed Bugs In The U.S. - Secret Los Angeles - January 30th, 2024
- Major US cities are some of the worst for bedbugs, Orkin says - USA TODAY - January 30th, 2024
- Popular Washington City Ranked Among The Worst Cities For Bed Bugs | 96.5 JACK-FM - iHeart - January 30th, 2024
- Minneapolis makes Top 50 ranking... of worst cities for bed bugs - Bring Me The News - January 29th, 2024
- The 10 Cities With The Worst Bed Bugs Problem - Rock 92.9 - January 29th, 2024
- Nevada City Lands On List Of Cities With The Most Bed Bugs In The U.S. - iHeartRadio - January 29th, 2024
- 2 Northeast Ohio cities are among the worst in US for bed bugs, according to Orkin - WKYC.com - January 29th, 2024
- These Major US Cities Are Dealing With Bed Bug Infestation (Again) - Omaha World-Herald - January 29th, 2024
- These Are the Worst Cities for Bed Bugs: 'They're in Every City, Every Town. They're Everywhere' - The Messenger - January 29th, 2024
- Here's where Cbus + two other Ohio cities ranked among the top 15 most bed-bug infested cities - 614NOW - January 29th, 2024
- These Major US Cities Are Dealing With Bed Bug Infestation (Again) - Ravalli Republic - January 29th, 2024
- Popular Washington City Ranked Among The Worst Cities For Bed Bugs | 102.5 KZOK - iHeart - January 29th, 2024
- Popular Colorado City Ranked Among The Worst Cities For Bed Bugs - iHeartRadio - January 29th, 2024
- 3 Popular Florida Cities Ranked Among The Worst Cities For Bed Bugs - iHeartRadio - January 29th, 2024
- Pittsburgh Bed Bug Problems: See Where Orkin Ranks City - Patch - January 29th, 2024
- 3 North Carolina Cities Among The 'Worst Cities For Bed Bugs' In The U.S. | News Radio 570 WWNC - wwnc.iheart.com - January 29th, 2024
- Tampa Has the Biggest Bed Bugs Problem in Florida - Tampa Bay's Q105 - January 29th, 2024
- Denver ranked among top cities for bed bug infestations - The Denver Gazette - January 29th, 2024
- Orlando, 2 other Florida cities among the nation's top 50 cities with the most bed bugs: study - AOL - January 29th, 2024
- This Is The Very First Thing You Should Do When You Walk Into A Hotel Room - HuffPost UK - January 29th, 2024
- South Carolina City Named Among The 'Worst Cities For Bed Bugs' In The U.S. | WVOC - iHeart - January 29th, 2024
- Nevada City Lands On List Of Cities With The Most Bed Bugs In The U.S. | REAL 103.9 - iHeart - January 29th, 2024
- Is your city on the list of US cities with the worst bedbug problems? - Scripps News - January 29th, 2024
- Two Ohio Cities Land on Top Ten Most Infested List - WRKR - January 21st, 2024
- Year In Review #1: New York Is Crawling With Bed Bugs, 2 Cities Among Most Infested - Hudson Valley Post - January 2nd, 2024
- How Many Of The 40 New Hallmark Movies Are Based In Minnesota? - Minnesota's New Country - December 21st, 2023
- How To Prevent Bed Bugs From Getting in Your Michigan Home - Banana 101.5 - December 11th, 2023
- Here's the Closest City to New England That's Crawling With Bed Bugs - wokq.com - December 11th, 2023
- How to Know if You Have Bed Bugs: 7 Early Signs to Look For - MMPC - January 13th, 2023
- Bedbugs - HPD - New York City - January 13th, 2023
- Bed Bugs in Your Apartment? Here's What to Do - December 11th, 2022
- These are the most bed bug-infested buildings in NYC: report - December 11th, 2022
- Bedbugs - NYC Health - New York City - November 24th, 2022
- Two Places in New York State Rank Horribly For Bed Bugs - October 28th, 2022
- Where Do Bed Bugs Hide? | Terminix - September 25th, 2022
- How Fast Do Bed Bugs Spread | Terminix - September 25th, 2022
- Do You Have Bed Bugs In Your Room? | Terminix - January 24th, 2022
- 9 Symptoms and Signs of Bed Bugs | Terminix - January 24th, 2022
- Worst cities for bed bugs: Heres where New York City ranks - SILive.com - January 24th, 2022
- Chicago Takes Another Top Spot for Pests, This Time Ranking #1 on Orkin's Bed Bug Cities List - Kilgore News Herald - January 10th, 2022
Click Free Exterminator Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free exterminator quote today.